How to Configure the Linksys Wrt54gx

The LinkSys WRT54GX is a popular wireless router. This router uses a web-based utility to configure its basic settings.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Computer connected to the router with an Ethernet cable

1. Open a web browser. In the address bar, type 192.168.1.1 and press "Enter." This is the WRT54GX's default IP address.

2. A window will pop up and ask for a username and password. Enter "admin" in both fields and click "OK." Depending on your firmware version, you may need to leave the username field blank.

3. In the "Setup" tab, enter the values provided for you by your ISP. For example, most ISPs use DHCP for their Internet connection type. If in doubt about any of the settings, leave them set to the default or contact your ISP.

4. Click on the "Wireless" tab. Here you can select what devices are used to connect to the router, and rename the SSID (the wireless network itself.) This is always a good idea. If you do not want to broadcast the existence of your SSID, uncheck the box for that option.

5. Select the type of security to use for your wireless network. This router supports WEP and WPA. It also allows MAC address filtering, in which you can input the unique MAC addresses of only those machines allowed to connect to the network.

6. In the "Management" tab, enter a new router username and password -- always a good idea. Choose a password that is easy to remember and yet hard to guess. The best passwords use both upper- and lower-case letters and numbers.

7. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click the "Save Settings" button. When the settings have been saved, log out of the web-based utility and close the browser window.

8. Reboot. It might be necessary to reboot the computers using the router, particularly wireless machines, in order for them to recognize the network and the new settings.

Tips & Warnings

• It's a good idea to change the "Router Name" in the "Setup" page. This not only prevents you from mistaking one router for another (if you have more than one of the same model) but also indicates to any passive observers that you have configured the router and that it is unlikely to be available to hack. If in doubt of your changes, click the "Save Settings" button at the bottom of every page before you switch tabs. This will ensure that your settings changes have taken effect. When configuring a wireless router, always use a computer hard-wired to the router with an Ethernet cable.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish