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Sometimes it's just your GD router flickering out!!

I’ve never had a single wifi router that didn’t have at least some minor glitch in it. The first 3 generations I owned would overheat. My current ASUS with multiple antennas has a reliability problem on 2 GHz.

I know this because I have a laptop and streamer that were hooked up to it. Wifi analyzer showed very strong signal with no noisy neighbors at all. Still flickers out. Switch to 5 GHz and the problems go away.

Point is, in addition to your usual Wifi issues like low strength and neighbor’s signals interference these devices are made to the absolute bargain price point. Sometimes it really is your router.

If you can run Ethernet for your streamers, especially video, it's almost always going to save you issues later.
erik_squires
mikem
260 posts
 
I had my Linksys nighthawk router giving me problems with the 2.4Ghz band. I was able to correct the problem by adjusting the transmit power down to 75%, which still gave me the same signal strength at my furthest point. This must have reduced the distortion  it was creating at full transmit power and it works perfectly now. Also going to a channel that doesn’t overlap will help with interference.
erik_squires OP
16,144 posts
 
I was able to correct the problem by adjusting the transmit power down to 75



See, this kind of fits in with my experience of these routers overheating.  I wonder if cutting the power doesn't just keep the 2.4 GHz transmitter cooler?

What a great idea, btw, I'm going to try it now!
mlsstl
1,438 posts
 
Strange -- I don't think I've ever had a problem with any of the many wireless routers I've used over the years. Wonder if you are running into interference problems from a neighbor or two.

erik_squires OP
16,144 posts
 
hi @mlsstl

Nope, had it in a variety of places.  I was often an early adopter.  I even wrote blog posts about how to put heat sinks and fans.  That is how I know I was having heat issues.  I don't know for sure that is the case today, but since only a couple of my devices still rely on 2.4 GHz I may never take the time to find out.
riley804
1,224 posts
 
@erik_squires 

not saying it cant be a modem / router issue....but lets not over look of how the internet signal gets to the house / modem / router also.      if there is a problem there, that can cause issues as well.     

 sure you can use the analyzer , but you need to usually have a dsam meter to check forward and reverse levels and see if there are any BER's on that frequency and if there is , then its a matter of tracking it back further in the house  / cable plant.
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