My cousin has just rung with a problem with their Netgear DG 834G router. When she went to use the computer this morning, there was no connection, so she went to check the router lights, and found the power light flashing on and off, intermittently and randomly, and also the internet connection light flashing on and off. The other lights (ADSL / wireless) remain off. This is a wireless connection, the router being downstairs and the computer upstairs, and has worked flawlessly for some time.
She may be confusing the internet light with the ADSL connection light, but even so, the power light shouldn't be flashing on and off, should it? I have suggested she powers it off for an hour or two, and see what happens then, but fear the router may be on the way out. Any thoughts?
What you've suggested sounds likely, Simon. :( It might be worth a factory reset though.
loose connection??
has she been dusting and moved it a tad?
Quote from: Baz on Nov 28, 2009, 16:31:23
loose connection??
has she been dusting and moved it a tad?
I think she's tried all that, Baz.
Quote from: Rik on Nov 28, 2009, 16:27:54
What you've suggested sounds likely, Simon. :( It might be worth a factory reset though.
OK, not having got one handy, power on, pin in the back until... ?
Hold for 20 seconds, then release.
Thanks. :)
Quote from: Simon on Nov 28, 2009, 16:24:06
My cousin has just rung with a problem with their Netgear DG 834G router. When she went to use the computer this morning, there was no connection, so she went to check the router lights, and found the power light flashing on and off, intermittently and randomly, and also the internet connection light flashing on and off. The other lights (ADSL / wireless) remain off. This is a wireless connection, the router being downstairs and the computer upstairs, and has worked flawlessly for some time.
She may be confusing the internet light with the ADSL connection light, but even so, the power light shouldn't be flashing on and off, should it? I have suggested she powers it off for an hour or two, and see what happens then, but fear the router may be on the way out. Any thoughts?
If it is a v4 then Netgear told me that the version 4 had known problems with the PSU, which was what my problem was and I had the same symptoms. But after they replaced my PSU under their 2yr warranty I found another fault, a loose power connector inside the router and if you just moved the router or touched the cable all lights went out, so they eventually replace the router with a brand new v4 one. All is well now, which is just as well because my brand new 2 week old Billion failed the day the Netgear arrived.
Colin
Thanks, Colin. I'm going up there tomorrow with a spare, so I'll have a look at the PSU.
It could also be corrupt firmware. There's a Netgear utility to re-flash a broken router, so that may be worth a try (just remember to take it and the firmware file on a flash drive!).
Ah, you've just reminded me to update this, Seb. It was the PSU. All working again now. :)
Oops. Glad it's working anyway. :)
Couldn't have been simpler. Even the log in and wireless key were retained, after a supposed reset, so I'm guessing she probably didn't do that properly.
Power supplies seem to be a weakness generally, don't they. :(
Indeed.
Quote from: Rik on Nov 30, 2009, 09:08:32
Power supplies seem to be a weakness generally, don't they. :(
It must be the heat that kills them.
Quote from: Sebby on Nov 30, 2009, 14:27:26
It must be the heat that kills them.
As a result of poor design and cheaply done.
We need to have universal charges and power supplies!
It makes far too much sense to ever me adopted. :( I have, literally, a case full of chargers. Going on holiday requires an 'electric' bag.
What about inductive charging? It shouldn't be too many more years before we start seeing that.
It exists for some devices, Seb, eg electric toothbrushes.
It's slow at present though
It is, but it's a start.
It was quite interesting to note that, despite both being identical routers, theirs had a fairly flimsy looking 'shaped' PSU, whereas the one I had with mine, bought about 4 years ago, is one of the big square 'bricks'. I suspect mine will last longer than theirs did.
Too many cheap Chinese units these days. :(
They bought it from PC World! Oh, wait... :whistle:
;D