Internet stops working for a few seconds

[Paul in Houston TX]

XP gaming machine, CAT5, Zoom ADSL X7N modem-router-switch stops
throughput during moderate network use for about 10 seconds every
10-15 minutes, sometimes every few minutes.
However, if I jump two unused CAT5 ports on the modem-router with
cable (not X-over) then the modem seems to work just fine and does
not lock up. Tested by pinging google and the router itself with the
W7 and XP machines and watching for time outs.

Any ideas on what, and how, to test on the router?
I suppose that I could leave the jumper cable connected all the time.
The router does not seem to run any hotter.

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

XP gaming machine, CAT5, Zoom ADSL X7N modem-router-switch stops
throughput during moderate network use for about 10 seconds every
10-15 minutes, sometimes every few minutes.
However, if I jump two unused CAT5 ports on the modem-router with
cable (not X-over) then the modem seems to work just fine and does
not lock up. Tested by pinging google and the router itself with the
W7 and XP machines and watching for time outs.

Any ideas on what, and how, to test on the router?
I suppose that I could leave the jumper cable connected all the time.
The router does not seem to run any hotter.

Well darn! It still times out with ports 1 and 4 jumped
but not as badly as no jumper.

 

[VanguardLH]

XP gaming machine, CAT5, Zoom ADSL X7N modem-router-switch stops
throughput during moderate network use for about 10 seconds every
10-15 minutes, sometimes every few minutes.
However, if I jump two unused CAT5 ports on the modem-router with
cable (not X-over) then the modem seems to work just fine and does
not lock up. Tested by pinging google and the router itself with the
W7 and XP machines and watching for time outs.

Any ideas on what, and how, to test on the router?
I suppose that I could leave the jumper cable connected all the time.
The router does not seem to run any hotter.

How old is it? These rely on convection cooling. No fans. That's why
you really shouldn't stack anything on top of them, even other same-
model routers, as the heat builds up and those tiny air holes in the
case are insufficient to provide unfettered convention cooling. Plus
dust collect inside just like it does on the shelf on which the router
sits, and dust is a heat insulator not conductor.

While different brands seems to have different longevities, all the
consumer-grade routers die after a few years. The Dlinks expire after
about 3-4 years and Linksys at 4-5 years. I don't have experience with
using Zooms for long enough to know how long they live. Routers become
flaky (erratic connectivity) before they become completely unusable. So
it sounds like your router is too old and has degenerated due to heat
stress so you'll need a new router.

But first, have you pressed the Reset switch to revert to factory-time
settings? Also, to diagnose flaky connection problems, turn off the
power to your computer(s), any wifi access points (APs), the router, and
cable modem. Wait a couple minutes. Then power up the devices in the
following order: cable modem (wait for its lights to settle), router,
downstream devices (APs, NAS, networked printers), and lastly power up
your computer. This ensures the upstream DHCP server to a network node
is available before trying to bind to an IP address. Power off in any
order you like. Power on starting with the device(s) closest to your
service point (where it comes into your residence) and proceed inward
with your computer the last to get powered up.

If the modem-router were rented/leased from your ISP, it is their
property. You could call to have it replaced. If they have a nearby
service center, you could drive there and get an immediate replacement
(no scheduling an appointment sometime later and waiting a home for
several hours for them to show up). If the modem is your property then
you're responsible for its maintenance and replacement. If it's your
property then another test would be to merely bypass the router entirely
and connect your computer directly to the cable modem, power off and
back on in the order mentioned, and retest; however, you bought a combo
unit so there is no way to bypass just the router.

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

How old is it? These rely on convection cooling. No fans. That's why
you really shouldn't stack anything on top of them, even other same-
model routers, as the heat builds up and those tiny air holes in the
case are insufficient to provide unfettered convention cooling. Plus
dust collect inside just like it does on the shelf on which the router
sits, and dust is a heat insulator not conductor.

While different brands seems to have different longevities, all the
consumer-grade routers die after a few years. The Dlinks expire after
about 3-4 years and Linksys at 4-5 years. I don't have experience with
using Zooms for long enough to know how long they live. Routers become
flaky (erratic connectivity) before they become completely unusable. So
it sounds like your router is too old and has degenerated due to heat
stress so you'll need a new router.

But first, have you pressed the Reset switch to revert to factory-time
settings? Also, to diagnose flaky connection problems, turn off the
power to your computer(s), any wifi access points (APs), the router, and
cable modem. Wait a couple minutes. Then power up the devices in the
following order: cable modem (wait for its lights to settle), router,
downstream devices (APs, NAS, networked printers), and lastly power up
your computer. This ensures the upstream DHCP server to a network node
is available before trying to bind to an IP address. Power off in any
order you like. Power on starting with the device(s) closest to your
service point (where it comes into your residence) and proceed inward
with your computer the last to get powered up.

If the modem-router were rented/leased from your ISP, it is their
property. You could call to have it replaced. If they have a nearby
service center, you could drive there and get an immediate replacement
(no scheduling an appointment sometime later and waiting a home for
several hours for them to show up). If the modem is your property then
you're responsible for its maintenance and replacement. If it's your
property then another test would be to merely bypass the router entirely
and connect your computer directly to the cable modem, power off and
back on in the order mentioned, and retest; however, you bought a combo
unit so there is no way to bypass just the router.

