Can an old router "slow down"?

[z1ggy]

I have an older linksys router circa 2006. It's done well enough but I've noticed that my load times and speeds over wifi are horrible. I just got new internet, and speed tested to 68mbps downloads last night. My wired connection to my PC through the router seems to be okay, but mobile devices are pretty slow.

Could it be time for an upgrade? Not sure what the router is rated for, but I'm assuming it can handle speeds well past 60.

 

[agil]

Perhaps someone is using the same channels as your router.

 

[z1ggy]

Perhaps someone is using the same channels as your router.

It's got a WPA2 password on it that only myself and 1 other person know.

 

[agil]

It's got a WPA2 password on it that only myself and 1 other person know.

That's not what I mean:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...your-wifi-speed-by-choosing-the-right-channel

Basicly: Get a channel scanner and choose the one with the least overlapping connections.

 

[ch33zw1z]

It's got a WPA2 password on it that only myself and 1 other person know.

He means someone else in your area has networks using the same channels, which can cause interference.

answer to your question: yes....devices can start to fail. 10 years on a device? yea man....time for an upgrade.

I moved away from the SOHO combo device. Using a Ubiquiti ER-X router, and a Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR for wireless.

The setup is awesome.

 

[z1ggy]

He means someone else in your area has networks using the same channels, which can cause interference.

answer to your question: yes....devices can start to fail. 10 years on a device? yea man....time for an upgrade.

I moved away from the SOHO combo device. Using a Ubiquiti ER-X router, and a Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR for wireless.

The setup is awesome.

Ah, yes it's very possible then. I live in a huge condo community, so there's probably at least 10-15 people emitting wifi signals within range. Let me look into it.

edit: Seems like if I just pick a 5ghz device, interference issues should be minimized.
edit2: IMPORTANT NOTE: my router is inside of a bedroom which has tons of sound deadening material in the walls. Is this a potential source of signal attenuation?

 

[VirtualLarry]

I have an older linksys router circa 2006.
Not sure what the router is rated for, but I'm assuming it can handle speeds well past 60.

If it's a WRT54G, of any flavor, those only had slow 200Mhz CPUs, and couldn't handle more than around 40-50 Mbit/sec wired, and less wifi (54G tops out at 22Mbit/sec wireless).

 

[Joepublic2]

Is this a B, G or N router?

http://www.speedguide.net/faq/what-is-the-actual-real-life-speed-of-wireless-374

802.11b - 2-3 Mbps downstream, up to 5-6 Mbps with some vendor-specific extensions.
802.11g - ~20 Mbps downstream
802.11n - 40-50 Mbps typical, varying greatly depending on configuration, whether it is mixed or N-only network, the number of bonded channels, etc. Specifying a channel, and using 40MHz channels can help achieve 70-80Mbps with some newer routers. Up to 100 Mbps achievable with more expensive commercial equipment with 8x8 arrays, gigabit ports, etc.
802.11ac - 70-100+ Mbps typical, higher speeds (200+ Mbps) possible over short distances without many obstacles, with newer generation 802.11ac routers, and client adapters capable of multiple streams.

Yes, I've had several different wireless routers that over time lose signal strength. Capacitors age (especially electrolytic ones) and a lot of the cheap power supplies they come with probably don't provide very clean power to begin with and this accelerates capacitor aging. You might try recapping the board with a good brand of capacitor.

 

[z1ggy]

If it's a WRT54G, of any flavor, those only had slow 200Mhz CPUs, and couldn't handle more than around 40-50 Mbit/sec wired, and less wifi (54G tops out at 22Mbit/sec wireless).

Unsure on trim, just know it's a linksys. Need to check when I get home tonight.

Is this a B, G or N router?

http://www.speedguide.net/faq/what-is-the-actual-real-life-speed-of-wireless-374



Yes, I've had several different wireless routers that over time lose signal strength. Capacitors age (especially electrolytic ones) and a lot of the cheap power supplies they come with probably don't provide very clean power to begin with and this accelerates capacitor aging. You might try recapping the board with a good brand of capacitor.

Again, unsure, I will have to check. Meh, I don't mind soldering and whatnot, but this was like a $50 router back in the day. It's just easier for me to hop on amazon and order up a new one, especially if this is only 802.11b.

 

[Ketchup]

5 Ghz performs very well, as long as you are fairly close to the signal. If I am on the opposite end of the house from the router, I barely get a signal. Your current router doesn't have that anyway.

Use something like this to see if you are using the best channel:
https://www.acrylicwifi.com/en/wlan-software/wlan-scanner-acrylic-wifi-free/

And yes, I have heard people say that a new router improved their internet speed over the old one. Personally, the routers I have had just started dropping connections when they were on their last legs.

