Gaming Virus affecting router functionality?

[Forstride]

I recently had to clear some viruses and malware off of my computer, and I did, but something still seems weird.

During the infection, my internet connection was always wirelessly through my router. Now, I know it's not a problem on my ISP's end, since I'm able to connect fine through just the ethernet cable that is connected to a box which converts it straight to a cable line (Not a modem...A technician came and put it in, and there isn't a power cable going to it or anything). I'm not having any problems right now, since I'm not connected to my router.

My Xbox 360's connection was also affected by this, meaning it would have connection issues as well when it was connected to the router.

My question is, is it possible that a virus/malware could have somehow affected how my router functions? Such as an infected firmware being installed, or something?

I don't want to connect back to my router until I know if it was affected or not, and how I can fix it if something is wrong with it.

 

[Diablo1123]

The model of your router would be helpful.

You could always try flashing your router again.
And does your Xbox 360 connected to the ethernet work?

 

[seedvt]

No. Your router is coincidentally dying.

 

[Forstride]

It's a Linksys WRT54G2 v1.

I've reinstalled or flashed or whatever terminology is correct with the latest firmware, as well as resetting the router to factory settings and configuring it again.

Yes, my Xbox works connected directly through the ethernet cable (Without the router).

I just purchased the router a year or so ago, so I was assuming it's still capable of functioning normally. Nothing has happened to it at all (Damage-wise), and it was working fine up until I got the viruses, so I put two and two together, and figured it might've been from that.

 

[Elritha]

Possibly your router failing as has been mentioned. Your router has different architecture than your pc so viruses written for one won't work on the other.

Another possibility is that your computer could still be infected and is compromising your network by flooding it.
If you're connecting wirelessly you could also try changing the wireless channel, as there could be interference.

 

[Am0s]

virus/malware cant affect router config files yet so the router would be unaffected by it.

have you tried another router? or tried the wifi on another channel maybe there is some interference or something its hard to say, rule out the router see if you can borrow a friends router or something and then diagnose a bit further.

 

[Forstride]

Well, I got another router yesterday (A NETGEAR one), and it works better than the old one did, even when it was brand new.

Guess the other one was dying...

 

[jalaneme]

are you sure they can't affect the config files? i had a trojan backdoor, hack my router and used my login details to attempt to get into my router web page, i of course stopped it immediately and scanned the computer to rid of it.

 

[Frederica Bernkastel]

Possibly your router failing as has been mentioned. Your router has different architecture than your pc so viruses written for one won't work on the other.

virus/malware cant affect router config files yet so the router would be unaffected by it.

Given that you can connect to your router through telnet/ftp/usually other protocols, it wouldn't be hard for malware to edit files/execute viruses.
There are hundreds of router viruses out there, which is why manufacturers always recommend changing default passwords to something a lot harder to crack/bruteforce.

Reflashing (completely), would have fixed your issues.
Now that you have another router, why not flash some custom router firmware onto it? You have *nothing* to lose

 

[Elritha]

Possibly your router failing as has been mentioned. Your router has different architecture than your pc so viruses written for one won't work on the other.

Given that you can connect to your router through telnet/ftp/usually other protocols, it wouldn't be hard for malware to edit files/execute viruses.
There are hundreds of router viruses out there, which is why manufacturers always recommend changing default passwords to something a lot harder to crack/bruteforce.

That would still mean the virus would have to run off the infected pc and not the router to telnet in or whatever. Most viruses are written for Windows and to run on a pentium compatible cpu. Consumer routers generally run on a modified version of linux and the cpu is completely different.
-Router viruses- is a very misleading term, as they aren't running off the router, just exploiting a weakness in network security.

 

[dnniwa485]

well.. there are some router viruses floating around ...

incase that you got infected.. just reset your router to default settings. and the viruses stored on router's flashable area are deleted..

how possible that router's can also got viruses?

- there's a open ftp that you can access to the router.. thats where viruses enter through.. specially if you still use the router's default password.
- the router itself is also a PC... The hardware itself has a processor, storage and RAM... it's just a miniature model of a PC that only handles for network routing.
- Busybox is based on scripting.. so it can be modified by whatsoever both good and malicious way.
- many more.. just google "router virus"