Help, my laptop keeps shutting my router down!

I've just moved to stay with my parents while I'm having an operation and my laptop keeps downing the router when I connect. It is usually ok for a little while, but then the router will be down and needs to be manually reset again and again.

At Home this happens as well, but not very often. Does anyone know what the problem could be and how it might be fixed? While im in bed recovering I dont want to be getting up to reset it over and over, especially because im having stitches in a very tender area! (seriously dont ask! )

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys, thanks

reply to post by clintdelicious


What sort of Router is it? ADSL, cable or Wi-Fi? How do you connect to it? Ethernet, USB or wireless?

I would check to see if your router has any firmware updates. Make sure your Wireless Network Adapter drivers are up to date as well.

reply to post by clintdelicious


The most logical thing to do here would be to push that little red reset button on the back of your router with a paper clip, and be prepared to set up your router all over again. Before you reconnect your laptop to your newly set up network, you must remove the old wireless network settings.

I am not the most sober guy in the world right now, so I hope all that makes sense to you.

My God this happens to us daily. I usually have to reset the router by unplugging it for 5-10 seconds then the problem is fixed, temporarily. I think this is because we have cheap routers to be honest with you. The cache memory hold or whatever just sucks and we need better routers. You can go through all the scans and malwares you want but it will continue.

Upgrade the router is my suggestion.

Make sure you don't share the same IP as one of the other computers in your house.

Make a fixed ip for your computer.
This can in the in the range of 1 to 255.

The router adress is most likely 192.168.1.2 or 192.168.1.254.

Make your IP
192.168.1.35 (or any other number at the end)

Gateway: 255.255.255.0
Dns1: 192.168.1.2 (or whatever the router adress is)
Dns2: Nothing

If you are running vista or win7 it could be that because of the new ip system it uses it crashes the router cause it won't reconise the command.
See if that helps, I had the same problem few years back.

reply to post by clintdelicious


routers are fun. meanwhile inquiring minds want to know. the gooch? is it the gooch? did i get it? was alcohol involved? "hey man - hold my beer. watch this!" Guess #2: planned parenthood.

Thanks guys I will try some of these suggestions. Im only here a few days so wont replace it, just feel bad for crashing everyone all the time. Btw it seems to happen when I am viewing something very data intensive like a video or have many tabs open etc, I duno if this gives any further clues?

reply to post by clintdelicious


Router model would be nice to know.
Is it an old one?

How many computers are in the house?
What is your download speed max?
What OS's are the computers running?
Do you use certain download programs?
Is a process called svhost using a lot of memory?
Have you scanned your computer with Mallware bytes anti mallware?

I like to help you

it is very unlikely but 2 devices having the same mac address on the network can cause the router to reboot but to be honest if it is happening on 2 separate networks that is not whats happening here

it might be ipv6 causing the problem which can affect some routers and a firmware upgrade can fix this but as a quick fix try doing this to turn it off:
on windows type ncpa.cpl into the start/run box and the network connections should come up and right click the network adapter you are using and select properties when the window opens untick internet protocol version 6 (TCP/IP 6) box. then reboot and see what happens

but really we nee to know what laptop you are using what router and what operating system.

Thankgs guys, Im using a fairly new Acer laptop with Windows 7, the router is a stansard BT home hub sort of thing, My laptop does has done this at my old house as well, its definately something to do with my laptop specifically causing an issue, the router does not restart until I manually restart iut as well, if just stays down if left.

Originally posted by clintdelicious
Thankgs guys, Im using a fairly new Acer laptop with Windows 7, the router is a stansard BT home hub sort of thing, My laptop does has done this at my old house as well, its definately something to do with my laptop specifically causing an issue, the router does not restart until I manually restart iut as well, if just stays down if left.

It does sound like a IP conflict. Take your laptop and physically plug it into the router once with an ethernet cord. This should assign it a MAC address permanently. I have an ACER too and had this issue before.

Check this site if you have any problem related to router: It's very useful!

originally posted by: OnlyLove
Make sure you don't share the same IP as one of the other computers in your house.

Make a fixed ip for your computer.
This can in the in the range of 1 to 255.

The router adress is most likely 192.168.1.2 or 192.168.1.254.

Make your IP
192.168.1.35 (or any other number at the end)

Gateway: 255.255.255.0
Dns1: 192.168.1.2 (or whatever the router adress is)
Dns2: Nothing

If you are running vista or win7 it could be that because of the new ip system it uses it crashes the router cause it won't reconise the command.
See if that helps, I had the same problem few years back.

Thanks for sharing thats really helpful info regarding comcast router login:

a reply to: clintdelicious

Try port forwarding your router's ip to different ip address. If your router uses 10.0.1.1 default gateway then follow this article on

a reply to: machrit108

Wow, please refrain from giving bad advice. Port forwarding has nothing to do with IP conflicts in the local area network but with, as the name says, redirecting TCP/UDP ports.
Port forwarding is used to make a certain port number or range of port numbers of a LAN client accessible from the WAN(ie. the internet). So yeah, not something you want to 'try out'. You are literally opening the door for the internet creeps to come on in and have a poke