Linksys Failed Me (Again)

Up again, down again, up again

This router has been flaky, flaky, flaky since the day I bought it. I use it with a pair of Linksys wireless-G cards, inside a 2 bedroom apartment, and while signal strength is usually "good" or better, I am constantly losing my connection to the internet minute to minute. There are frequent stalls in all internet service - solvable only by resetting the Linksys router. Then everything's great for a couple days, and it all starts over again. I really, really, really hate this little blue box.

My history with Linksys

Linksys seems to be emerging as the dominant brand in home networking products these days and they have multiple home routers that get high praise from sea to shining sea. I used to rely on a wired Linksys router at my old place, and it was generally okay. It also konked out and refused to do any routing on a routine basis, and I got used to unplugging/replugging it a few times a week. I just figured that perhaps I was overwhelming it with BitTorrent connections it wasn't designed to handle. But that theory eventually went out the window once I'd tested the router thoroughly with no BitTorrent active.

Connectivity problems

You probably think I'm talking a lot about the router I USED to own, and not the WRT54GL. Well, unfortunately, I'm getting really similar symptoms with this router as well. I know how to forward the ports I need to the appropriate applications, and I'm using only Linksys hardware on both ends. My DSL provider has heard from me multiple times, as has the phone company, and there is nothing wrong with my service or my line. But several times a day, my web browsing slows to a crawl or fails utterly.

Sometimes it comes back after a moment, and other times not. When I open the Linksys status application, it cycles between the following over and over:

1) "You are connected to the access point but the internet cannot be found."
2) "Cannot connect to the access point."
3) You are connected to the access point and the internet."

This happens on 2 different PCs that are on different sides of the house. One is only about 15 feet from the router. Whenever I bring my work laptop home, it hangs on "acquiring network address" forever. I've never gotten that one laptop to connect. *Sigh*.

The good points

The flaky reliability is really my only complaint. When the router works, it's great. Its administration screens are easy to use. The range of the signal is adequate for me (the further of my 2 computers is about 40 feet away, behind several walls with a fridge in between). It offers all kinds of features, most of which I don't understand. But it makes it easy to forward the ports BitTorrent wants. And it passes both of my work-related VPNs through just fine.

Secure setup is cool and easy

The secure setup feature is also nice on this unit. Without setting up any passwords, you can securely connect your Linksys router to the Linksys wireless card in your computer. You just push the Linksys logo button on the router, it begins flashing, then you run over to your computer and press a software button in the Linksys setup application. Next thing you know you've got a secured connection between them. I guess they "detect" and then authorize each other. Slick!

Mac compatible: CHECK

I've also connected a Mac laptop to this router. That DID require checking the WAP password on the Linksys router (via the web admin interface) and then entering it via the Mac. But it was easy and worked okay.

In summary: not worth the trouble. Wasted money.

Unfortunately, all the features and security in the world simply don't matter when it's frozen and refusing to route packets. I don't know what's wrong. I've set up a dozen or so of these gadgets in my life and believe me, I've checked everything easy. My Mac, Windows laptop, and two Windows desktops all have frequent problems with connectivity via this device. And it's the second time I've had these Linksys blues.

I thought I'd give them another chance, hoping my 2nd router would be better. So far it's been terrible. I wish I could get ALL my money back, including the 2 cards and the router.