Common Problems With Home Networks (3)
Router Failure
Just as a computer can crash or hang so can a router. In effect a router is a one-purpose computer. Like a computer it has a micro-processor, memory and an operating system. It is pre-programmed to perform the specific task of receiving network signals on one connection and sending them down another and vice versa. It is doing this many thousands of times a second. No wonder that sometimes it can crash or hang. So if your network suddenly stops working one day first of all, check the router. Unplug it at the wall, count to twenty and plug it back in. Wait a few minutes for it to be up and running again then check that all the lights are green. It’s normal for one or two of them to flash, this just indicates it’s sending or receiving signals. This will fix a dropped Internet connection caused by a router crash or hang. However, you may find that not all the lights are amber. In this case check that all the cables are plugged in correctly. Unplug and replace each one just to make sure. Try replacing the Internet filter on the phone if you have one (NB cable phones don’t need them). After all this it may be that the router has broken down and should be replaced.
