When to Replace Your Router: Signs of Wear, an Outdated Standard, the End of Updates and What Can Be Fixed Without Buying a New One

The router is one of the few devices at home that runs around the clock without ever being switched off. So people usually don't think about it until the internet starts dropping out. Many use the router their provider gave them years ago and never suspect that it's the cause of slow Wi-Fi, dropouts and freezing video. Let's look at how long a router lasts, the signs that it's time to replace it, and what can be fixed without buying a new one.

How long a router lasts

Physically a router can work for 5–8 years or more. But it becomes outdated sooner: new Wi-Fi standards appear, plan speeds and the number of devices at home grow, and manufacturers stop releasing firmware updates for older models. In practice a sensible replacement interval for a home router is 4–6 years, and sometimes earlier for cheap provider-supplied models.

Signs of wear and faults

• Frequent freezes and spontaneous restarts — the internet drops and only unplugging the router helps.
• The case gets very hot — components degrade over time, especially if the router sits in a closed cabinet.
• Power adapter faults — swollen capacitors in the adapter cause instability even though the router itself is fine.
• Wi-Fi drops while wired internet keeps working — a sign of radio module problems.
• Individual LAN ports stop working, or the lights blink constantly.
• Speed falls over time with the same plan and the same conditions.

Signs it's outdated

• Only 2.4 GHz or the Wi-Fi 4 standard — with a modern plan and devices, that's a bottleneck.
• Your plan is faster than the router's ports — for example, old 100 Mbit/s ports on a 300–500 Mbit/s plan.
• No firmware updates — the manufacturer has ended support. Discovered vulnerabilities stay open, and the router can be hacked and used by attackers.
• No WPA3 support or modern security features.
• The router "chokes" with many devices — phones, laptops, TVs, cameras, smart home gear.

What can be fixed without replacing it

• Update the firmware, if the manufacturer still releases updates.
• Move the router out of a cupboard or corner to an open spot nearer the middle of the flat.
• Choose a free channel and the right channel width on each band.
• Replace the power adapter, if that's the problem.
• Reset and set it up from scratch — settings accumulated over years sometimes cause faults.
• Connect stationary devices by cable to take load off the Wi-Fi.
• Clean off the dust and ensure ventilation — overheating is often the cause of freezes.

If the router is from your provider

Provider routers and fibre terminals can sometimes be replaced free or for a small fee if they're faulty or outdated — it's worth contacting support. The alternative is to keep the provider's terminal just for the line connection and build your home network on your own modern router. That needs setting up properly, especially if TV and phone services run over the same line.

The security of old routers

Outdated routers are a favourite target: they're hacked en masse through known vulnerabilities and default passwords, turned into parts of botnets or used to redirect users to fake websites. If your router is more than five or six years old, the manufacturer no longer releases updates for it and the admin password hasn't been changed since purchase, that's cause for serious concern. Signs of a hack include strange DNS settings, unknown devices in the connected list and redirection to unfamiliar sites.

How to choose a replacement

A new router should match your plan (ports no slower than the plan speed), the size of your home (mesh for a large area) and the number of devices, and should get regular security updates. For most flats a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router from a reputable maker will do.

What our technician does

1. Diagnoses the router: stability, heat, ports, Wi-Fi, power adapter and firmware.
2. Tries to fix the problems with settings, firmware and relocating the router.
3. Checks security: passwords, DNS, connected devices and remote access.
4. If a replacement is needed, selects a router to suit your plan, home and devices.
5. Sets up the new router, migrates the network and connects all your devices.

A real example

An elderly couple in Isani complained that the internet dropped several times a day and only came back after unplugging the router. The router was nine years old, sat in a closed cabinet under the TV and was hot to the touch, and its firmware hadn't been updated since purchase. The admin password was still the factory default. Our technician installed a modern Wi-Fi 6 router, placed it on an open shelf, set strong passwords and connected their phones, tablet and TV. The dropouts stopped, and their visiting grandchildren were surprised that video calls no longer froze.

Before replacing it, note down the current settings: the network name and Wi-Fi password, any connection details for your provider, and a list of devices with fixed addresses — printers, cameras, a NAS. If you keep the old network name and password, most devices will connect to the new router automatically, so you won't have to set up every smart bulb again.

Call a technician

If your internet keeps dropping, your router freezes or you're not sure whether it's time to replace it, we'll come to any district of Tbilisi around the clock. Learn more on our router repair, router setup and internet not working pages.