How long do wireless routers last?

How long do routers last? Does this question seem daunting to you? Are you facing difficulties with your wireless internet connectivity? Well, if it sounds relevant to you, this article might be helpful for you. So join me and let’s start.

With increasing broadband Internet access and small networks becoming more common, network devices such as wireless routers have become a dire necessity in both homes and small businesses. There are no official figures to decide how long a router can last, but the typical home or small business router should last several years before replacing it. Some other factors might help you find the estimated time it would last for.

What Is A Wireless Router?

A wireless router is an electronic system that serves as the mediator between the internet network and a wireless device such as a laptop or phone, enabling data transmission to be exchanged through radio signals in thin air rather than by a network, which is pretty awesome.

Factors determining how long would routers last

Several factors determine how long a router will last. The factors decide if your router is going to be dead soon or not. Furthermore, we will discuss when you should consider changing your wireless router.

Excess Heating

Excessive heat is among the top reasons your router won’t last. It’s because overheating kills the router’s internal components. The issue of overheating occurs over time with all routers but is more prevalent in inexpensive routers, which have no improved cooling systems. Overheating can also be caused by bad router placement.

A poorly placed router will not get sufficient airflow, which will allow heat to collect in the router. Therefore, it is important to remember the location when installing your router, since we do not very often switch the router.

Increased heat over time will cut your router’s efficiency. It accounts for a significant percentage of issues with routers, such as poor performance and frequent interruptions.

You may decide to point a fan to the router for this problem or switch it to a position where air flows smoothly.

Updates in Technology

Well, one of the key reasons why wireless routers don’t have endless lifespans may seem to be because their technology is continually changing, rendering old routers obsolete. Only take a minute to think back to dial-up modems. We don’t see much of those in today’s world still knocking around.

Problems with the Hardware

Although the router doesn’t have moving parts, all devices are subject to normal wear and tear. Over time a processor or other components of a router can get worn out. The problem with hardware may be due to overheating or other normal wear and tear processes. Overclocking, one of the attributes of DD-WRT routers raises hardware issues with the router.

Besides wireless routers losing their lives because a new device has taken their place, it also turns out that computer equipment is still prone to good old wear and tear, even with minimally moving parts. Some of the factors that can influence how easily a wireless router begins to encounter technical problems include:

• Brand of Router

As with investing in any new technology, the build quality can be influenced by the brand you pick. Top router brands like Asus and Netgear are well known for their superior durability and are made from higher quality materials which are only designed to last longer.

• Location

Installing a wireless router in a high-traffic area such as the corridor is just a nightmare formula; you may as well ask someone to drop it on the floor or kick it off. Then what to do? It’s also suggested that wireless routers be mounted away from lots of dust and also need to provide good ventilation somewhere. Also, don’t cover them behind a television where the duster never touches.

• Usage patterns

Different routers have several different functionalities. If you are using your router constantly to the limit, this means it won’t last for long.

Overuse of the router also results in overheating, which is one of the leading causes of a shortened life for the router.

Hence, we suggest using the router for its level of power. You can check the capability of the router by reading the manual for your router from the manufacturer.

Early signs that your router is dying

When things get wrong inside wireless routers, they appear to turn up pretty quickly. Few things you should look out for include:

Poor internet connectivity

If you get poor connectivity in a location where you have no communication problems, then this may mean that you have a router that has been damaged. Failure to upgrade firmware can also affect your router’s reduced connectivity capability.

To know the source of your issues with internet access, you need to upgrade the firmware to ensure that your router is able to keep up with the new technologies. If, after the firmware update, your connectivity issues continue, you may be dealing with a broken router. You can also ensure that there are no devices in use in your network that uses a lot of internet access.

There’s nothing more irritating than seeing your internet falling in and out, unfortunately, this is also a sign that your router may approach the grave. Try to move the router closer to your computer to rule out interference and it’s time to say goodbye, if the issue continues.

Casual reboots

Another sure-fire symptom of a sick router is if it reboots itself at random intervals. Routers are essentially small computers, but generally, a router that continuously reboots itself tries hard to solve an internal hardware issue and needs replacement.

Is there any way to increase the lifespan of your router? For routers to last long

As we now know why routers appear to die, we can concentrate on keeping them alive as long as possible. Now you may not be able to stop technology’s rapid progress, but you can be sure to look after your router to reduce the chances of it having hardware problems. Here are some useful tips to increase the lifespan of your router:

Don’t overwork/ overload it

Every router, as mentioned, has its own capabilities. We suggest that you observe the stated capacity to make sure your router can last for a longer period of time.

We suggest that you get a router with a better capacity in the event you need more capacity. The best home and office routers will help cope with this problem.

Casual reboots work well

Every part of the system or even of the body needs some rest other than the heart. Restarting a router helps overcome some of the occasional issues with routers.

Rebooting the router clears away the cache for the data and also avoids overheating. Turning on and off the computer constitutes a standard routine for all devices.

Find a better place to install

Place your routers out of children’s range and safe from where it’ll be knocked off by wagging pet tails or passing people. Further, try to remember giving it a little dust every now and then and give it some breathing space.\ Clean it often

The router may get dust accumulation that can interfere with its functionality. Infrequent router dusting and cleaning can help to ensure the long-lasting of the router. For the cleaning procedure please follow the router manual.

Additionally, using a certified IT expert to clean or maintain the router will help extend the router’s lifespan.

Wrapping up

Well, we must agree that at the end of the day the wireless router’s greatest opponent is probably its own advancement. While we may not be able to monitor the passage of time, we can make some easy improvements to the way we manage and care for our routers, which will help them live a long and normal life. Invest in a router of decent quality, treat it well.