Getting seriously irritated with Buffalo DD-WRT

[deadlysyn]

I have a Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH, which had worked great for about 6 months or so. It was running DD-WRT in a Buffalo specific build, which used to be build 14998, but I had just flashed it to 17798 just a couple of days ago, because everything on Buffalo's forums was saying that this new build was supposed to fix the daily wireless drops I have been seeing out of this router. So far, the wireless has not really been dropping like it used to, where the wireless LED on the router would come on solid, and would be forced to power cycle the router to get the wireless back, but things haven't really gotten any better either. Now, using the same wireless settings I was using before, I am getting an issue where the wireless doesn't drop, as in all the devices still have a wireless signal, and they are all still showing up on the router set up page, but both laptops and the one desktop on wireless are showing a connection, but no network access. Both of the Android based phones will still show the wireless signal as well, but the signal guage on the phones home screen goes white, which I have seen with ISP outages. I am not sure how my wife's Ipod is reacting to this issue, since she doesn't really use it much anymore, except to listen to music when she goes to the gym.

I have been going insane with this router trying to get these wireless issues worked out, trying everything I can find online, but getting nowhere. I am about to just scrap this thing and run over to Fry's and pick up a WRT310N, since I know I have never had anything like this happen with a Linksys router. I am also considering a couple of Asus routers, like the RT-N16, but I would really like to try to figure out what might be going on with this router before I just go out and buy something new. Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be going on with this?

 

[Pinky]

Fwiw, I have the RT N16 and have had no issues (that I know of) with ddwrt...

IMO when I see bugginess and I'm convinced it's not something I set that caused it, then it's usually either bad firmware or a defective device. It's possible the router is overheating, which could cause the lockups. I don't know if you can downclock it, but that could fix the overheating issue. Otherwise, I'd flash it back to stock and throw it in the closet as a spare and move on. Buffalo is not what I would consider a quality brand so it being defective would not surprise me.

 

[deadlysyn]

From what I have been reading on Buffalo's forums, it almost looks like it may have something to do with the firmware not having the proper driver for the Atheros chip in the router. It hasn't had any problems with any of the wired systems, meaning my desktop, server, and the PS3. Those never skip a beat. It just seems to be the wireless that drops and then comes right back. I don't think it's a heat issue, since the router is always cool to the touch. I may look into going with DD-WRT without the Buffalo branding, and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Pinky]

If you roll back the firmware to 14998, you could set the router to reboot itself daily at a time you're not using it and that reset might eliminate the wireless drops... (?)

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

It just seems to be the wireless that drops and then comes right back.

Sounds like it's unstable. Because of bad signal, especially bad SNR margin. Probably signal quality that's worth no more than a few bars, even if it reports more bars!

 

[deadlysyn]

I just put the Buffalo back in it's box, and went with an RT-N16. I just finished flashing DD-WRT to it, and got my network set up, and all seems good so far. From what I had been reading on the Buffalo forums, it seems that the problem was something to do with the versions of DD-WRT that Buffalo was offering up as their version missing the ath9k drivers for the Atheros chip in the router. So far, everything on the network already feels a lot quicker and smoother.

 

[Edward78]

it seems that the problem was something to do with the versions of DD-WRT that Buffalo was offering up as their version missing the ath9k drivers for the Atheros chip in the router.

Really Buffalo!!!