How to Set Up Your Linksys Router Manually

When we buy a cellphone, a lawn mower, or an Xbox, we think little about the HOW-TO’s but we don’t miss any of the bulleted list of benefits and features inscribed on its box. We want what’s latest, what’s best and if we got a significant credit limit from our banks, we want what’s most expensive.  Wise consumers do not settle for less; and by not settling for less means not settling for another brands of routers but LINKSYS.

A Linksys router is a Linksys device that converts digital signal from the modem into radio signal that feeds the wireless adapters of various household networking devices like laptops, wireless desktops, mobile phones, etc. These routers are not just built for that! In fact, they augment internet speed capacity in order to lodge multiple computers or devices. The larger the network the more you need to check if your Linksys router fits your networking need!

A lot of people spend money for a router that they think would work magically the moment they’re plugged into a power outlet and run the CD in their drives. Yes! For most Linksys routers it’s true. However, we’ll never know how it will respond to our network environment until we check our browsers if we could pull up a website. Or worse, the setup wizard from the CD halts at twenty five percent during the process. “Oh 25! My lucky number!” I remember one of my customers saying this.

There could be a thousand and a hundred reasons that the CD wouldn’t work. For example, if you are running the disk in a laptop that has an adapter whose driver’s outdated, possibility is that you’ll end up reading an error message on your screen saying “Our technical support engineers could help you.” Well, THEY absolutely could but why NOT help yourself by doing some of these easy steps below.

HOW TO set up your Linksys Router WITHOUT using the setup disk

First, you need to make sure that you’re ONLINE from your modem

Remember that to properly setup a router you need an active connection from the modem. If you’re ONLINE then that’s great news. But if not, you better do the power cycle (Turnoff modem for approximately thirty seconds) or contact your Internet service provider.

For cable connection (like Time Warner, Comcast or Shaw) you need not check the default gateway of your modem after you check if you’re connected to the internet. Most cable modems are on public IP addresses, thus, they do not come in conflict to your Linksys router’s default gateway (192.168.1.1). However, for DSL modems like AT&T, Verizon, or Century Link, they most likely run at the same default gateway so you need to check them out.

Right-click on Local Area Connection and Go to properties to check for your Default Gateway

If your modem’s DG says 192.168.1.1, you need to bypass the modem while configuring the Linksys router.

Now’s the perfect time to access your router’s GUI

Ninety-nine percent of Linksys routers GUI are accessible through 192.168.1.1. Once you type that into your browser’s address bar, a login box will pop out of your screen asking for username and password. You might start wondering what username and password to use. Common! Tell me you’re not thinking of putting in you facebook login credentials, are you? Well, for all Linksys routers, you need NOT put any username and use admin (all in LOWERCASE) as the password.

The moment you’re in! That’s when the battle begins.

For cable connections…

Once you’re on the GUI, look for a sub tab that says MAC ADDRESS CLONE. Enable it and click on the button that says CLONE MY PCs MAC. You’ll notice that pairs of letters and numbers will appear in the boxes right on top of the button. Hit SAVE SETTINGS button to save the changes you made.

***Wait until a page comes out telling you that the changes were successfully saved and hit the CONTINUE button to get back to the GUI.

Now it’s time to set your WiFi up!

To configure your wireless network, click on the WIRELESS tab right next to the SETUP. Set the configuration type to MANUAL. Replace the default network name or SSID (Linksys, Cisco58435) with your desired name (YOU CAN USE YOUR FAMILY NAME or PET’S NAME for this) and the channel has to be set to 6, 9, or 11 depending on your network environment to steer clear of any possible interferences. Leave all other settings by default.

Repeat ***

Hey! Somebody else’s in my network!

Yeah! You might as well consider this coz I know exactly how it feels when you run into a restaurant and you see your girlfriend with somebody else or when your sister’s using your toothbrush! Ewe! Well, a wireless connection isn’t much of a difference to these things. Your neighbor might already be using YOUR wifi at your expense! Or worse, they’re enjoying reading your personal diaries or to-do-list stored in your computer drive without you knowing.

