wireless router

Because GRM is the source of all knowledge on the internets, I ask here.

My Linksys WRT54G seems to be crapping out on me - requiring reboots sometimes multiple times daily, other times it will run for days with no issues. I've already had the cable company out to check the line and the modem, they replaced the modem and de-complicated some of the wiring from when I had cable TV and phone service (internet only now) and they suggested that I consider replacing the router. The router is probably 4 years old at this point. Any suggestions on ways to check if this thing is dying? Would I be best served to do a factory reset, load up DD-WRT or Tomato, or throw it in the trash and buy an Airport Extreme?

Blow some air through it. Anything beyond that is not worth the time it will take. If it doesn't do it, its trash in my eyes.

The DD-WRT firmware is worth a try. It fixed the issues with the lockups and reboots for my linksys router due to their poor software.

My WRT54G started doing the same thing and I eventually gave up on. Shame, because the Tomato firmware was a frickin' nerdgasmic plaything. Re-flashing with different ROMs cured nothing.

If there'd been a cheap 802.11n/gigE base station that ran DD-WRT and that I could hang a USB drive off of, I'd have gotten that. There wasn't. Don't know if there is now, though.

I've been super happy with the Airport Extreme that replaced the Linksys. Fast and reliable, especially now that there are no 802.11g devices left in the house slowing things down. Plays nice with all the Apple stuff we have, though probably not worth it in a Windows house.

My Linksys BEFSR41crapped out a few weeks ago. Went from fairly normal operation to no workie with a blinking power light. All efforts to resuscitate it failed.

I replaced it with a Linksys E1200. Cheap and easy down at Sam's Club for around 50 bucks.

Short answer: Trash it. Four years is a little on the short side of expected life span, but by only a little.

Flash with DD-WRT and see what happens. I've gotten several years out of a router that wouldn't hold a steady connection with the stock firmware by flashing. It's always worth a shot.