Topic: Need new Router, looking for suggestions

[FPF-DieHard]

My router is knd of dying and needs to be rebooted WAY more frequently than it should to keep access.

looking for suggestions on a replacement.   Must be able to play D2 without any problem (so NOT kroma's router).

Wireless not needed, I have a WAP.

[Farfarer]

Once I figured it out, my US Robotics has been fine.  The Ports set up is not as straight forward as in other routers though, and I run in DMZ while in D2. However, the security set up is very user friendly, and it came 'hard wired' so to speak with port forwarding for popular games and game zones ( But not D2 - had to get Community help for that - thanx again).  I didn't know that until after I had bought it. 

[Green]

 Linksys (great), 2Wire (ok), and a Korean job called "we makey router, you likey?" (or something like that).  In fairness to my Korean router...it was a long time ago, the technology was new.

[FPF-DieHard]

Blew thw dust out of it with canned air, stayed stable the whole night.   

Fricking strange . . .

[Nemesis]

My router died Sunday night as well.  It is an old US Robotics unit with a serial port for connecting your modem.  My replacement of course does not have that feature so I will have to work at getting all my computers to share the modem all over again now that I have to connect it straight to one computer.  Configuring the replacement firewall is also loads of fun .  On the bright side I think that it was only the power supply so I may be able to find a generic replacement locally and get it active again. 

The new router is a Linksys BEFSR81.  I haven't had any time to play with it but it looks pretty good other than the serial port lack.  How it would work on broadband and games I don't know.

[Dfly]

I am using a D-Link Switch instead of a router and love it.  very straight forward, no real configuring and no problems with D2 or other stuff.

[Mazeppa]

I know this is probably in the "duh" category, but do you have your router in a place where any cooling vents are blocked?  Is the power supply or the router in an area where it may get hot?

If it operates intermittently, you might have a power supply problem.  it it's an external power supply, a trip ro Radio Shcak with the old power supply and fifteen bucks may solve the problem. 

If you have a voltmeter, you might check the power supply and see if the volts are low.  Test it, then bump the power supply sharply and see if the volts are the same.  If the reading changes, or if you get readings that are low or that change constantly, you may have a problem.

[FPF-DieHard]

I know this is probably in the "duh" category, but do you have your router in a place where any cooling vents are blocked?  Is the power supply or the router in an area where it may get hot?

If it operates intermittently, you might have a power supply problem.  it it's an external power supply, a trip ro Radio Shcak with the old power supply and fifteen bucks may solve the problem. 

If you have a voltmeter, you might check the power supply and see if the volts are low.  Test it, then bump the power supply sharply and see if the volts are the same.  If the reading changes, or if you get readings that are low or that change constantly, you may have a problem.

nothing's blocked.   it's about 3 years old, has been dropped a few times, normal wear on equipment.   Only reason why I didn't replace it already is it has 8 ports.

[Ronin]

I have a LinkSys BEFSR41 that was locking up regularly until a friend suggested going to the LinkSys site and getting a "Firmware" upgrade. I did. No problems since. Perhaps your manufacturer has something similar? Just a thought. Of course, blowing all the dead spiders out with compressed air might have done all that needs to be done. :-)

Ronin

[FPF-DieHard]

Bought a new one, Linksys 4 port

Now if Only I could remember what ports need to be forwarded to run a D2 server . . .

[Hexx]

There's a reason there's a button marked "search"

Frickin computer illiterates...

[Nemesis]

If it operates intermittently, you might have a power supply problem.  it it's an external power supply, a trip ro Radio Shcak with the old power supply and fifteen bucks may solve the problem. 

For my old one if I unplugged it and plugged it back in the lights would come on and go off immediately.  As a test I cooled the power supply in the refrigerator and then plugged it in (with no computers connected to the router), the lights came on but dimmly.  I plan to try and replace the power supply in hopes of reviving the old router.  But it is 5 volts and 2 amps which seems to be rare.   I won't have time until this weekend at the earliest to check out any place that might stock such a unit.  In the meantime I am back up and mostly functional.  (Very busy couple of weeks ahead of me).

My old router was going to be an issue if I bought a laptop as all its ports were in use so the new router will be useful no matter what.

[Mazeppa]

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F009%5F001%5F001%5F001&product%5Fid=273%2D1763

Radio Shack has a 6 volt 1800 mA adapter, which will probably be close enough for your needs.  Take the old adapter in to get the plug right.

Radio Shack has good stuff in the parts department, but their sales force is more interested in selling you a phone plan thna getting you what you need.  "You've got questions, we've got blank stares." is the watchword there now, so be sure and take the old adapter and make sure they give you the right plug.  And give then the catalog number, Catalog #: 273-1763 to make sure they get it right.

[Raztax]

a Korean job called "we makey router, you likey?" (or something like that). 

ROFLMAO

[Nemesis]

Radio Shack has a 6 volt 1800 mA adapter, which will probably be close enough for your needs.  Take the old adapter in to get the plug right.

Thanks I'll keep your suggestion in mind but would like a closer match if possible.  I'm in no big hurry.  The new router does work and I can connect to the internet, just not as simply and elegantly as before.  I may go back to my old way of hooking the modem to one of my Linux boxes, then I'll have to learn the Linux firewall just to connect to the D2.

I was in The Source store (formerly Radio Shack now owned by Circuit City) earlier and they didn't have anything on the shelf.  I was both too tired and too rushed to try and deal with their staff.  When I get the chance there are several other stores I can check including an Electronics Surplus store in Toronto that has a very high likelyhood of having something of the same specs (and cheap) on the shelf, I'll just combine a trip there with another trip to Toronto that I would have taken anyhow. 

Right now I'm working long shifts and having to visit my sisters house every day to feed, water and kick her (psycho) cat, so I really won't have time to worry too much about this or be online anyhow.  Not until she comes back from British Columbia in two weeks and my work slacks off a little.

[likkerpig]

Get a switch, routers are for girly men.
Just have a good software firewall and you don't have to worry about ports and crap.
Software firewall+router= like wearing two condoms in case one breaks... Bah! Live on the edge!

[Nemesis]

Radio Shack has a 6 volt 1800 mA adapter, which will probably be close enough for your needs.  Take the old adapter in to get the plug right.

I picked one up after work friday that matched the voltage and amperage exactly.  I had to change the plug myself but that wasn't any problem.  I just plugged it in and all the routers lights came on so I assume it works.  Once I finish transferring my 200+ SETI WUs (on dialup) I'll try putting the network back the old way and rebox the new router as a spare.

Likkerpig... ppphht. 

Using the routers firewall I don't need to bother with the software one.  I don't need to reconfigure it any time I must do an OS reinstall.