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 Post Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:27 pm 
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We have an ASUS router -- RT-N66U -- and it has apparently quit. It showed an internet connection, but you couldn't use it. However, I am now on the desktop machine with the modem hooked up directly, which works. We wondered if possibly firmware needs to be upgraded or something, but since we can't get online while the router is hooked up, can't figure out a way to do it. I downloaded firmware, but when I try to open the file, it just says Windows can't open a .trx file. When I search for help online, it looks like you don't open it, you access it from the router's software. So I searched my computer for ASUS, and there is Nothing. Why would that be? Does it install nothing? There seems to be no way to access the router settings or anything from here. Now it's unhooked, of course, but I was still surprised to find no files at all. Our last one had a dashboard type setup. Does anyone else think this is strange? And is my router just completely junk? Because it's NOT very old. :cry:


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 Post Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:46 pm 
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And I would love advice on buying a router if I need to. We seem to go through them rather quickly. :x


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 Post Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:09 pm 
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The router software is on the router itself. You may have a webpage that interfaces with the router. To find it, you have to have the URL (internet address) into the router itself. It will be something like 192.169.x.x, the 2 x'es being specific to your router. Could be something like 1.1 or 2.1. When you type the URL in the browser, even if there is no internet connection, (your router has to be connected to the modem,) it will open up the router's settings pages. Unless you password protected it, and then you have to put the password in - which I hope you did do. Many routers today make it difficult to find the URL that will open up the router settings. Do you have a manual for the router? It may have that info in it. And you will likely have to put in the complete internet address, i.e. http://192.168.1.1. Or you could simply try a few possibilities and see if the router settings pages open up. http://192.168.2.1 or http://192.168.0.1. Just open a browser window with your router connected and type one of the above addresses in the address bar and hit enter -see where it gets you. Alternatively, you can do an internet search for "Your Router's" address. "Asus RT-N66U router address" something like that.

There are many flakey routers out there. Mine is a Motorola which I like a lot, and before this I had a Belkin that was also good. As far as the others go (Netgear, Linksys, D-Link, Cisco) you'll find that sometimes they are fine and other times they are terrible.

Try the three defaults I gave you and see what you get. Make sure you put the http:// in front, because browsers today will generally search for the ip address, instead of going to it, without the leading http://.

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 Post Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 3:22 am 
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Strangely I just checked for possible firmware updates for my D-Link as I was on it anyway to check some things. No issue, I was just curious about something.

On my D-Link there was an option to check for firmware. If there was a newer version I would have been prompted download and save. I'm sure that I would have ended up with D-Link's version of your .trx file. You would then point the router to the downloaded file to execute the firmware upgrade.

This SHOULD be your router's manual but at least look at the picture to see that it matches.
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/415043 ... -N66u.html

It is possible that something settings wise just got messed up. With computers things do happen. It is also possible (probably unlikely) that the defensive mechanisms within the router just did their job and shut connection down due to an attack by a hacker or whatever. If you can connect to the thing directly as Patty instructed you should find a setting to restore to defaults. You can try using this option and it may well restore function ability but you may have to re-establish the connections between the systems and router. There may also be a 'pin hole' on the back of the unit that will fit something the size of a paper clip. It may or may not be labeled but this is a re-set switch that will also restore the unit to factory. This should only be done with the power cord unplugged. If, after unplugging the power ANY lights remain on there is a battery involved. Not always but often the battery needs to be removed to properly reset the router to factory.

According to the manual I found and linked your router's address should be http://192.168.1.1

If you restore to defaults make sure to then go back in and change the password for the router. If you have not previously changed the log in info the default is 'admin' for both the user and password. If you get it working CHANGE THIS INFO!

I will agree with most of what Patty said about 'flaky routers' except for D-Link. But then again my D-Link isn't what most people are going to buy at Walmart. I REALLY lucked out on this one. It is a D-Link DIR-601 that originally cost over $100.00 USD. I totally lucked out in finding it at Tiger Direct reconditioned for under $20.00 USD. It has never failed or lost connection except in a few cases where the cable modem needed re-booted. The thing even has power levels for the wireless signal to where you can adjust to cover just the area you need without someone out on the street being able to get your signal. At full signal strength it does not bat an eye at a distance of 200 feet or more. I love the danged thing! Have had absolutely zero issues running a PC wired, two tablets - a Blu-ray player for Netflix access - and a laptop, wireless.

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 Post Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:10 pm 
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Thank you both SO much! My son spent awhile on the phone with tech support (He suddenly remembered that he had bought the extended warranty! Dh and I never do that, but our son had ordered it. Worked out well this time!) From online research, I had found that this router was shipped with some issues, and everyone advised upgrading firmware ASAP. We finally were able to get that accomplished, and everything seems all right now. Hopefully we can agree with the rave reviews that people are giving it now that we have the latest firmware. And I have learned something new--how to access the router software. :) I appreciate your help here so very much!


