Is my router going kaput?

[mercurial]

I have a Billion 7300GRA router. Got it a few years ago. Over the last few days, connectivity has been erratic and I lose connectivity about every ten minutes or so. Sometimes more, sometimes less. The funny thing is that the lights on the router are on, as if everything is working, so I'm not sure what's going on. Is it breaking? If so, what is good router to get nowadays?

 

[vicv]

Have you checked to make sure it's not a line issue? Tried a friend's router?

 

[mercurial]

Have you checked to make sure it's not a line issue? Tried a friend's router?

I haven't checked the line yet but my router stats are good (I'm not sure if that's a surefire way to tell or not). I don't have a friend with a router that I can test, unfortunately.

 

[HavocXphere]

Line issue is more likely.

 

[Yotch]

If there is no obvious line issue try to turn off UPnP to see if there is any improvement. I had a number of problems with mine when I connected a new Windows 8 machine. Switching off UPnP seemed to solve the problem.

 

[mercurial]

Thanks for the feedback. UPnP is already off. I don't think it's a line issue. My router's lights would have gone off or on if this were true, but the lights are always on. It might just be that it's just the wireless part of the router that's faulty, since no device can connect to the wireless when the internet goes off, even though the lights indicate that it's still on. I've read around and it seems that my router could be packing up. I just want to make sure it is before I cough up another R700 for a new one.

 

[vicv]

Thanks for the feedback. UPnP is already off. I don't think it's a line issue. My router's lights would have gone off or on if this were true, but the lights are always on. It might just be that it's just the wireless part of the router that's faulty, since no device can connect to the wireless when the internet goes off, even though the lights indicate that it's still on. I've read around and it seems that my router could be packing up. I just want to make sure it is before I cough up another R700 for a new one.

Does sound like a router issue. Best would be if you could test with another router before breaking your wallet on a new one, although it's not always easy to find a router to borrow.

 

[w1z4rd]

90% chance your line is flapping. Ive got the exact same issue. Started about a week ago. Telkom have sent 3 techies out and still have not resolved the issue. You gotta just keep reporting the issue and asking them to monitor the line. Normally after the 7th or 8th time they send the one competent person out who knows what they are doing.

The average telkom techie is very useless.

If I login to my billion I can see the line lose sync for a bit when its disconnected. For a while it reports as all okay (all lights are on)... but if you wait and watch, mine loses sync after about 3min (after the line has dropped). It resyncs and then takes about 10 times to reconnect.

 

[AthenianOwl]

Have your line recently been upgraded to 4mb or higher?

 

[mercurial]

Yikes, sounds like it could be either. Thanks for the feedback.

@vicv: I also think it's the router but ghoti's post makes me believe it could be either.

@ghoti: I also have a Billion router. Conspiracy?

@DarkSpectre, yes. I was on 6mbps but then pushed it up to 8. It was fine all along until the last few days. The weird thing is that this doesn't always happen. I switched my router on and even though the lights are on, nothing could connect. After a few restarts, it eventually connected and has been fine since. I've sent TelkomZA a message to ask then to test my line stats. I'll have to wait until then before I make a decision.

 

[biometrics]

Since the upgrades none of our routers would sync at the office. We had to buy a Telkom branded D-Link 2750U to get it to work.

 

[mercurial]

Since the upgrades none of our routers would sync at the office. We had to buy a Telkom branded D-Link 2750U to get it to work.

Conspiracy?

 

[mercurial]

The things is, when I'm connected, I get full speed. My router stats are good. I'll just have to wait and see what Telkom says.

 

[AthenianOwl]

@DarkSpectre, yes. I was on 6mbps but then pushed it up to 8. It was fine all along until the last few days. The weird thing is that this doesn't always happen. I switched my router on and even though the lights are on, nothing could connect. After a few restarts, it eventually connected and has been fine since. I've sent TelkomZA a message to ask then to test my line stats. I'll have to wait until then before I make a decision.

What's your router stats look like? If your SNR is around 10 db, then it's not good Last week I had to request Telkom to downgrade my line back to 2mb from 4mb because my SNR was around 10db. After that, no more random internet disconnections.

 

[mercurial]

What's your router stats look like? If your SNR is around 10 db, then it's not good Last week I had to request Telkom to downgrade my line back to 2mb from 4mb because my SNR was around 10db. After that, no more random internet disconnections.

I hope that won't happen to me. Can't remember the stats. Will check just now and post when I'm home.

 

[AthenianOwl]

@DarkSpectre, yes. I was on 6mbps but then pushed it up to 8. It was fine all along until the last few days. The weird thing is that this doesn't always happen. I switched my router on and even though the lights are on, nothing could connect. After a few restarts, it eventually connected and has been fine since. I've sent TelkomZA a message to ask then to test my line stats. I'll have to wait until then before I make a decision.

What's your router stats look like? If your SNR is around 10 db, then it's not good Last week I had to request Telkom to downgrade my line back to 2mb from 4mb because my SNR was around 10db. After that, no more random internet disconnections.

 

[mercurial]

Double post?

 

[mercurial]

Here are my stats. I checked online and from what I've read, it's good.

Upstream 635 kbps
Downstream 8032 kbps
SNR Margin (Upstream) 11.7 db
SNR Margin (Downstream) 8.8 db
Line Attenuation (Upstream) 23.3 db
Line Attenuation (Downstream) 40.0 db

 

[mercurial]

Okay, so TelkomZA confirms that there are no issues on my line, nor is there congestion. My router still has these issues but my laptop's wireless is also going. Sometimes my phone can connect but my laptop can't and other times both cannot connect. Looks like I'm gonna need a new router and a wireless adapter for the laptop.

 

[Pho3nix]

Here are my stats. I checked online and from what I've read, it's good.

Upstream 635 kbps
Downstream 8032 kbps
SNR Margin (Upstream) 11.7 db
SNR Margin (Downstream) 8.8 db
Line Attenuation (Upstream) 23.3 db
Line Attenuation (Downstream) 40.0 db

Isn't this a bit of a problem?