 

[nerp]

There's no harm in getting a new router, only benefits. Yours, while it was great when new, has aged. I find that older routers really struggle in a modern home with multiple people with phones, ipads coming and going regularly, along with wired computers.

 

[z1ggy]

5 Ghz performs very well, as long as you are fairly close to the signal. If I am on the opposite end of the house from the router, I barely get a signal. Your current router doesn't have that anyway.

Use something like this to see if you are using the best channel:
https://www.acrylicwifi.com/en/wlan-software/wlan-scanner-acrylic-wifi-free/

And yes, I have heard people say that a new router improved their internet speed over the old one. Personally, the routers I have had just started dropping connections when they were on their last legs.

Luckily my condo is small, furthest point from router might be like.... 35ft.

I will check to see what channel I'm on (probably auto) and tinker with the 1 6 11 channels to see if that helps. If all is well after that, I may leave it and see if I can suffer until cyber monday.

Edit: Router is WRT110 which according to teh googlez is a 802.11g standard. That explains some of the slowness over wifi, but not all the disconnections, etc.

Also, downloaded wifi scanner on my phone for android. As suspected, tons of signal overlapping on channel 1. Tons of other routers on channel 6 and 11, too. So, I moved mine to channel 3 where there's very little over lap from routers on channels 1 and 6. Signal strength right around -40dB. I'll see how this performs for now. I scanned the 5ghz range and there's only 2 routers on it around me, so that's a very good option in the future.

Please comment if I can improve this more.

 

[MrA79]

If it's not N or AC, replace. If it is, try something like channel 11 and see if that helps.

There's no sense whatsoever in paying for that sort of connection with a router that can't handle it.

 

[Ketchup]

AC has the advantage of having little traffic (for now). Just remember a few things:
- It won't make the internet much faster than a good N router.
- The AC band will only work with other devices that have ACE.
- They are still fairly expensive

I got a killer deal on a Netgear WNDR4500 (gently used from ebay). I got it for the gigabit and 5 GHz (I do a fair amount of file transferring within my network), and it is a huge improvement over the N router I had.

 

[z1ggy]

If it's not N or AC, replace. If it is, try something like channel 11 and see if that helps.

There's no sense whatsoever in paying for that sort of connection with a router that can't handle it.

Channel 11 was pretty crowded according to the scanner. Channel 3 seemed unused anhad the smallest overlap.

AC has the advantage of having little traffic (for now). Just remember a few things:
- It won't make the internet much faster than a good N router.
- The AC band will only work with other devices that have ACE.
- They are still fairly expensive

I got a killer deal on a Netgear WNDR4500 (gently used from ebay). I got it for the gigabit and 5 GHz (I do a fair amount of file transferring within my network), and it is a huge improvement over the N router I had.

What things can use ACE? Can a ps3/ps4 use it? I assume all newer phones can.

 

[Ketchup]

Phones within the last 2 years support it. Playstations do not.

 

[MrA79]

Channel 11 was pretty crowded according to the scanner. Channel 3 seemed unused anhad the smallest overlap.



What things can use ACE? Can a ps3/ps4 use it? I assume all newer phones can.

Pretty much anything Apple does AC now. PS3\4 do not natively, but I've heard of people getting a fair approximation with a bridge.

 

[ch33zw1z]

The only device I'm interested in for AC is the Roku 4...even then not sure it will matter.

 

[z1ggy]

Phones within the last 2 years support it. Playstations do not.

I see. Meh I still might get a new router because even on channel 3, things are slow-ish. Even my hardwired connection is not zippy despite having 69 mbps download on my last speed test.

WRT ps3/4, not a huge deal I really only play single player games or stream netflix.

What's the best decent router with 5Ghz for under 100 bucks? There's a few on my shortlist but I wanted to see here first before I make a buy.

 

[nerp]

TP-Link has a gigabit router with a/c dual band for about $100. ASUS makes some nice stuff but the models I've looked at are like $200 bucks. Funny how routers went to a cheap commodity to a $200 part again.

 

[z1ggy]

TP-Link has a gigabit router with a/c dual band for about $100. ASUS makes some nice stuff but the models I've looked at are like $200 bucks. Funny how routers went to a cheap commodity to a $200 part again.

Yeah I've been eyeing this one which is a little over $100 and this netgear one which is cheaper, but probably not quite as good.

What's the difference between AC1200 and AC1900? And why is the AC1900 TP Link much cheaper than other AC1900 routers out there?