Linksys WRK54G is terrible for wireless

Blackswan2 · 05-11-2008, 12:06

I have had this router a few years and always had the main PC ethernet cabled connected to it, which has been problem free.

But the family laptop was wirelessly connected - this connection has always been ropey, but I put it down to a problem with the laptop (perhaps because I don't use it

)

Have just moved house (still with Virgin Media for good or bad) and the router is no longer where the PC is so this is also wirelessly connected now and the connection is just as ropey as the laptop's

- Signal Strength is usually excellent but still often get Limited or no Connectivity.

- Often "Repair" will work, but not always often has a problem "acquiring network address" :

Repair Wireless Network Connection
Windows could not finish repairing the problem because the following action cannot be completed:
RENEWING YOUR IP ADDRESS

- I then try manual Disable and Enable which sometimes works - but again not always. Then left with no option but to turn of the computer and router and start afresh and even that fails sometimes.

The router does not have a version number on the underneath plate (so 1.0 ?) and when I logon to it, it says it has Firmware Version: 1.56.01, Jul 22 2004, which although old appears to be after the latest one listed on the Linksys website!

The main PC runs XP Home, the Laptop runs Vista.

Does anyone know if there anything I can do to correct the situation or is the wireless side of the router, as I suspect, just a pile of crap? If so any recommendations on a replacement? I saw the sticky but it is a few years old, not sure if would still apply.

Thanks .... Simon.

southwell · 05-11-2008, 12:11

I would try changing wireless channels first, if you are on the wrong one you could get a lot of interference.
1 6 or 11 are the recommended channels.

MovedGoalPosts · 05-11-2008, 12:16

Unfortunately the WRK54G is a basic router, a cut down version of the much more robust WRT54G series. A quick

suggests many have issues with the WRK54G probably because in the process of making it cheaper, it was also less powerful.

Having been stung by Linksys kit I wouldn't be surprised if you don't want that brand again. However if you want "g" speed wireless, and up to 20 meg broadband speeds then the WRT54G series are frequently recommended.

For future proofing though, if buying a router now you may wish to consider "n" rated routers. your laptop might not support "n" now, but next generation lappys might, and "n" speed routers will generally be backwards compatible with "g".

Druchii · 05-11-2008, 12:24

WRK54G is not a good router for wireless a tall. I owned one, took it back immediately, did nothing but drop connections and show general instability.

Get a WRT54G for 'G' speed wireless. You'll never look back

---------- Post added at 13:23 ---------- Previous post was at 13:21 ----------

See my thread of problems here: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/87...c-problem.html
Also other forum emmbers report the same.

---------- Post added at 13:24 ---------- Previous post was at 13:23 ----------

See also: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/87...ys-wrk54g.html

Blackswan2 · 05-11-2008, 12:30

Thanks Rob.
No need to cut off my nose to spite my face, so I'm happy to buy whatever is good for me, so this should be a decent choice:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Acc...5887698&sr=8-1

Must say the box looks just like the current one with an extra arial!

---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by southwell

I would try changing wireless channels first, if you are on the wrong one you could get a lot of interference.
1 6 or 11 are the recommended channels.

Thanks Southwell, I'm just about to change from channel 11 to channel 6. If I don't come back, then I have truly screwed it up!

Druchii · 05-11-2008, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackswan2

Thanks Rob.
No need to cut off my nose to spite my face, so I'm happy to buy whatever is good for me, so this should be a decent choice:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Acc...5887698&sr=8-1

Must say the box looks just like the current one with an extra arial!

---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 ----------

Thanks Southwell, I'm just about to change from channel 11 to channel 6. If I don't come back, then I have truly screwed it up!

Essentially it is, but the components inside are far far different

MovedGoalPosts · 05-11-2008, 12:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackswan2

Thanks Rob.
No need to cut off my nose to spite my face, so I'm happy to buy whatever is good for me, so this should be a decent choice:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Acc...5887698&sr=8-1

Must say the box looks just like the current one with an extra arial!

I may be being a bit dumb, but I can't see the model number of that router on the page. Make sure yo uare getting a WRT54G, WRT54GL (the linux formware version which is designed to be changed by the user), or WRT54GS (the speedbooster version which might give a better signal if you had a speedbooster enabled wireless card in your compuer, so thus not really an advantage).

The visible external difference, at least on the Linksys is usually the two antenae. Internal bits and bobs though are probably a bit different too.

Blackswan2 · 05-11-2008, 15:25

Channels 6 or 1 didn't help!
Good spot Rob!

---------- Post added at 15:25 ---------- Previous post was at 13:31 ----------

How can you tell if your computer/laptop has speedbooster (both mine come with inbuilt wireless cards).

Looks like you can pick up WRT540G or WRT540GS for Ã‚Â£40 at PC World.

RealDiamond · 05-11-2008, 15:35

I actualy have this model of router but version 3 (you may have version 1 or 2 ) .
K stands for Kit as you get that wifi card as well.
The chip set is completely different to the WRT54 and no custom firmware is even compatible but I don't need it. I don"t get disconnected but then Im running a Mac with every thing on manual settings not auto in the router, with WPA2 personal encryption , streaming media to the PS3 in the DMZ and torrent seeding (yea yea) at the same time. yep the firewall is non existent (less to go wrong? may be) , but Ive got a fire wall built in to OSX. and 2 years ago I got it for Ã‚Â£20 with the Wifi card.

Blackswan2 · 05-11-2008, 18:58

Is this similar and worth getting?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...s-21/ref=nosim

Cheers :-)

Druchii · 05-11-2008, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackswan2

Is this similar and worth getting?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...s-21/ref=nosim

Cheers :-)

Girlfriend had one of those, steaming pile of... er... WRK54G

Blackswan2 · 05-11-2008, 20:24

What about these from PC World?

a) WRT54GSUK 125MBs router Ã‚Â£40:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...&category_oid=

b) WRT54G2UK 54G router Ã‚Â£40:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...&category_oid=

MovedGoalPosts · 05-11-2008, 20:38

No experience of the latter G2 router. It's in the modern linksys styled case but is otherwise probably very similar to the older clunky style WRT54G series.

The first link I would expect to be fine. Price is'nt that bad either, especially if you can collect in store avoiding postage. However the description of 125Mbps for the wireless is optimistic (probably Linksys fault) as with a standard "g" wireless the speedboost bit won't really do much.

Blackswan2 · 05-11-2008, 20:38

for a similar price (slightly less) ...
c) Dynamode Wireless Dsl/cable Router 54mb
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dynamode-Wir...5917354&sr=1-1

southwell · 06-11-2008, 08:42

I would personally have one of these two. Never had any problems with either. Belkin is my first choice though.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/sto...&category_oid=

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2059416840.122596086 8@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadefimhdheicflgceggdhhmdgmi. 0&page=Product&fm=13&sm=1&tm=1&sku=951446&category _oid=