Skip to main content

Configuring the Linksys WRT54GS Router for wifi

Basic ADSL Router setup






The full GUI can be accessed at http://ui.linksys.com/WRT54G/v1-v4/4.20.7/index.htm
location


 The router will work out of the box, but has none of the security functions enabled as standard. It should be connected by Cat5 or 5e ethernet cable between a modem and the computer network as its job is to manage traffic and protect the network with its built-in firewall.

Configuring the WRT54GS is quite straightforward thanks to its user-friendly web interface. To access it enter; http://192.168.1.1 into your web browser. You will be prompted to enter a username and password. Enter admin for both, you will be changing this later.


Router Name

This image above is of the first web interface showing the basic configuration settings. Nothing needs to be changed here for most home user setups, but I suggest changing the Router Name to something meaningful and changing the Time Zone. If you have made any changes, click Save at the bottom to enable the changes. You will need to do this on each page if you make amendments to the configuration.

Wireless Network

The next tab is for the wireless connection if you have one. Disable it if you don’t have a wireless connection, no need to offer free Internet access for your neighbours! If you do have wireless, the settings are pretty straightforward. Wireless Network Mode needs to reflect the wireless device that you want to connect to the router. If it’s an older device, Mixed mode would be good here. If a newer one, then 802.11G will offer the best speeds. The exact mode should appear somewhere in the device's manual or setup options.
Change the Wireless Network Name or SSID to something meaningful to you. If you live in a built up area, there may be several wireless devices competing for the airwaves so having a name you recognize will make it easier for you and your devices to connect. Set the Wireless Channel to anything you like, ensuring you set the wireless device to the same channel.
Select the Wireless Security Tab near the top to bring up a new screen.


Security Mode

The Security Mode should be set to WPA2 Personal if your wireless device can use it. As the image shows, the default is WEP, which is okay but relatively easy to defeat. WPA2 is one of the best types of wireless security available to home users. Set the WPA2 Encryption to the highest your devices can handle and set a Passphrase. This can be anything you like, the more complicated the better, but you have to remember what it is in order to be able to program your devices with it. They need the passphrase in order for the router to allow them access to the network. Save again if you made changes and then choose the Security tab.
The most important basic configuration change is to enable the firewall. While the built in firewall is good, it is still a good idea to have another one on each device that connects to the network as added protection.


Security and Freedom

For the maximum security, enable all options in the Security tab and save. While not foolproof, the firewall is an effective first defence for your network.
Lastly, select the Administration tab in order to change the password. Set the Router Password to something complicated but memorable, disable Remote Management and save the settings.
Following these few steps will secure your router while still allowing you the freedom to use the internet and wireless as you want to. Your router and network are now protected and ready for use!



Labels:

Comments

Unknown said…
You are posting a informative knowledge in your blog, i love to read it and i cleared my basic concept about linksys support. Thanks for sharing.
April 26, 2013 at 3:36 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How To Recover Passwords Using Ophcrack LiveCD

Ophcrack LiveCD 3.4.0 is a completely self contained, bootable version of Ophcrack 3.4.0 - the easiest and most effective tool that I've ever found to "crack" your forgotten Windows password. For a quick overview of Ophcrack, see my complete review of Ophcrack 3.4.0 . Ophcrack is a free software program that recovers passwords so the first step you'll need to take is to visit Ophcrack's website . When the Ophcrack website loads as shown above, click the Download ophcrack LiveCD button. Note: Since you obviously can't get into your computer right now because you don't know the password, these first four steps will need to be completed on another computer that you have access to. This other computer will need to have access to the Internet and the capability to burn a disc (like a CD, DVD, etc.). Another Note: The instructions I've put together here walk you through the entire process of using Ophcrack LiveCD to recover your password. If you...
Post a Comment
Read more

Linuxfx 10 : A Windows-Like Linux Distro

The idea of Linuxfx is to make it easier for people who are migrating from Windows 7. People who are dissatisfied with the lack of security and stability of Windows 10 are also fit for Linuxfx. LinuxFX Desktop : Apart from Windows-like looks, Linuxfx also has more to offer which a regular user will definitely admire. So, let’s get along with me to know more about Windows alternative Linuxfx. As usual, I started by downloading the ISO image of Linuxfx from the official site  here . Then, instead of dual-booting, I decided to install it on my VirtualBox to play safely. After finishing the basic configuration, as soon as I booted it, I noticed a Windows logo and system integrity check. That’s quite surprising because every Linux distro puts their own or OEM logo on that place. But I think Linuxfx wants to make migrating users feel like home from the beginning. Entering the boot menu, Linuxfx redirected and logged in to a live session. Whoah! it can also detect the system I’m using — a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Share Registry Editor Favorite Keys Across Computers

if you spend a lot of time inside your registry editor, you might already know that you can use the Favorites feature to add in a bookmark to a specific key in the registry, saving you immense amounts of time when you need to check a bunch of different keys. But did you think about exporting that list so you can use it on any computer? Here’s the menu I’m talking about: For instance, here I’m adding in a favorite for the local machine’s Run key, used to launch applications across all users. Now when I use the menu item, it will navigate me instantly to that key in the registry, no matter where I currently am. As I added a few favorites, it occurred to me that I should figure out where those menu items are being stored… Now browse down to this registry key to find the favorites list: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit\Favorites And there’s the favorite we just saved… so how does this help you? If you export this r...
Post a Comment
Read more