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 Post Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:22 pm 
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I should say that we actually have been quite happy with this router up until now. We run a LOT of stuff through it, and it has held up. We have three desktop computers, two of which do some gaming, three laptops, plus several tablets and of course all our phones. Oh, and a DVD player for Netflix...wow, I hadn't really realized how much stuff! But while I'm talking about this, I remember another issue. About a week ago, I suddenly started getting randomly kicked offline on my laptop, sometimes 3-4 times a day. No one else in the house is having any issues, so I'm wondering what might cause that. It's a bit annoying since it won't always reconnect right away. I have MSE and ran Malwarebytes, but nothing came up. Any ideas?


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 Post Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:34 pm 
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As odd as this may sound your laptop losing connection COULD be a simple setting.

1) Go to Device Manager and open the + sign for Network Adaptors.

2) Double click on your wireless adaptor or right click and select Properties.

3) Go to the Power Management tab and un-check the option to allow the computer to turn off the device to save power.

There is really no reason for this to work as the system should know that the device is active but it is effective 85-90% of the time unless the adaptor is faulty. My only guess is that it is a driver issue involving many wireless network adaptors to where the device does not properly communicate its status to the system.

This is definitely worth a try and will not hurt anything even if not effective.

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 Post Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:00 pm 
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Okay, I did that. Thanks so much!

Have I told you how much I love this place? :)


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 Post Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:09 pm 
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LOL! Yes you have. :) Make sure to tell all your friends about how great we are... :mrgreen:

Please report back as to if my fix helped or not. I am sort of keeping track on this.

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 Post Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:27 am 
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I'll do that! :)


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 Post Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:57 pm 
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Well, shoot! I just sat down and opened my computer and it happened again. :( I had been online maybe a minute or two, and suddenly I was off. Bah. So chalk one up on the negative side for that fix, I guess.


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 Post Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:31 am 
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Oh, well, your issue wasn't exactly the same as what it usually works but it was worth a try and couldn't hurt anything.

With your laptop we need to look at the wireless. Thee are several directions that could be taken and some others here will probably be of more help than I.

Since all seems well with the other systems I am going to assume that the router is OK.

Just for grins, if possible, I'd like to see you connect the laptop to the router by wire instead of wireless for a while to see if you still drop connection wired.

I would also like to see you go to Device Manager and right click on your wireless adaptor and remove the thing. Also go to your control panel and then Programs and features and remove anything that looks to be associated with the wireless adaptor. Make sure that you already have ready the install package especially drivers for the wireless. If you have a CD that is OK but I'd rather that you go to the site of the system maker and get the latest package.

Re-start but do not allow it to load Windows. Go to your BIOS (ask if you don't know how... I think that you do. ;) ) and disable the wireless adaptor if possible. I cannot give specific instructions for this on your system at this time but, if you need such instructions I would need the make and model number of the system. On many systems you would be looking for a section called something such as 'Integrated Peripherals'. Make sure to save the settings when you exit the BIOS. Now boot to Windows. Of course with what we have done you will have no internet unless you did go ahead and connect by wire.

You should also remove the existing connection listed for the wireless in network and sharing. We want to start totally fresh including building a new wireless connection.

Now re-boot again and go to your BIOS and re-enable the wireless. Boot to Windows and see if the wireless is recognized and Windows installs its own drivers for the thing. If Windows does not install its own drivers you will easily know by going to Device Manager and looking for unknown devices. If Windows recognized the thing and installed try it for a while. If all is well leave it alone. If not install the package that you downloaded from the system maker.

If all the wireless stuff above fails do you happen to have a USB wireless adaptor that you could try? The whole purpose of what I want you to do is to isolate if there is an issue with the adaptor itself. By removing and re-installing we start fresh with the thing. If everything that I asked you to do fails and a USB adaptor works then we must assume that there is an issue with the adaptor. In such a case you would go back to your BIOS and disable the thing and leave it that using the USB adaptor instead. If/when you try the USB adaptor you may or may not have to install drivers so be prepared in case you do.

Mayhaps others can give other and/or better advice but that is about the best that I can offer. :)

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 Post Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:08 am 
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Okay, I'm back. Hopefully I will have time to mess with this today. I just went to look at Network adapters and there are five there--two Bluetooth, my Dell wireless, and then something called Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport adapter and a Realtek PCIe FE Family controller. What are those for? When I tried to update the miniport adapter, I got a warning that Windows can't verify the publisher, which seems weird, since it says Microsoft.

So you're saying I need to download a new install package and drivers and save them, then uninstall mine?

I haven't tried hooking up with a wire yet. Need to steal the ethernet cable from my printer, I guess.


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