Time to update router? DG834GV3 supplied by aol in 2005. Will updating cause problems ?

[BertieB]

So....to start with I have become aware of interference on landline which is removed when router is turned off. Intermittent wi fi signal power goes up and down, on and off. Generally sluggish. Also using WEP which I believe needs to be updated for better security. I have had this router since 2005 I think supplied by aol. Is it better to buy a new router or can I continue with this one but upgrade the firmware? Does this cause problems with the other computer users in the house? What's the simplest safest option? Advice welcomed! Not a technical wizard.

[antinode]

> Is it better to buy a new router or can I continue with this one but
> upgrade the firmware?

   What's the firmware version on your device?  Updating to current
firmware is normally preferable to using obsolete firmware.  Such an
update shouldn't bother any of the client systems.

   A typical newer router would offer faster wired and wireless speeds
than this 100MHz Ethernet, wireless-G (old) device.  Whether you'd
notice a difference is another question.  Your internet bottleneck is
probably your DSL service, not any of the router interface speeds.

> Intermittent wi fi signal power goes up and down, on and off. Generally
> sluggish.

   Pretty vague symptoms.  Something newer might help, but it's easier
to be confident if one runs an experiment in the actual environment.

[BertieB]

Thank you for your response. I am unsure how to update the firmware, is this something I can do with my iPad? Do I have to re set the router? I think it's version 3 looking at the model number.

Will  this update the security settings to wpa? 

[antinode]

> I am unsure how to update the firmware,

   If you go to http://http://netgear.com/support/ , and put in your
model number, it should lead to a page which offers "Documentation",
including a "Reference Manual", wich includes a section on "Upgrading
the Modem Router's Firmware" (page 5-2, PDF 64).  The same Web page also
offers "Firmware and Software Downloads", which includes the latest
firmware kit.

>  is this something I can do with my iPad?

   Only if you have a Web browser on your iPad.  So, probably yes.
However, Netgear recommends using a computer with a wired Ethernet
connection for this, rather than anything with a wireless connection.

> Do I have to re set the router?

   Perhaps.  You could get lucky, but it's good practice to record any
special settings which you might have, just in case.

> Will  this update the security settings to wpa?

   I doubt it.  You'd need to visit the router's Web page, which,
according to the manual, can be reached at "http://192.168.0.1".
(That's subject to change by the user, but will likely work.)  You can
do that now, to see what your current firmware version is, and look at
(and/or change) the current settings.  Looking is generally harmless.

   If the firmware is newer than the manual, then you might get more
options than the manual shows.  WPA2 is better than (plain-old) WPA, but
I don't know if they added that.

[BertieB]

This is all very helpful.  I will look at the manual and update the security settings as explained. Many Thanks!