Are You Fed Up with Your Router Losing Connection? It May Not Be the Router’s Fault

Throughout the years, I’ve had a few wireless routers. Surprisingly, they tend to stay working for at least 3 to 4 years before conking out.

Wireless routers can fail with network connectivity due to various reasons, some obvious and some not-so-obvious.

Let’s start with the obvious ones. In one instance, my router started making a high-pitched whining noise that kept getting louder. This was a clear sign that a capacitor was about to blow. Another time, my router got zapped by lightning and stopped working – a mistake I rectified by using a UPS.

However, there are times when a Wi-Fi router randomly stops working. The unit remains powered on, but all network connections are dropped, forcing me to reboot the router manually (usually by switching it off and on again). After the reboot, it starts working again.

So, what causes this frustrating problem? Generally, there are two main reasons for it.

1. A wired device has a faulty network cable or a bad network card

Most people have at least one wired network device connected to their wireless routers, usually a PC without a wireless card. I’m not referring to the WAN, or “Internet,” port; I’m talking about port 1, 2, 3, 4, or beyond, where you have a wired network device plugged in.

If the network cable is faulty, it will bombard the router with “garbage” traffic, eventually causing it to lock up. Similarly, if the network card connected to the router’s network cable is faulty or deteriorating, it can result in frequent connects and disconnects. This can overwhelm the router and eventually cause it to lock up as well.

How can you troubleshoot this issue?

Start by replacing the network cable. If that doesn’t solve the problem, try switching ports on the router. For instance, if the device is plugged into port 1, switch it to port 2. Sometimes, individual ports on a router can go bad without affecting the others.

If the problem persists, unplug the device from the router and see if the issue clears up. If it does, it’s probably time to replace the network card on that device, as it’s likely to fail completely in the near future.

If, despite all your efforts, you still experience random disconnects, move on to the next reason.

2. Other wireless routers randomly switch channels and “kick yours off”

If you live in an area with many other wireless routers nearby, like an apartment complex, it’s highly likely that your router occasionally gets “kicked off” and requires a hard reset to reconnect.

The way your router handles sudden disconnections caused by other routers barging in on your channel depends on the quality of the router. Cheaper routers usually don’t handle abrupt disconnects well. When a disconnect occurs, your Windows machine will display the all-too-familiar “limited connectivity” status icon with an exclamation point. Though the connection is established, you won’t have access to the outside internet.

However, better routers are equipped to handle abrupt disconnects and network crashes more effectively, thanks to well-programmed firmware that includes self-correcting network features. You don’t need a professional-grade router to enjoy this feature, but you do need one that isn’t a bargain-bin purchase or an impulse buy.

Using third-party firmware like DD-WRT usually won’t solve the problem of a router that can’t handle abrupt disconnects. While DD-WRT offers additional features, it doesn’t necessarily improve network stability after a crash.

In other words, if you have a router that’s old or unreliable and requires a hard reset every few days just to function, switching to DD-WRT won’t magically solve the issue. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to salvage a malfunctioning Wi-Fi router; it simply needs to be replaced.

As always, use inSSIDer to check for frequency channel use. I recommend using inSSIDer for Windows as it’s the best free utility available. This app allows you to quickly determine if another router is interfering with the channel your router is using. If interference is detected, simply change to an open channel to resolve the problem.

Remember: your router may be innocent! It’s crucial to explore other possibilities before placing the blame solely on your router.