How To Tell If My Router Is Bad

How to tell if my router is bad? There are a few indications and symptoms that your wireless router is faulty or about to break, some of which you can fix yourself with minimal effort. Some indications and symptoms suggest that your router is nearing the end of its life cycle, or that it can only be rescued with the help of a trained technician.

It’s not nice to have a router that isn’t working! After all, your router is responsible for everything on your network — streaming, gaming, schooling, and actual work all suffer when your router fails. Here are some methods to check if your router is malfunctioning.

How To Tell If My Router Is Bad

If you own or use a router given for the home entertainment package by a cable operator, there are numerous indicators that your equipment may have difficulties. Internet traffic slowdowns, lengthier download times, frequent disconnections, and poor signal strength in various areas around your house or office are the most prevalent issues. You could also find that certain router features cease working altogether.

The age of a router is one of the most prevalent issues. Heat damage can occur over time since routers are often turned on. According to a PC World article, heat can be a major cause of performance concerns including inconsistent connectivity and slower speeds. Moving your router to a new place with greater circulation, or utilizing a fan to assist cooling, might be a simple remedy. Another issue with outdated routers is that they don’t support newer devices or faster speeds when new standards emerge. 

How do you tell when it’s time to replace your router? I’ll go through the three most visible ways your router is waving the white flag, as well as some strategies for bringing it back from the edge.

Indicator 1: You were able to get on to the Internet yesterday, but not today. It’s possible that your router’s lights are all turned on, or that they’re all turned off. Windows will either tell you that you have “Limited Connectivity” or will say nothing at all.

Advice: This is a fairly solid indicator that your router has failed completely. Check your connections first: If feasible, try a new Ethernet cable and a different computer. Maybe it’s your machine, not your networking gear, that’s acting up. Disconnect the router from the modem and from its power outlet, if possible. Switch the modem’s power on and off. Wait. Reconnect the router to the modem before reconnecting it to the wall.

Indicator 2: You can’t happen to get everything done without your internet connection falling out and rejoining after a little period of time. These interruptions are more frequent and obnoxious than you recall them being in the past. The wireless signal lasts only a few hours before it drops out.

Advice: Investigate this odd behavior by going to the router’s online configuration screen and looking for the ability to reset the equipment to factory default settings. Secure your wireless network with a password in case third-party traffic is overburdening your device. Check the manufacturer’s website for firmware updates, and install any that are newer than the one you’re currently using. To test whether you can at least maintain an unbroken wired connection, turn off your wireless signal.

Whether none of those works, try connecting the router to a different electrical outlet to see if a power outage is causing your device to turn on and off. Move your router to a different position if your wireless connection is being hampered by nearby interference. To combat interference in a different method, open the setup screen and change the wireless signal’s channel.

Indicator 3: You know you’re utilizing all four router ports, yet there are no lights indicating a connection. All of the front lights may be solid and lit. Alternatively, the light showing the router’s connection to your DSL or cable modem may continue to blink, and blink, and blink…

Advice: Reboot your router by disconnecting it, waiting 30 seconds, and then plugging it back in. Try a hard reset – most routers include a small button that, when pressed for four to seven seconds, restores the device to its factory default settings. Check the room’s airflow and make sure it’s not too hot to touch. Your gadget may have just overheated, but this is an uncommon occurrence.

To verify whether you can maintain a connection between your router and your DSL or cable modem, unplug and reattach your Ethernet wires and, if feasible, use spares. Go into the router’s settings panels and upgrade the firmware to the most recent version provided by the manufacturer if you haven’t previously. Remove any non-networking equipment from the router (such as a USB drive) and reset it.

If you’ve tried all of these recommendations and your router still isn’t working well, it’s time to consider replacing it. Use a colleague’s or a neighbor’s computer, or ask a friend to look for a replacement device or additional help on D-Link’s website.

Unexpected halt

A sudden loss of functioning is a definite indicator that there is an issue with your router, or that it has broken. When this occurs, the first thing you should do is rule out the chance that the problem isn’t caused by a simple, unintentional wiring connection. Check that the connection wires and cables that connect the router to other devices, such as the computer and modem, are fully plugged into their respective devices. If everything is in order, the standstill might be caused by a faulty router, which should be replaced or repaired.

Slow Down

A sudden slowdown in data transfer speeds is another indicator that your router is having issues or is about to fail. Slow data transfer rates are usually caused by excessive amounts of network traffic or a lack of available bandwidth, but they can also be caused by a failing router.

To check if your computer still transports data as slowly as it did while linked to the router, connect it directly to the modem instead of the router. If this is the case, your issue is most likely caused by network traffic or a lack of available capacity. If the speed improves, you know the issue is with the router, and extreme measures may be your only option.

Non-Responsiveness

It’s a good bet that your wireless router is damaged or needs to be fixed or replaced if it doesn’t respond when the wires and cables are properly inserted and secured. The non-responsiveness of your router, on the other hand, might signal that the power outlet or surge protector to which it is attached has failed. To see if this is the case, plug the router into a different power source. If the router continues to be unresponsive, you may need to purchase a new router.

Indicator Lights

When your router is working properly, the data transfer indicator lights should flash or stay lit all of the time. If the lights on your router aren’t lighted but you can still connect to it, this might be an early indicator that the router is likely to break down or cease working. Even if it isn’t offering access to any of its linked devices, these indication lights should constantly flicker. Whether you observe this warning message on your router, keep a watch on the lights to see if the problem remains.

Conclusion

Routers are reasonably durable devices, but they are susceptible to decreased performance or even failures with time, just like any other piece of electrical equipment. Many common problems may be resolved with a simple reset, which involves either shutting the router off for 60 seconds and rebooting it, or, in more severe situations, resetting the device to factory defaults. The reset button is generally found on the device’s rear.

On certain brands, a pin or other tiny item must be inserted into a hole on the rear panel. It’s time to purchase a new router if all of your basic troubleshooting procedures fail to yield the desired results. In most cases, replacing an older model will result in improved performance and functionality.