To avoid these from happening, continue with the process by hitting that WIRELESS SECURITY SUB TAB right next to the basic wireless settings below the WIRELESS tab.

Security mode by default is DISABLED. Click on the DROPDOWN arrow RIGHT NEXT to it and select WPA2 personal or WPA/WPA2 mixed mode for newer Linksys models.

Automatically, a passphrase box will appear right below it to house the password that your prefer giving your wireless network. Remember that the password that you make has to be no less than eight characters. ALPHANUMERIC!

Once done, repeat ***

We’re almost DONE!

Check your Internet IP address from the status page (HIT STATUS TAB). If it shows 0.0.0.0 do the complete power cycle. Turn off your router first by pulling the power cord off its back. WAIT FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS. Turn off your cable modem TOO. Check if all the lights on the modem are gone. If not, check it has batteries in it. If it does, take them off and wait for another thirty seconds. MAGIC TIMEFRAME: 30 SECONDS.

Then turn on the modem first (put the batteries on first before you plug it back to the power outlet if you’ve ever met Mr and Miss Electrocuted!) and wait until all the light indicators are ON!

If they are! Put the power cord back to your Linksys router. Go back to your computer and refresh the status page. Check if the internet IP changes from 0s to some sort of bizarre numbers like 64.78.22.3.

If your see those then you’re DONE!

You may now connect your wireless computers and devices to your newly established WiFi!

Snail internet connection? Do the Firmware Upgrade!

“Why is my internet very slow?”, “Why is my wireless signal very weak?”, “Is it time to buy a new router?” Perhaps you’re asking the same question. Have you ever wondered how much time does a router take before it perishes? Well, I bet nobody could ever tell that unless you’ve had five or more routers in your complete life and they all did great, then maybe you can do the math.

Who the hell would want a snail internet connection in the midst of doing their homework, sending emails, or streaming an online video? Perhaps dialing your ISP’s toll free number would be the first move you’ll take. And when your ISP blames it to your router that’s when the fool comes out of you. Remember that a fool and his money are easily parted. You would immediately think about pulling up an online shop and add a new router into your cart or drive to a nearest store and give in your credit card. Have you thought about the millstone that you’re embracing when you start hooking up those cables and running the seemingly useless disks upon replacing your wrongly-deemed old and obsolete router? Oh no! You have no idea. Fifty or a hundred bucks off your account and a roller coaster ride to technical steps that you could have spared if you’ve just thought about the word FIX! Well, I’m not fuming or annoyed, I just love conversational writing. Honestly, it could’ve been a piece of cake if you’ve thought about Firmware Upgrade! Or if you never had any acquaintance to this only-a-computer-geek-knows sort of thing, then maybe you should’ve thought about calling your router’s tech support group or play the video below for a series of easy steps to do a firmware upgrade on your router and speed up your connection.

P.S. This tutorial is exclusive for Linksys routers.

How to check your computer's network adapters

I have just started this blog few days ago and was thinking of good stuffs to write on. I bumped into some articles about blog enhancements and there’s one that marked my head. It says that for a blog to accumulate readers, it has to be helpful! And it should be able to answer questions and resolve issues.

As a technical support representative for Cisco, I realized that my job description isn’t that much a distinction to a blog. Helps! Answers! Solves! It has become my oath since I signed the contract.

Anyway, this first post is to guide my readers to a cheerful and easy way to check their computers’ network adapters.

According to About.com, network adapters interface a computer to a network. They evolve into several forms like the traditional PCI Ethernet card or PCMCIA adapters also known as “credit cards” or “PC card” or USB devices. Some of them are integrated circuit chips pre-installed inside the computer like the ones used for laptops. These devices are supported by Windows and other operating systems through “device drivers” or “driver softwares”.

Why check network adapters?

Checking the network adapters that are in your PC allows you to assess the extent of your computer’s faculty in terms of network or internet speed and significant networking aptitude. It also helps you check for related updates (like driver version updates) for utmost networking experience.

Here is a video tutorial on a quick and easy way to check for network adapters (For Windows Operating Systems ONLY)