# Linksys WRT160Nv3 Dropping Connections



## DCLXVI666 (Nov 7, 2007)

OK, I bought a Linksys WRT160Nv3 802.11n router about a week ago and just hooked it up in my house about three days ago. I have three PCs: An HP Netbook with 802.11g, an HP Pavillion DV4 with 802.11g, an HP ENVY 15 with 802.11n, and two Apple iPhones which I assume utilize 802.11g. I got the router up and running using Cisco's automated wizard that comes packaged with the router and, despite a few problems the automatically installed Network Magic cause on my computer (such as disabling my NIS for some reason), I was able to get all of my systems talking on the network. However the connections keeps dropping. Not just the internet but the entire network connection on all systems, to include the iphones, will arbitrarily drop for up to a minute at a time as if the router had been unplugged. It will find the network again and reconnect without any problems. Sometimes this will happen four or five times within a 20 minute period and sometimes it will go three or four hours without it happening at all. I've set it back to factory defaults a handful of times and tweaked different settings to no avail.

I work in the IT industry as a network engineer so I'm not the average consumer. However, I find that the more these companies try to make products that are user friendly the more difficult it seems to be for me to work with. My frustration is multiplied knowing that this little piece of plastic is kicking my ***.

As a side note, it has dropped off twice while typing this.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

have you tried a firmware update?


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## DCLXVI666 (Nov 7, 2007)

It has the most current firmware on it.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

Is everything connected by wireless - 
have you tried to cable a PC to the router to see if a cable still disconnects

It may be interference on a wireless channel - change the channel to 1 or 6 or 11

Have you tried an ipconfig /all when it disconnects 
it may be a DNS issue - have you tried when it disconnects to ping the default gatewat, a website by name and by IP address

*{ipconfig /all}*
We would like to see the results from ipconfig /all

-> Start > run {search bar in Vista} > cmd > ipconfig /all
post back the results here

TWO Methods to do that - if you cannot access the internet with PC, then use method 2 to copy onto a machine that can access the internet and post results here

*Method ONE -------------------------------------------------------------*
start > run {search bar in Vista} > cmd > ipconfig /all

rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste

*Method TWO -------------------------------------------------------------*

Start> Run {search bar in Vista}> CMD to open a DOS window and type:

IPCONFIG /ALL >C:\RESULT.TXT

Open C:\RESULT.TXT with Notepad and copy/paste the entire results here.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*{Ping Tests}*
Start> Run {search bar in Vista}> CMD to open a DOS window and type:

*Ping* the default gateway shown in above ipconfig /all
Post back the results

*Ping google.com*
Post back the results

rightclick in the box
select all
enter
control key + C key - to copy
then reply here and 
control key + V to paste

*Ping 209.191.93.53*
post back results


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## DCLXVI666 (Nov 7, 2007)

If it is connected via CAT 5 there is no issue. The connections remains persistent. As for the systems when connected wirelessly, when the connection drops it drops entirely. There is no connection to the router, or anything else. As I explained in my initial post, it's as if the router has been powered off. This means that I cannot ping the gateway let alone any websites. As for interference, the router is set to AUTO which means that it will automatically switch between channels depending on the level of interference. I doubt very seriously this is the issue. Even so, the router I just replaced never never gave me any problems and my dog had gone to town on it destroying the antenna and most of the plastic casing over a year ago.


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## Pluripotent (Feb 6, 2010)

I bought the linksys wrt400n and had exactly these problems, and this is their top of the line equipment. It seems that linksys has released some very unstable products lately. I contacted their tech support, and they didn't really know what to do. I upgraded firmware, reset, nothing worked. I bought a D-link dir-855 and it works great. Don't think I'm buying another linksys. I don't think the current crop of linksys products is very good at all.

Another option if you don't want to spend the money, and N isn't that important to you is to go back to the linksys wrt54g (which has a reputation for being the most stable hardware). You can buy it on ebay for less than $20, install tomato firmware on it. Tomato hasn't made firmware for N routers yet as far as I know.


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## DCLXVI666 (Nov 7, 2007)

I'm glad to see it's not just me. I'm not sure what Cisco was thinking. I work with their products everyday and they are vastly superior to anything else on the market. I assumed that their consumer products would be similar. I suppose I will head out to BestBuy and switch it out for a NetGear. Cisco should consider spending more time on functionality and less on making the product aesthetically pleasing. Thanks.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

I understand - cisco and linksys are still operating seperatly on products



> It seems that linksys has released some very unstable products lately. I contacted their tech support, and they didn't really know what to do.


 I would agree - my WAG320N drops connection, but only to the internet, internal network OK - a couple of times a day .... tried everything i know - it last about 30secs ...max... support didn't help - 
just waiting for a new firmware update (as its still on the first version)
Just like the router and using the USB media centre which works OK


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Could be wireless interference, especially from another network or 2.4 GHz cordless phone. At a minimum try channels 1, 6 and 11 to see if there is any difference.


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## Pluripotent (Feb 6, 2010)

changing channels never helped me, but go ahead, give it a try. My connections were being dropped briefly about every 20 minutes. And then for long periods, up to two hours, several times a week. Resetting didn't help, I just had to wait for the router to decide to work again. My ISP assured me it wasn't them. So far, my D-link has been up since I installed it. Goodbye linksys, and good riddance.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

My apologies to *etaf *for missing his advice on changing channels and to *DCLXVI666 *for missing the response "the router is set to AUTO which means that it will automatically switch between channels depending on the level of interference." Clearly that is very possibly the issue if there is any interference--the router changes channels and, of course, all the wireless devices lose connection and have to find the new channel to reconnect.


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## DCLXVI666 (Nov 7, 2007)

I have tried switching channels before setting it to auto as was advised in another forum. I'm just going to take it back to BestBuy and get a NetGear or D-Link... I appreciate the help guys.


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## DCLXVI666 (Nov 7, 2007)

For the record, I went to Best Buy and switched out the Linksys for a NetGear N router. Setup was easy (set up my entire network in less than 15 minutes) and I've had no problems with dropped signals. Not only that but unlike the Linksys, the NetGear allows me to use complex passwords whereas the Linksys put a limitation on the use of special characters (by limitation I of course mean "can't ****ing use them"). Why limit the consumer's abilities to secure their network properly? 

Anyhow, I appreciate the feedback from everyone.


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