Linksys 54G trouble

Whenever I post in this section, its to complain about my router. I hate my router.

I have it running my home pc via cat5 and my basically stationary laptop via wifi.

I don't use my NB enough to know if it is having problems too.

On my PC, after about 20 minutes to an hour of use, the internet drops. Browsers cannot find or connect to sites. Oddly enough MSN Messenger stays connected and even notifies me when people come online; so there must be connectivety. Anyways out of frustration I found that to fix the problem I just have to yank out the power cable and cold boot the router.

I don't want to do this forever... can anyone please help me figure this out?

Cheers

 

Maybe a firmware update on the router is needed.

 

That, or there may have been a static discharge that's partially fried the port. I used to have that problem with an older Linksys of mine. Had to get a new one, but the new one has been working very well. (which is a WRT54G v5)

 

I just spent 2 days on the phone with the non english speaking reps at Linksys. two things, a firmware upgrade which I was unable to download from there site i had to have them e-mail me the file. Another is make sure your modem is communicating with the router.

 

which linksys model do you have?

 

thanks, i'll look into the firmware update.

ITs a v5

 

V5 return it. They moved away form Linux firmware, cut the ram in 1/2. It is now junk.

 

I've reflashed my router into a 3rd party and it works fine now. If you have experience try something like that.

 

could you point me in the way of a tutorial or something...? I don't even know what that means.

 

Flashing third-party firmwares on to the WRT54G/GS v5, v6 without hardware modifications

 

Sure. I would defintely check out these two websites. They helped me a lot and I was able to flash my WRT54G v6. I tried this with a v.5 and it was also possible.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1322409

http://www.bitsum.com/openwiking/owbase/ow.asp?WRT54G5_CFE

The second link might be the same with icanhabsum. Just remember, to read all the directions. Not trying to scare you or anything, but some screw ups can cause your router to be permantely paper weight.

 

***never ever ever do a firmware update wirelessly*** only wired to the router from your desk/lap-top

 

Thanks guys, will try it the second I have a chance!

 

Just an update, I looked over the firmware update you guys suggested with 3rd party software and I deemed it too hard and complicated for me. BUT I did finally get fed up enough to send an email to Linksys, but when I went to their website to see who to write, I say the downloads section. I found the firmware update provided by Linksys and installed it and the router is now running great!

So anyone with these problems, make sure your Linksys firmware is up to date first.

Cheers.

 

I'm getting an "Upgrade are failed" messag ewhen I try to flash my V6 GS with the vxworks_prep file. Any ideas?

 

Dude, that is harsh. The majority of Linksys wireless router owners don't even know or care what version they have, and it works fine. It's just the techies that want particular versions for playing around with.

 

SIGH... nevermind... that worked for about a day.
Can anyone please help me? I've gone through everything I could. I have wireless security set up but that should not matter because I am not even using wifi at the moment.
I have two ports forwarded for bt which i'm pretty sure my client doesn't even use.
Connection dies completely and router must be rebooted.

 

I think you should still try the 3rd party. It's great. It might be a little confusing, but that website helps a lot. It even has step by step instructions.

 

If you have BT running all the time, your unit may be over heating due to contionus duty. Residential routers are not design for that. The Gaming router handle the constant load better. Or move up to a bussiness class router. Which is what I did. I got tired of have to reset in on a regular basis.

 

The v5 is infamous to have problem handling multiple connections (like bittorent uses for example) since they downgraded the amount of ram and install that crappy software instead of the configurable linux based one. The mem on that router went from 16 meg to 4 meg with the 5th revision.... Try disabling bittorrent and all p2p software you have and see if that clears your problem. If so buy another router!

Otto.

 

Thanks Ottoritter and blue68f100 i will turn off BT and MSN to see what happens... I think you guys are right though, bucause when I had three downloads, it was happening constantly, but two have since finished and the last is going incredibly slow and the router has not failed yet.

azntiger1000, If the above is true, do you think the 3rd party firmware will help out with BT and MSN, if so, I will devote some more time to figuring out that process.

cheers

 

I have the same router and had the same problem - lose connection. Upgraded to 1.0.9 firmware from linksys site and now it's ok. if you did the same, try re-update firmware one more time- that's what I was told by linksys tech rep.also I had slow download speed,but used tweak from dslreports.com and now everything is perfect.

good luck !

 

azntiger1000, thanks for pushing me! I did it, except I followed a much better explained manual which I found from the bitsum link you gave me. This guy included screen shots! You can find that here . Just been running the 3rd party stuff for a day but it seems much much more reliable, THANKS A BUNCH!

 

I have a V3 router (I had to hunt the store for it amongst the V5s ). It was initially dropping connections (constant bittorent). I then upgraded to Tofu firmware and its been up great - running continuously with bittorent on for at least 4 months (which is abot the time when electricity goes off due to circuit breaker tripping in our house, and it automatically gets reset).
I actually also had a V4, sold it for about $30. Regretting it now, those older routers are absolutely fantastic !

 

Hmmm no. Many ppl who use DD-WRT and other 3rd party firmware arent techies. The real techies go for OpenWRT. Ppl just want a better alternative than the POS Linksys give you. The later Linksys firmware are notorious for being unstable. As far as I am concerned having a router that doesnt die on me when Im in a heated battle of CS for like no extra cost is a great blessing.

 

Nice! Yep I know you will like it.

 

Its easy to assume that all people are embracing technology as well as us, but I have to disagree with you and say that the average joe/jane will not even consider flashing third party firmware onto his/her router, let alone even know what that means.

I don't consider myself a techie by any means, just someone who knows how to solve computer problems by using the internet and asking people online.
Yet I am basically the "IT guy" at my house, neighborhood, and for most of my parents' friends.

We can format an HD in our sleep but for the general public its a scary and daunting task.

As laptops become more and more popular (it is now officially "cool" to have a laptop and quickely becoming "uncool" to not own a laptop... kinda like when I was a kid and couldn't afford Nike sneakers lol) so will routers.
In fact I have to go set up a router for friends of the family (mother with two daughters), do you think I can just tell them to "flash the firmware"... heck I have to go over there to just set up wifi security!

I do not think most people going into bestbuy to buy a blue box from linksys know what firmware is or would understand if you started explaining the differences between a version 3 and 5!

Oh and BTW, DD-WRT is sweet! router has not crashed once yet! But I will have to learn how to setup security and stuff!... cuz i'm no techie... but i'm miles away from the average linksys consumer!

 

You are SO RIGHT about that

I feel like Bill Gates himself when my friends ask me tech questions. And I'm not even a expert at anything tech. I just know enough about most things.

Imagine if DHCP wasn't an option when it came to setting up routers. Half of America would not be Online. LOL