ISP or router problem?

[Dr.MeTaL]

so ive been having some problems with my ISP. at random times my connection just cuts off for like 5 mins. if it only happened when im gaming i would have some kind of reason to look at.. but its happend to me even when im on youtube or lookin through the forums.. and what makes me mad.. is i have comcast's so called "high speed" connection.:thumbdown: with a lynksys wireless G. router that links two laptops and wired to one desktop... the first couple times i though... hey its just the ISP doin work or something.. but its been like 2 months now.. happens like 3-4 times a week..
so i have a couple questions..
1) anyone on the east coast have this problem?
2) could it be my router? or is it just my ISP.
3) do routers even go bad? ive never heard of one goin bad.
it puzzles me cause every time it happens i go cheak my router and internet box and neither show any signs of being dissconnected. my comp says im still connected to my router but i have no internet. then a couple mins later it magicly is connected again with no warning.
its SOOOOO frustrating:angry:

 

[Wombat]

It could be the router. Yes, they can go bad. Especially some of the gray-styled Wireless G/N boxes they made, they're known to overheat.

But first, is it all machines that connect to that router? If one goes down, do the others? Does the wired connection ever fail?

 

[trykael]

the best way to test this is to pull the router out of the line-up and see what happens. remove the router, connect the internet connection directly to a computer and try that for a day or so. if you have no outages then you'll know it's the router. if sometimes goes down then get on the phone with your ISP pronto!

 

[frap]

I had this problem with my old router. I would be gaming or downloading something and the router would just shut off and stop working for 5 minutes every day or so. It's the firmware that the ISP puts in there, they make it so that if there is heavy traffic it will shut down. I went ahead a few days ago and bought a new router and a modem (DLINK) and they have never shut down since I hooked them up.

 

[Dr.MeTaL]

But first, is it all machines that connect to that router? If one goes down, do the others? Does the wired connection ever fail?

yes.. it happens to all the computers.. but all the computers are on the same router.. but my router doesnt shut off.. or show signs of being disconnected.

im gonna try doin trykael's suggestion.. i dont want to but.. its the only way im gonna figure this out.. then if its my router ill just kill it :chair:

but im crossing my fingers and hoping its my ISP.. then ill have an exuse to get Verizon Fios :laugh: