Intermittent Internet? Maybe it’s your Router…

Are you suffering from unexplained intermittent internet connectivity? While there can be a number of possible causes, it quite often comes down to the capabilities of the default router provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Routers are essential networking devices that direct the flow of data over a network. Routers have one or more input and output interfaces which receive and transmit packets between devices. Since the router’s memory is finite, a router can run out of space to accommodate freshly arriving packets. This occurs if the rate of arrival of the packets is greater than the rate at which packets exit from the router’s memory. In such a situation, new packets are ignored or older packets are dropped.

Most ISP’s will include a router (or modem/router) when you sign up for service with them. Typically these routers are fairly inexpensive with basic functionality that will suit small to medium homes with a limited number of connected devices. These days with the prevalence of mobile devices (phone, smart watch, tablet), IoT devices (smart TV, Google Next, Home Pod, CCTV, etc) in addition to your “standard” computer equipment (Desktops, Notebooks, Printers) the amount of traffic flowing over your network can often exceed the capacity of the router.

Purchasing a good quality router to replace the ISP provided device is more often than not the solution to connectivity issues. When choosing a device it’s important to understand the type of Internet connection that your using (HFC, VDSL, ADSL, etc) to ensure you purchase the appropriate model. If you maintain a fixed line phone service (VOIP) over the NBN, you’ll also need to consider how you maintain that service with a new router. You can either choose a router with VOIP capabilities or more economically can re-configure your existing ISP router to use it downstream of the new router to provide your phone service only.

If intermittent connectivity is causing you frustration, we can review your setup and provide advice on how to solve it in the most economical manner.