Having problems with connection to my router

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

We have an old wrt160n router from Linksys and lately it's been doing weird connectivity issues. We only have phones (wifi) and a Playstation 4 pro (wired) connected to it. Our phones and other wifi stuff would lose connection to the router. It would still be "connected" to the router but it would not have an internet connection. Would this be an interference problem or a problem with the router? My apartment is small and there really isn't a place to move the router.  Thanks

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

3 minutes ago, Chocolate_Pie2865 said:

We have an old wrt160n router from Linksys and lately it's been doing weird connectivity issues. We only have phones (wifi) and a Playstation 4 pro (wired) connected to it. Our phones and other wifi stuff would lose connection to the router. It would still be "connected" to the router but it would not have an internet connection. Would this be an interference problem or a problem with the router? My apartment is small and there really isn't a place to move the router.  Thanks

Try restarting the router by unplugging it for a few minutes and then plugging it back in. Consumer grade routers tend to do because they are often left on 24/7. I had a similar problem with an old router my ISP rented to me and the technician admitted that the problem is that these things are made cheaply. 

[Billy_Mays]

Have you tried unplugging and plugging it back in?

[The Owl]

You need to look at it in a straight line perspective and see what's in between your device and the router. Reflective materials, pipes, appliances, other wireless equipments and the number of other wifi networks you have around you can cause that kind of issues.

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

I would restart the router and hours later (i'd say 8-10 hours) it would do the same thing. 

[The Owl]

Just now, Chocolate_Pie2865 said:

I would restart the router and hours later (i'd say 8-10 hours) it would do the same thing. 

That sounds like too many networks are around you. Do your detect more than 7 wifi networks around you with a signal strength above 3 bars?

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

1 minute ago, The Owl said:

You need to look at it in a straight line perspective and see what's in between your device and the router. Reflective materials, pipes, appliances, other wireless equipments and the number of other wifi networks you have around you can cause that kind of issues.

Monitors and desks would cause disruption right? I have my router 1ft away to me right and its in a corner. Only 2 monitors and another desk with a ps4 on it.

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

Just now, The Owl said:

That sounds like too many networks are around you. Do your detect more than 7 wifi networks around you with a signal strength above 3 bars?

Yeah on my phone its 4 maybe 5 networks. Most of them are far away but one is our neighbors.

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

I'm checking the channels and the routers are everywhere. i'm on channel 11 and I see 3 or 4 on my channel and a couple on the rest. 

 

EDit: Well not a couple, I re checked and there are 5 more routers but they are far away. only one router is close to me and its on another channel.

[The Owl]

Anything electronic in-between the router and device cAn cause issues, wireless landline phone's bases, etc... Use a app on one your phone's to see what wifi channel the networks around you are using, do it next to your router and then at each location the other devices are at. Once you know you can try to manually force your router to use a specific channel, it won't fix the issue forever but it will provide you a bit more stability.

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

14 minutes ago, The Owl said:

Anything electronic in-between the router and device cAn cause issues, wireless landline phone's bases, etc... Use a app on one your phone's to see what wifi channel the networks around you are using, do it next to your router and then at each location the other devices are at. Once you know you can try to manually force your router to use a specific channel, it won't fix the issue forever but it will provide you a bit more stability.

Well thanks hopefully I got it solved. If I don't I'm thinking about getting a new one possibly 5ghz.

[The Owl]

Be sure all your devices support it, otherwise you won't be able to connect or will have to use both 2.4 and 5. Also, check first if you're not already surrounded by those as well and beware you might lose some signal strength on the furthest point from your router.

[Chocolate_Pie2865]

1 minute ago, The Owl said:

Be sure all your devices support it, otherwise you won't be able to connect or will have to use both 2.4 and 5. Also, check first if you're not already surrounded by those as well and beware you might lose some signal strength on the furthest point from your router.

Yep thanks only one 5ghz router is nearby and not interfering. I live in a poor people place and doubt there are many 5ghz routers by.