NetGear MR814 802.11b Cable/DSL Wireless Router

Pros: Reliable, nice design, brand

Cons: Setup, troubleshooting, lost wireless connections

Summary: I've used the MR814v1 for more than 3 years with no real issues. I paid over $100 back then. It's the last piece of equipment that I have yet to upgrade. Recently, I moved to a new area with a plethora of wireless networks and I have begun to lose my wireless connection for no apparent reason, even after being 3 feet away from the router. Here is what I did to solve it. First, I took it off the carpet because it seemed warm. Second, I elevated it so that it had a strong signal to all devices. Last, (this probably solved the issue), I used netstumbler to find out what channel everyone else was using. Most were on 1, 6 or 11. So I started switching channels. 3 gave me the same issues (maybe interferes with someone's 2.4Ghz wireless phone) and then finally 5 gave me a rock solid connection. Hope this helps some of you who have had wireless connection issues. Incidentally, I have never upgraded the firmware. Every once in a blue moon, I lose my cable connection and I unplug both the modem and router to have them reset and all is fixed.