Intermittent loss of broadband connection

I have been signed up to TalkTalk broadband for several years. I use a Linksys WAG325N gateway (modem plus router) which I bought five or six years ago. The three computers in the house (all Windows 7) are connected via Devolo DLAN AV 200 Homeplugs. Wireless is disabled at the router. Other than doing that I don't think I've touched the software in the router since I moved to TalkTalk (from Tiscali).

All was well until a few months ago when the internet connection started to cut out intermittently, and could only be restored by switching the router off and on. It happens perhaps three times a day. It is independent of whichever computers happen to be switched on at the time. I've spoken to neighbours on the same exchange who are also with TalkTalk and they don't have this problem.

It happened again last night but one user noticed something interesting. He was playing an interactive game involving talking to other players and though the connection was lost with respect to the game (other computers in the house simultaneously lost connection, as always), he could still talk to the other participants via his headset.

Can anyone diagnose this or suggest any tests I could do? Is it time to retire this elderly router?

The external and internal phone wiring is pretty old looking and may be around the age of the house (built 1952).

Thanks 2xg. I've just discovered Linksys has a forum and there are instructions for doing the firmware upgrade.

I realize that the British power system may or may not be any better than what us Yanks are using, but I think I'd consider buying some wireless net adapters. I, personally, can't stand running my network over house wiring. Remember that "1952" thing? I believe that will apply to the house wiring, too. That applies to spikes coming in from outside of your home, as well. I know that the Homeplugs are probably made to handle this, but I'm not one to take that chance and risk blowing up a system (or two).

The reason I went for homeplugs was when I saw every second post in technical forums was from people trying to get their wifi working. That was a few years ago (pre-wireless N) so I suppose things are better now. I think homeplugs are safe as long as you use a decent make like Devolo. I would have thought the worst thing a voltage spike could do was blow the homeplug itself, it could hardly affect the computer. Might be a different matter for the projector and the AV amplifier . I don't think we get voltage spikes in the UK though, just a constant silky smooth 240V R.M.S.

The house was rewired circa 1990 although that rewiring didn't renew the internal telephone cabling which looks like something out of a 1950s Film Noir. That might well be the cause of my woes but I don't the homeplugs can be blamed because when the connection goes it goes for all computers meaning the cause has to be (I think) one of:

1. The exchange
2. Wiring between the exchange and the house
3. Telephone wiring in the house
4. The router.

I had a preliminary look at the Amazon (UK) reviews of modem routers (the term Gateway seems to be obsolete) in case the firmware upgrade doesn't help. It's depressing. Every model I've looked at has a significant number of one-star reviews with the author urging me not to touch the product with a bargepole. There's no way of knowing whether they really have had a bad experience, or they set the thing up wrongly, or they're just disgruntled with life.

To be absolutely sure I could recover the router settings if I screwed up the firmware upgrade I printed off all the configuration screens. Then I went back to Linksys Support and noticed that the download available for the WAG325N was in fact just the setup wizard, and above it I spotted....

No firmware/driver download available

I suppose this is Linksys's way of telling me to buy a new router.

Gutted. Sick as a parrot.