Router stability
 

Well, my big issue is that this thing would just disconnect us. It's weird, and it'd knock us off the internet, and just going local only. Any suggestions as to how to remedy that? (It's a netgear non-wireless router)

You know I'd kind of like an answer to this as well. I also have a Netgear router and it doesn't matter if I run it wired or wireless it still seems to dump me off the internet once in awhile while still maintaining a perfect connection. The best I could come up with was a program conflict but then it stopped doing. It still happens once in a great while though but is more or less a very minor annoyance at this point.

I'd lay money its either because Netgear sucks or that Microsoft and Netgear just don't want to play nice together.

Quite a few lower-quality (Read: Most of the consumer market) get flooded when you try to initiate too many connections. I frequently get disconnected from my Belkin when I'm running many torrents while browsing the internet (FF with pipelining; lovely, except when connecting to about 500 seeds/peers).

Not that this is the specific issue, but it's more common than one would expect. If you're a frequent torrenter, see if the drops are connected to your downloads.

EDITUS: Also, when asking for help on the internet, try to be as specific as possible when telling us what hardware/software is malfunctioning (Read: Next time, include model number. Cheers ;))

What is your internet carrier as well? Often problems can come from them if you;re a frequent downloader.

It's just me and one other person, and neither one of us does any torrenting or the like.

I've actually had everything from a wired only router to simple wireless router to one of the latest $200 supposedly 300 Mb wireless router all Netgear and they've all had this problem. It generally happens whenever. I haven't actually wrote it down or anything but I spend more time not torrenting than torrenting lately and it still happens. Its even happened a couple of times when I shut my torrent program down altogether because it kept locking up. Its why I'm inclined to believe Netgear just makes crappy products.

Ok, which model of router are you using? How frequently does it kick you off? Can you ping through the router? Are you sure it's not your ISP? Run a traceroute (Run > cmd > tracert google.com) and post the results next time it kicks off.

As for a short term fix, reboot the router. If the problem lies with the router, that should get you back on.

Seriously man, we need more info to be able to help effectively.

Sithdarth: Any chance it's a heating/ISP issue? If you've gone through 3 different routers, and it happens when it's not torrenting, I'd explore environmental conditions. That's not to say the problem isn't Netgear; I haven't really heard anything either for or against them.

Again this is like a once a month thing really so its more curious than anything at least for me. This is what I'm currently using. But pretty soon I'll be moving back to the place where I was using this. Again, both had the same strange extremely intermittent problem with the only common link being the manufacturer. I've also had all sorts of crazy problems getting the USB antennas to even work properly with anything running windows. I'm like 90% sure I just need to switch to linksys or something.

Edit: Strangely I've also been through 3 different ISPs and locations. The first things I ever explored was simply moving them and that still didn't work. I even went to the point of a dedicated fan for the RangeMaxNEXT one because that baby go really hot.

Before I forget, are all your drivers/firmware updated? For anything that connects to the network. Often times the latest drivers/firmware solve a whole mess of issues.

Mine are in that Netgear seems to update about never. Though for the one I am currently using there was a slight upgrade but I already grabbed that awhile ago.

I'd switch to Linksys. I've never had a problem with Linksys routers, except occasionally after thunderstorms, but that had more to do with Cox having to reset the connection than with the router. I've also found that pressing the reset switch after power comes back on prevents that problem.

I have, and it just streight-up doesn't want to work. And seems me and EA have the same ISP.

Ok, next time that the router kicks out, run a traceroute and post the results here.

And really, the router model would be appreciated.

Routers also occasionally get IP conflicts internally, especially if you're with an internet Provider (Read as: Rogers Cable) That doesn't actually WANT you using a Router. That can have you booted as well.

I've noticed that the Belkin 54g Wireless never seems to have an IP conflict, and is great for non-DSL connections.

For a DSL connection, I just finished purchasing and setting up a D-Link Wireless 54g Router as well, and this one SEEMS to be okay. In about a week after it's been tested a bit, we'll do a write up on that.

Specifically about Netgear- I have had a lot of problems with the Wired Router we set up at my mother's office, with the same issue. We determined that it doesn't like DSL connections, and prefers "Always on" Internet. I don't know if that helps at all, but if you have a Username/Password for internet access, Netgear may not be the Router for you.

Seconded. I've abused that little wireless thing for a long awhile, I think, and it's never done wrong to me like this Netgear stuff you're talking about. Sure, about 4 times during the whole of the 4-5 years of my having it it's done some screwy things, but just basic knowledge of how the routers work (which I don't have, but my other family members do :p) helps.

So, if you have any money you'd be willing to spend on for better internet, Linksys is a good option.

I can't recommend brands of routers, as I've stuck with my Belkin for about 3 years now. All I can recommend is that you do some Google-fu before you make a new purchase.

Again, make sure that it is the router, and not your ISP, causing the issues. The ISP may be causing the router to fritz, as Nikose mentioned; that's a good reason to switch routers. But if the ISP itself is down, replacing the router won't help.