Here lately my internet connection has been flaky. My internet keeps getting slower and slower till it crawls like dialup. I do some speed tests and get 1/3 my speed I used to have. I reset the router and it speeds up a bit to around half what I should have.

If I bypass the router and hardwire the dsl to a single pc I get what I should or really close.

I read somewhere here on computing.net It may help to disable dhcp. I did that a couple months ago and I though it helped but currently the same problem is occuring.

I've went from 2.5mbps using router to 1.2mbps down to 850k. Now I reset it and it only goes back up to 1.2mpbs unless I bypass the router all together.

Is my router dying?

MSI K8N Neo
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ @ 2.21ghz
1GB DDR 3200
nVidia 128mb FX 5200
WD 120gb SE
NEC ND-3500AG DVD R/RW

If you can get back your normal speed by bypassing your router, then most likely it's on its way to the grave.

What would be the better idea,

Buy another router "if so which one is currently best?"

Or try something like monowall, or IPCOP, and buy a wireless access point.

MSI K8N Neo
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ @ 2.21ghz
1GB DDR 3200
nVidia 128mb FX 5200
WD 120gb SE
NEC ND-3500AG DVD R/RW

If you don't want to go through the trouble of setting up a pc as a firewall/router and keep it on for 24/7. I would suggest you go with the router option.

How much are you looking to spend? there are a lot of options out there.

I guess it depends on how long one would last as to how much I would spend.

I think i spent about $60 on the linksys maybe about a year to year and a half ago.

So Hopefully I could get something that would last longer, wireless, and in the 100-120 $ range.

I have plenty of old pc's lying around for a using as a firewall/router I didn't know if they would be more reliable for the workload then a home based router.

MSI K8N Neo
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ @ 2.21ghz
1GB DDR 3200
nVidia 128mb FX 5200
WD 120gb SE
NEC ND-3500AG DVD R/RW