To test if a router is going bad you can use a speed test, using an Ethernet cable to check for slow wired speeds.
Then you can test the wireless speeds from close or far distances with the speed test to see if the Wi-Fi signal is weak.
If the wired connection is slow, but your wireless connection is fast, the problem may be the wireless part of your internet router.
If the router is warm to the touch or hot or if the lights are blinking erratically or not working it can be a sign that your router is going bad.
The signs that an internet router is going bad are frequent disconnects or connection drops from your Wi-Fi network, slow internet speeds and even overheating of the internet router.
Other signs that an internet router are going bad are poor performance that requires restarts, constant rebooting of the internet router, weak or even unreliable Wi-Fi signals and the internet router being unresponsive or even have physical damage.
If you notice that you have a significant drop in your internet download speed and internet upload speed, that cannot be explained by your internet service provider it could be a sign that your internet router is going bad.
And if any of your devices are hard to connect to or frequently disconnect from the Wi-Fi router and a manual restart of the router is needed then the internet router is often going bad.
If you previously had a strong Wi-Fi signal and the Wi-Fi signal is now weak it could be a sign that your internet router or Wi-Fi router is going bad.
And if you have any trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi network, or your internet router won't assign the IP addresses to the connected devices then your internet router could also be bad.
Also if your router cannot keep up with the newer devices and their faster networking standards you may need to upgrade your router.
If the router feels unusually hot to the touch, it can be overheating and lead to performance issues and a shorter router lifespan.
And if the internet router restarts itself frequently throughout the day, it can be a sign that the internet router is having hardware issues, hardware stress or faulty firmware.
If the internet router also has any buttons that are broken or not responsive, broken lights or loose internal components then the router should be replaced.
On average internet routers last between 3 to 5 years, although some internet routers can last longer.
Some people need to upgrade their internet router before it actually fails.