Updating firmware- DON'T do it?!?!?

[servitec]

Ok, so here's the thing.... a friend (o_O not so sure now.. .)  told me that with the problems we have had with such a slow speed on our high speed DSL ( downloading at a whopping 8kbps last night!) that updating our firmware would help immensely. Great, I think, and search for the update here on the verizon website. I find, I install, and then- immediately both laptops stop being connected to the internet.  I had NO IDEA my 16 year old could MOVE that fast...... he was out here in a nanosecond! Nothing I try helps.  the only way we can connect either laptop is to wire it in with ethernet cables. Well, at least we are online, right?  But- we still can't be online at the same time...sigh. Last night, I finally am able to chat with a tech here, who, after two + hours, throw in the towel, and tells me someone will call me today. When I ask where I can purchase a new router, because I am pretty positive that's the problem, she shuts down my computer. I kid you not! She had control over the laptop, and not sure that is *why* she shut it off, but.... She really did go above & beyond, trying everything, but then determines that it must be my NIC, which I don't believe it is, because I can connect to my neighbor's unsecured network, which, if it *is* my NIC, that wouldn't work, am I right?  So- here I am, asking you kind folk.. where the heck is the page where I can actually BUY a new router?!?!? WHY would they hide that/ make it impossible to find the place to purchase something from them?!?!?!?  I tried buying 2 different ones, neither of which worked with verizon, and although I am not really that 'puter literate, I am pretty confident that I screwed things up when I updated the firmware ( DON'T do it! Learn from my boneheaded mistake!!!! ) I hate having to buy a new one, but FIOS  cable just got laid, so who knows when THAT will be available ( I think maybe Verizon isn't doing as much with DSL, and are now concentrating on the "new baby" , and I can't find how long we have left on this verizon agreement, because I would probably just switch to Roadrunner, and  go with Vonage, just because I am so tired of listening to the DH curse about Verizon anyhow. If anyone has any answer for me... please! HELP! Off to try and find the place to buy one on my own again..... sucks that this happened now, when there is so much holiday shopping to be done still!!!!

Cheers,

Tamie

[spacedebris]

well, if you have a modem + a router. you can simply go down to any computer store and purchase any router you want

and your right. if you can connect to your neighbor, then the problem is on the wireless routers part. Now you could try to reload the firmware again, sometimes it can install incorrectly. Or you can try finding an older version of the firmware and load it onto the router.

[reruddock]

I'm going to go out on a limb (being that I don't have all the details) and guess that you tried to update firmware WIRELESSLY. That is a big no no (believe me, I tried it once, and totally ruined my router. Thank God that Best Buy exchanged the router for a new one, no questions asked). You see, during the process of updating your wireless router firmware, it is going to quit working wirelessly about half-way through the update. Now it can't connect to your computer and finish the update, and the router is left in a non useable state.