Thank you Vanguard for the good suggestions.
The Zoom ADSL modem / router / switch is my own.
Got it in August 2012. It's always run hot and for the last year the
circuit board has been out of it's case and on a desk top for air flow.
I just reset to factory default with no change. Guess its going bad.
I'll add it to my box of burned out and flaky modems and routers.

 

[gargoyle60]

all the
consumer-grade routers die after a few years

Nonsense!
I am sure I am not the only person with a router 10+ years old and still going strong (and better
than some newer models). I agree the cheaper models are not built to last, but as with everything
else, you get what you pay for.

 

[VanguardLH]

Nonsense!
I am sure I am not the only person with a router 10+ years old and still going strong (and better
than some newer models). I agree the cheaper models are not built to last, but as with everything
else, you get what you pay for.

The case feels warmer than room temperature enough so that you can
detect the case is warm. Well, if the case is warm than how much hotter
is the processor inside? Then remember these cases aren't sealed so
dust collects inside. There is no fan to move cooler air over the
processor. Instead preheated air comes to the processor because of the
radiant heat from the processor. There is little air flow to speak of.
Some have a heatsink on the the chips (but use thermal glue instead of
thermal paste and a clamp); however, many if not most have no heatsink
to increase the surface area for cooling. Cases are plastic instead of
metal so the case cannot itself be a thermal conductor.

Here's a Dlink modem/router: http://tinyurl.com/mt3cquo. It does
[sometimes] have heatsinks. How does that heated air get away to allow
cooler and non-preheated air to get at the processor and RAM chips when
the case looks like http://tinyurl.com/o7asy84. Just 2 rows of tiny
slits, top and bottom (the side indents are fake) and at the back of the
plastic case where are the RJ-45 and RF-45 connectors and not over the
processor and memory chips. Then add the RF shields over the wifi
circuit that is not a heatsink and further restricts airflow. This is
typical of what you find in Linksys and Netgear, too. Hell, the thin
PCBs will flex from thermal stress to break solder joints. Tis no
surprise they burn up after a few years.

You see a lot of rack-mounted enterprise-grade routers used in homes?
The consumer-grade units run hot so they eventually burn up. You can
get many-thousand dollar routers that have a lifetime warranty. What
consumer-grade routers have you found with a lifetime warranty? You
thought cheap equated to low failure rate for uber long longevity?

 

[Paul]

Nonsense!
I am sure I am not the only person with a router 10+ years old and still going strong (and better
than some newer models). I agree the cheaper models are not built to last, but as with everything
else, you get what you pay for.

There's a difference between:

1) Older 10/100BT routers. Power dissipation is low.
2) First generation GbE routers with "always ON" Ethernet 5V @ 2A = 10W of heat
3) Second generation GbE routers with "power down" Ethernet.
Same power requirement, 5V @ 2A, but unused Ethernet ports power
down to save power.

These three cases will have different temperatures. The
item in (1), will "last forever". It is only mildly warm
to the touch. Just don't drop piles of papers on it.
Keep the vents clear and the case unobstructed.

The second ones, failed relatively rapidly. One of the
posters here:

a) Dremeled a square hole in the casing.
b) Fitted a 35mmx35mm heatsink on the main chip.
c) Put the cover back on.

And that was his solution to the bad thermal conditions
he found.

The item in (3) is better, but if you have all the
ports wired up, there is no reason for it to be any
better than (2).

*******

In this Gigabit router, everything on this side of the PCB,
has a heatsink attached. Even though the PCB is inside
a housing.

http://www.wirelessgoodness.com/wp-content/gallery/netgear-n900/2012-01-26_100934.jpg

The ventilation is on the end of the housing on that one.

http://www.wirelessgoodness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/image43.png

And consequently, for a long life, that router should be
oriented vertically, so you get the best convection
cooling.

That's why they come with a stand, to stand them upright.

http://s192804805.onlinehome.us/eba...0_Wireless_N_Dual_Band_Gigabit_Router_(7).jpg

If you want to operate such an item in the horizontal position,
fit an 80mm fan near one end. I use active cooling
for my networking components here. My Netgear GbE is
oriented vertically, so the cooling can work on it.
I have a high wattage ADSL modem, that received active
cooling, after reviewers reported early failures of
the design. I run those fans off a 12V DC wall adapter.
The other fan, actually cools all the wall adapters
After I found one of the adapters running with a
relatively high case temperature.

Paul

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

Nonsense! I am sure I am not the only person with a router 10+ years
old and still going strong (and better than some newer models). I
agree the cheaper models are not built to last, but as with
everything else, you get what you pay for.

I have never had a home modem / router / switch / wifi last more
than 3 years. In my junk box now are 2 ATT 2Wire modem routers,
1 dlink router, 1 dlink modem router, 1 netgear modem router,
1 netgear router, and (soon) 1 zoom modem router.
I was hoping the zoom would last more than 22 months.

