Need advice on buying a new router

I've read the guide stickied at the top of the forums, but I'm pretty clueless about routers and I'm not sure what exactly problems I'm running into.

I have a Linksys WRT160N right now and the problem is that I need to reset the router once a day or it slows down tremendously. Also, when I'm playing an online game while somebody else is surfing the internet on a different computer, I get hefty lag spikes. What kind of router should I be looking at to resolve these issues? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

It is possible your router i suffering from overheating, try propping it from where it sits and see if that helps somewhat. Also, how many devices do you have connected to it at a given time, if there are a lot, it's also possible you're entering a crash and burn situation where the router cn't handle all those connections.

Regarding lagg spikes, it might have nothing to do with the router, but rather with your internet connection itself.

 

Thanks for the reply. There are usually 2 laptops using the internet at once. I play Diablo 3 on mine while my dad surfs the internet. We have a max download speed of 40 MB/s and better internet isn't available where I live.

 

40Mb or 40Mb, i assume it's megabits and not megabytes. That router can handle two laptops pretty easily, so like i said try giving it a little more aeration and see if that helps.

Also make sure your wireless drivers are up to date as well. Try gaming while plugged in the router with a cable and see if that fixes the lagg spikes too. Do any other online games lagg when someone is surfing as well?

 

Ah, you're right, it's 40 mb/s. And I do play with an ethernet cable in my laptop and I still get lag spikes. I'll check the wireless drivers. And I haven't played many online games at home other than Diablo 3 recently, but I don't recall having many troubles playing CoD on my ps3 in the winter.

My ping in Diablo 3 is usually around 120, but when I get lag spikes, it can shoot up to 300 to 1000(rarely).

 

I think Asus RT-N13U B1 is fine for you, its cheaper and support DD-WRT.

 

WRT160N has 3 hardware versions two of witch are supported by 3rd party firmwares including DD-WRT.
It may be one way to go. Another is making sure your current Linksys firmware is up to date.

 

Plug the router power separately if it is not.
When it get slow
Do speedtest.net with lan to router
Do speedtest.net with lan to modem



40 is plenty of bandwidth for almost anything.