Cisco Linksys wireless I've purchased 4 Linksys routers in a 5.5 yr period-they break conveniently soon after exp'd warranty & the try to nab you for $29.99 smells like a scam to me? Irvine, California

I bought the first one about two years ago, walmart took it into inventory in 2009. I liked it so much and it worked all of the 15+ electronics in my house, so I bought another one about six months later. So I purchased two total. About 2 months ago product one started to say its not a linksys product so I switched it for product two. Now product two started to lock out my internet stating that I'm not an administrator on my router. First it was every couple of days, I thought someone jacked my internet, so I locked it. Now its every da.y, I have to reset and delete everything and put the CD back in and reinstall. Well today I got tired of this and called tech support. First they did say it was over the warranty, one by 2 years their time and 1year my time the other is by 3 months my time and wouldnt look up serial# for that one. I talked to Frances firsy he said I could pay the 29.99 for one time help or 39.99 for 6 months, but that wasn't going to help me because my product the model wrt54gs with the serial # listed has been noted to have hardware problems, so I need to by a new router for 69.99 plus tax but he would give me 10% discount. His outbound whatever wasnt working so his supervisor would call me back in 5 minutes.

Well about an hour+ later Rogie called me back to make the purchase. In the mean time I look for the price that the new model would cost me other places. On linksys its 10dollars cheaper and would be here in two days instead of 7 to 10. I inform Rogie of this and she stated oh well thats how it works. I asked if they informed those that had filled out product registration were notified about the hardware problrm when they found out about it. She stated I needed top call consumer services and gave me a number to call, the same number I just called. For no where there either talked to Ella who didn't understand my questions and just wanted me to talk to tech support. Then supervisor Ace got on the phone and repeated the same thing and know what I wanted my answer 10% off the real prove and the real delivery. Needless to say I won't use them or any company associated with them, now or ever. Just Fyi

I too have had this exact same problem with the exact same router and with other Linksys/Cisco routers.  However, I'd like to know how you got the darn thing to last a year!  Mine usually start going out after a week or two.  

And I totally understand why you'd by four or five over a five year period.  I always think maybe I just got a bad one and the next one should be fine.  After all how could they still be in business if all their routers were bad?  Then you go to the store and sometimes it's the only brand they have... so you're kind of forced to buy it.  

If you look on Amazon MANY people have had this exact same problem.  

This is how it is: When we've lost connection to the internet & we've contacted Cisco's call center in India, they've told us that our only option in order to regain internet connection using the their product is to pay up with an additional $29.99 fee and with that we'd get a 14 day gaurantee.  Why on earth would we pay that when we can run to the local store & pick up a brand new one for the same price that includes a one year warranty? We have assumed since we are having trouble the router is about to go out that a brand new one is a better option. And yes, call us absolute fools for continuing to buy the Linksys brand, really I can't explain that other than we're on a budget and just need our access back and so we've run down to our local big box store and picked up something in the $39.99 range and usually they don't have many options in that range so we just took our chances that the next Linksys works better than the last (but they never do) and that is why after 4 I am fed up and will never buy that brand again, make sense? My husband doesn't research things before he buys and he just kept telling me that this was normal & that routers just don't last, but I wasn't buy it! When you buy the appropriate product it should last, & according to the Cisco Call Center Rep India, she said that it probably wasn't broke but that she could not help us regain a connection without paying up! So it's really about ongoing payments after your warranty ends.  That is why I finally took charge and went out & purchased a different brand.  As to your comment regarding gaming, no we are not gamers at all.  We have a small 1400 sq ft single story home with 3 very basic laptops that are all located within feet of the router. We use the internet for basic things like; bills, emails & reading the news, so if the Linksys can't handle that there must something wrong? According to every tech I've talked with, we are buying the appropriate router for our needs.    Here is the Linksys Model number: WRT54GV1.5 

So you buy 4 Routers in 5 years and you are now just saying something may be wrong?

As a suggestion it may not be the brand it may be what you are doing.  If $30 is enough for you to say you will just get a new router, perhaps you are buying a router that is too cheap.  I'd be curious as to exactly what model you are having an issue with.

There is a difference between a $30-$50 router and a $80-$100 router, and some of the higher end ones will be $150+.  If you are a heavy Internet user(Gaming, Streaming..) with multiple devices you may actually be "Burning Out" your router because of the use that the lower end routers can not handle. 

Where you place it may also be a factor in this.  If it is in a closed space it may be getting hotter than normal, thus causing it also burn out.