[Closed] Home router help - before it gets launched through the window!

I can't help as regards your current router, but in terms of others to look at allow me to be the first to recommend the Billion 7800n. Wonderful.

More router chat (if you can bear it), below:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-adsl-router

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-router-ideas-billion-bipac-really-that-good

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/it-geeks-recommend-me-an-adsl-wifi-router-please

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-router-required

Disable the DHCP,and assign all devices a static address,just google it,had to do it on my cheapo Tenda.Big +1 for Billion routers,if you can't get yours to play.

I'd put the DD-WRT firmware on it if I was you.

You cant beat neatgear routers for a decent GUI. Avoid the DGN1000, they appear to be sheite. DGN2200 seem to be pretty good, picked one up off e-bay for £20. Works well.
You could try a factory reset on the Linksys and then reload the firmware, might work.

The last Netgear router I had was a disaster, but it's probably worth having a look again.

Blimey - I have a bipac router (no idea how I got so clever) and just followed the advice in one of those threads about changing settings (phyr and SNR). Seems a lot faster than it was unless just lucky coincidence.

(village in the sticks but we're about 400yd from the exchange, FWIW)

Have you got any devices using static IP addresses already?

Netgear user here, really pleased, plugged it all in and it worked fine. The Genie interface is a doddle to use. Solved my network drive problems.

Very happy.

+1 for the Billion 7800n, best router I've ever had. No trouble, very stable.

It replaced a Linksys [they are owned by Cisco but I found out too late that putting Cisco in the name is a 100% con - you don't get anything like Cisco]. I also had a Belkin (went back to the shop, kept reversing IP addresses!), and Engenius (good until it broke, but that may have been due to mains power transients) and a dlink (OK but just became outdated).

Can't offer any more advice on temporary fix for the Linksys except what others have said, disable DHCP and allocate static IPs. Worth doing anyway for anything non-mobile as it protects against certain types of malware hijacks.

I think that Apple TV and/or the Samsung Smart TV (through power line connection) are the straws that have broken its back.

Have you got any devices using static IP addresses already?

Not yet - but I'm tempted to nail down the TV and Apple TV if I can.

Right, I've fixed the TV and Apple TV IP addresses and it all seems to be working more reliably. Fingers crossed.

Thanks folks!

If you're manually setting static IP addresses on a device, they need to be outside the DHCP scope. Eg, give your dynamic pool addresses 192.168.0.2 > 192.168.0.100 and then your static IPs start from 101 upwards. If you don't do this, you'll risk conflicts (hence my earlier question).

Personally, I think statics are almost always a bad idea. If something needs a static IP then it's better to reserve a specific address for the device's MAC within DHCP. This way, you keep all the configuration and admin in one place.

Thanks Cougar

The dynamic addresses start at 192.168.1.100. The router is 1.1 and the fixeds are at 1.2 and 1.3

[i] If something needs a static IP then it's better to reserve a specific address for the device's MAC within DHCP. This way, you keep all the configuration and admin in one place.[/i]

I'm not sure I understand, but I'll have a look at the router admin pages and report back.

The dynamic addresses start at 192.168.1.100. The router is 1.1 and the fixeds are at 1.2 and 1.3

Cool, that's fine then.

I'm not sure I understand, but I'll have a look at the router admin pages and report back.

Basically, you can add "reservations" on the router which mean "when this device connects, always give it this address." Every network device has a [i]physical[/i] address called a MAC address, a fingerprint if you like, hard-coded. It'll look like a 12-digit string of alphanumeric characters which might be separated by dashes or colons, eg 00:21:E2:63:F1:10 or some such. DCHP assigns logical IP addresses to physical MAC addresses.

MAC addresses are usually printed on labels on the devices, or failing that you might be able to work them out by looking at "connected devices" on the router and marrying up MAC addresses with known IP addresses.

Functionally there's no difference between the two methods. But using reservations mean that a) you know the subnet mask and default gateway are set correctly and b) it avoids a world of pain when you change things around or buy new kit in a few years time and forget you've done it.

On some routers it is possible to reserve a dynamic address so as it is only issued to a particular mac address. (The hard encoded address of the NIC)

Some people prefer doing it this way as it means all of your addresses that are in use are visible in one place and you don't have an unknown number of devices on the network on static addresses with no record.

HTH
Mart

edit.. Beaten to it.

Oh, if you reserve an address that's already in use by something else, you'll probably need to release the address first. Turning off the conflicting device should do it, though you might need to disconnect the device at the router too (or just power-cycle it).

I've had a look at the admin pages, and I can't see anything that looks like I can do the reservation stuff.
I am tempted by a new n modem anyway, so ill try and check if that's possible on the prospective purchase.

Thanks again.

I'd look at the Billion 7300n,almost as much functionality as the 7800n,and a lot less.

I've had a couple of Netgears and they could do it. Dunno about that specific model though.

No big deal anyway, if it's now working.