They are all flakey or burned out. Most of the time I took the
board out of the case for better cooling. Some of them I glued
long bits of aluminum beer cans on the chips to act as heat
dissipators. All were less than $70.
That does not include the ones that I salvaged for parts.
There were several of those.

At work we use Moxa, Lantronics, and N-Tron. They last over 3 years
in humid, 160F+ / -40F, bug infested conditions, however they cost
more than I want to pay. For the cost of one modem and router I can
buy 15 cheap ones.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>,

It is just a lower grade of quality control.

If Wong Chi was having a good day, your router might last forever but
if not, they still get put in the box and shipped out.

Indeed. My "Dynamode" combined ADSL MoDem/Router/wifi thing was the
cheapest one I could find, and yet has been running continuously for
some years.

 

[VanguardLH]

I have never had a home modem / router / switch / wifi last more
than 3 years. In my junk box now are 2 ATT 2Wire modem routers,
1 dlink router, 1 dlink modem router, 1 netgear modem router,
1 netgear router, and (soon) 1 zoom modem router.
I was hoping the zoom would last more than 22 months.

They are all flakey or burned out. Most of the time I took the
board out of the case for better cooling. Some of them I glued
long bits of aluminum beer cans on the chips to act as heat
dissipators. All were less than $70.
That does not include the ones that I salvaged for parts.
There were several of those.

At work we use Moxa, Lantronics, and N-Tron. They last over 3 years
in humid, 160F+ / -40F, bug infested conditions, however they cost
more than I want to pay. For the cost of one modem and router I can
buy 15 cheap ones.

I've had to replace consumer-grade routers at 3-5 year intervals. They
burn out. We lease the cable modem so if that is bad we just hop over
to the service center and get it replace immediately. I prefer a
separate router and cable modem because it's easy to test flaky
operation of either. If the computer connected to the modem gets
reliable connections then the router is bad. If check connections and
file transfers between my intranet hosts then the

 

[Rich]

I have never had a home modem / router / switch / wifi last more
than 3 years. In my junk box now are 2 ATT 2Wire modem routers,
1 dlink router, 1 dlink modem router, 1 netgear modem router,
1 netgear router, and (soon) 1 zoom modem router.
I was hoping the zoom would last more than 22 months.

They are all flakey or burned out. Most of the time I took the
board out of the case for better cooling. Some of them I glued
long bits of aluminum beer cans on the chips to act as heat
dissipators. All were less than $70.
That does not include the ones that I salvaged for parts.
There were several of those.

At work we use Moxa, Lantronics, and N-Tron. They last over 3 years
in humid, 160F+ / -40F, bug infested conditions, however they cost
more than I want to pay. For the cost of one modem and router I can
buy 15 cheap ones.

My Linksys WRT160N's (1 as router, 1 as AP) are 5 & 1/2 years old now. I
also have an ASUS RT-N12 as a repeater which is maybe three years old. All
this talk about consumer routers lasting only a couple of years has me
starting to look for replacements. I know brands change as far as who is
currently making the best hardware and the choices are numerous. What would
you recommend as a reasonably priced replacement router at this time in the
under $100 price range?
I have Google considering my city (Phoenix, AZ) for Gigabit which I will
jump on in a minute for internet/TV which would render any routers I buy
obsolete. However that could take as long as two years by the time it
filters down to me, if Google decides to come at all.

Thanks,

Rich

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

My Linksys WRT160N's (1 as router, 1 as AP) are 5 & 1/2 years old now. I
also have an ASUS RT-N12 as a repeater which is maybe three years old.
All this talk about consumer routers lasting only a couple of years has
me starting to look for replacements. I know brands change as far as who
is currently making the best hardware and the choices are numerous. What
would you recommend as a reasonably priced replacement router at this
time in the under $100 price range?
I have Google considering my city (Phoenix, AZ) for Gigabit which I will
jump on in a minute for internet/TV which would render any routers I buy
obsolete. However that could take as long as two years by the time it
filters down to me, if Google decides to come at all.

Thanks,

Rich

Rich,
I cannot answer your question. The Zoom was on sale at MicroCenter
for $50. The reviews make it look good, but as another poster said,
maybe the Zoom assembly line was having a bad day when they made mine.
I will probably get rid of the DSL and go with ATT Uverse 18 mbit soon.
It uses a different modem supplied by ATT. At $3 per month modem
lease cost vs. $100 to purchase the break even point is ~ 2.5 years,
or about the life span of a modem.

 

[Rich]

Rich,
I cannot answer your question. The Zoom was on sale at MicroCenter
for $50. The reviews make it look good, but as another poster said,
maybe the Zoom assembly line was having a bad day when they made mine.
I will probably get rid of the DSL and go with ATT Uverse 18 mbit soon.
It uses a different modem supplied by ATT. At $3 per month modem
lease cost vs. $100 to purchase the break even point is ~ 2.5 years,
or about the life span of a modem.

Paul,

Thanks for your reply. The Zoom is either a modem or modem/router
combination. I was looking for recommendations for stand alone routers only
that currently are considered to offer reliable service at a reasonable
price.

Thanks,

Rich