Router Overheating

[Mike6567]

I have had a Linksys WAG354G Router for about 2 years.
Recently (I think) it has been overheating. I say this because the Broadband Internet stops working and I cure the problem by switching off for about 5 mins or so and then all is OK.
I think I will replace this Wireless Router but has anyone any suggestions for the Make or type of replacement?

[green granite]

Try drilling 3 or 4 holes evenly spaced along the bottom and the same at the top (take the cover off first) it may well cure it for a while.

[Mac the Knife]

.......and while you're at it, blow out all the grit, crumbs, fluff and dust bunnies...

[matt_hooks]

Just a thought, but have you tried downloading the latest firmware version from the manufacturers website?

There's not a great deal of stuff inside a router to overheat, I would suggest your problem is firmware related.

[Spitoon]

I had a Linksys router - the same model I think - a while ago and, periodically, it just stopped sharing anything. Resolved by pulling the power plug for 10 secs and then powering it up again after which it would work well for another couple of weeks or so. Firmware upgrade made no difference. Didn't seem to be particularly warm so I'm inclined to think it was just one of those hardware glitches/bugs that happen.

Maybe not what you want to hear but the reason I no longer use it is because the wireless bit gave up the ghost (wired connections were fine but no wireless signal detected by any devices).

Makes a good door stop though......

[green granite]

Makes a good door stop though.

UPSs are better.

[Mike6567]

I am not doing anything too drastic just yet. I have discovered I can stand it upright and this may help the cooling. However I am not really convinced the problem is caused by overheating.
The problem (happens once a day or so) is certainly solved by switching off for 5 mins and then on again.
Maybe it is something to do with the upgrading of my BT Broadband from the old 1.8Mbps/0.2Mbps to (big deal!) 2.7Mbps/0.4Mbps ?

[Mike6567]

I don't think its the router. I have put back the old BT Voyager 205 to see what happens - works OK but rather slow.
I think it is something to do with BT increasing the broadband speed. They tell me they monitor the setup for 10 days after the upgrade making adjustments to give the best speed on my connection(?). Anyway it needs a few more days to clarify what is happening before their 10 days are up.

[The Flying Pram]

I ran "TCP Optimiser" recently - it made a small but noticeable difference. Might be worth you trying it, as you suspect your ISP's alterations causing problems.

[Keef]

Are you on ADSL Max, and do you get connect speeds lower than 3 meg?

My Essex router does much the same random line-drop thing. All previous routers there have done the same. The same routers, if I plug them in in Norfolk, are fine. I get <3 meg in Essex (an urban area), and >6 meg in Norfolk (a rural village!).

Draytek were aware of the problem, and shipped me a "low line quality firmware update" which reduced the glitches from several a day to about one every two weeks.

The problem is basically line quality and length. The BT kit in the exchange glitches because of noise on the line; the router doesn't know to restart and reconnect, so it sits there not working.

I don't know what the Draytek firmware did, but it improved things. Draytek offered me the option of sending the router back for a thorough check, but since the Netgear, Linksys, and several others did the same thing, I concluded the problem is with BT and haven't bothered.

If I'm home when it does it, I just switch off and immediately on again.
It gets to be a pain when I'm away and want to connect via the VPN. I solved that with a timeswitch that turns the router off and on again at 4am every day. If I can't connect today, I should be able to do so tomorrow.