Does a router only last about 7 months?

metalmackey · 7 Oct 2010 at 18:56

Hi Guys

Over the last few days my broadband connection has gotten really bad, so I phoned up BE (my ISP) and the russian bloke asked how old my Bebox was. I said over 4 or 5 years as it was still the origanal box since when I joined. He said WOW thats really old and they should be changed every 6 or 7 months. He's sending me a brand new model

I was just wondering if he was right or not?

Ta

pastymuncher · 7 Oct 2010 at 18:59

Had my modem/router for 3-4 years now and it's still going strong.

FoxEye · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:19

metalmackey said:
Hi Guys

Over the last few days my broadband connection has gotten really bad, so I phoned up BE (my ISP) and the russian bloke asked how old my Bebox was. I said over 4 or 5 years as it was still the origanal box since when I joined. He said WOW thats really old and they should be changed every 6 or 7 months. He's sending me a brand new model I was just wondering if he was right or not?

Ta

He's not right

arknor · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:23

im still using a dlink dgl-4300 which cost over 100quid when i bought it some 5 years ago , never had a modem die on me either

bloodline76 · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:26

metalmackey said:
Hi Guys

Over the last few days my broadband connection has gotten really bad, so I phoned up BE (my ISP) and the russian bloke asked how old my Bebox was. I said over 4 or 5 years as it was still the origanal box since when I joined. He said WOW thats really old and they should be changed every 6 or 7 months. He's sending me a brand new model I was just wondering if he was right or not?

Ta

It could become faulty over time with constant use like anything else but they certainly dont only have a life span of 6 - 7 months.

Wouldnt complain though. That guy must be costing BE a fortune.

Nyoron · 7 Oct 2010 at 19:29

I'm also with BE and using the original modem from 4 years ago, no major problems here.

Modems should last a lot longer than 6-7 months.

Jayster · 7 Oct 2010 at 20:43

Depends on how you look after it, amount of data is had pushed, if you get a dodjy chip or not and the build quality. One could easily last 10 years or as little a a few months.

blueacid · 8 Oct 2010 at 00:34

My Netgear DG834v2 is at least 6 years old, and it's what's bringing this post to you now.

kapows · 8 Oct 2010 at 01:06

LOL some of you need to come in to the new age!!! daaaaaamn 6 year old router wow you need to experience the change that is technology and realise the new better ones can bring about super dooper weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee speeds!

F2kSel · 8 Oct 2010 at 01:44

One reason they want to send you a new box is that it's a lot cheaper than sending an engineer.

O2 wanted to do the same when my connection went funny, it got steadily worse ending with 50 drop outs in 24hrs. I told them I'd tried another router and still had the same problem.

I'm sure my problem was related to road works that started about the same time as my problems started.

O2's fix was to reduce my line speed 5.8meg down to 3.2meg, I told them to stuff it and put me back to default, One month later no loss of connection and as luck would have it that was the same day the road works moved to another road.

FoxEye · 8 Oct 2010 at 02:18

kapows said:
LOL some of you need to come in to the new age!!! daaaaaamn 6 year old router wow you need to experience the change that is technology and realise the new better ones can bring about super dooper weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee speeds!

AFAIK, the chips inside most routers are only doing a couple hundred Mhz. It's not like the new ones have 3Ghz quads in them

So if your line only does 2/4/8 Mb/s, there's no reason to replace an old router unless it stops working.

Where do you think the extra speed is going to come from?

Sure if your line gets upgraded to ADSL2 you need an ADSL2 router to get more than 8Mb, but other than that?

SMB30 · 8 Oct 2010 at 09:16

kapows said:
LOL some of you need to come in to the new age!!! daaaaaamn 6 year old router wow you need to experience the change that is technology and realise the new better ones can bring about super dooper weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee speeds!

lol.

Marky · 8 Oct 2010 at 09:29

I've had my router for literally years now and no problems

Yamahahahahaha · 8 Oct 2010 at 09:52

LAN -> WAN throughput on newer routers is usually an order of magnitude (or two) better than ones from 2003 / 2004.

matthab · 8 Oct 2010 at 12:24

Ive had my DG834N since 2008 and its never skipped a beat.

Brummies · 8 Oct 2010 at 12:39

depends on which brand it is i guess, some can be dodgy some can be great.. ive got a linksys router which has lasted me for 3-4+ years... sure i have the odd problem but overall im really happy with it.

iraiguana · 8 Oct 2010 at 13:04

They have a 12 month warranty at minimum so no.... I have usually had them last 3-4 years of constant use.

gillywibble · 8 Oct 2010 at 13:35

I'm surprised they last so long as they always seem to be so hot.

KIA · 8 Oct 2010 at 16:54

arknor said:
im still using a dlink dgl-4300 which cost over 100quid when i bought it some 5 years ago , never had a modem die on me either

Best router ever.

blueacid · 9 Oct 2010 at 01:29

kapows said:
LOL some of you need to come in to the new age!!! daaaaaamn 6 year old router wow you need to experience the change that is technology and realise the new better ones can bring about super dooper weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee speeds!

..you mean the 16mbit which my line can sustain? Sure

My router can happily swing that solidly, no sweat