How to update Linksys router firmware?
Linksys router firmware update is the solution for many network connection issues. Firmware is nothing but the software of your Linksys router. If the wireless network connection is slow or intermittent then you can try changing advanced wireless settings or wireless channel on the router. However if the problem continues then I will suggest you to upgrade the firmware.
How to check current firmware version ?
Open the Internet browser and in the address bar type 192.168.1.1. Open the setup page and click on Status tab. On the status page and here you will find the current firmware version. Go to Linksys website and check for the firmware update for your model. If the new firmware is available on website then download it and upgrade it.
In this article, we will discuss firmware update process for Old Linksys routers and new Linksys routers.
You will find one of these 2 processes suitable for your device.
Linksys router firmware update process:
Step 1: Download router Firmware file
Download the latest firmware file from the website and save it on your main computer. Click here to download the file. Enter the proper model number in search support box. The model number along with version number is on the flip side of your router. Double check the model number and hardware version number. Do not download incorrect file.
Step 2: Connect computer to the router with a wire
Connect the main computer to one of the LAN Ethernet ports with the Ethernet cable. Do not upgrade firmware using a wireless computer. Always connect the computer with the Ethernet cable. Make sure that Local area connection on your computer is enabled.
Step 3: Open the setup page of the router
Open Internet browser and in the address bar type 192.168.1.1. Open the setup page. Setup page is the page where you can change the settings manually.
Go to Administration tab. Click on router Firmware upgrade sub tab as shown in the above figure.
If you do not see the setup page of your Linksys router as shown in the above image then you may have new router and you will see the setup as shown in the image below.
Step 4: Browse the firmware update file
Now click on Browse or Select button and browse the firmware file that you have already downloaded on your main computer.
Step 5: update router firmware
Click on Upgrade firmware.
Step 6: Wait for firmware update process
Upgrade process will take approximately 1 to 5 minutes. At the end you will get the message ” upgrade successful”. If you get the message ” upgrade failed” then reset the router again and try to upgrade the firmware. Make sure that you have downloaded the correct file.
Step 7: Reset the router
Try to go online and see if everything is working properly. If everything is working great then you do not need to reset the router. You can skip this reset step and finish the process.
However if you are facing network issues then you need to reset the router to factory default settings. Press and hold the reset button on the router for 15 – 20 seconds. You will need a pen or a paper clip. You will now see the power light will start blinking. Release the reset button.
Unplug the power cable and wait for 10 seconds. Plug in the power cable and wait for the router to boot up properly.
After resetting the router, you will need to reconfigure the router from the scratch.
See How to setup router without CD
NOTE: Do not try to open firmware file. It is a bin file and it needs special program to open the file. You need open the setup page of the Linksys router to upgrade firmware.
The firmware file for WRT54G hardware version 1 to version 4 is same. You can use the same file for all the 4 versions.
The firmware file for Hardware version 5 and 6 is same.
What if Linksys router firmware update failed?
If you see the message “firmware update failed” then you can try to update the firmware again.
Make sure that the computer is connected with the router with the Ethernet cable. Do not use wireless connection to upgrade the router firmware. Wireless connection drops sometimes and that may cause firmware update failed.
Reset the router to factory default settings and open the setup page again. Make sure that you have downloaded the correct firmware file for the same model and version number of the router.
If you are not sure, then check it again. On the flip side of Linksys router, you will see the Model number along with the version number.
I tried to upgrade the firmware on my old linksys router and now it has stopped working at all. It was working before but i had issues with dropping wireless connection. So i thought that I should give it try to upgrade the firmware to the latest one. But unfortunately it failed and now nothing is working. I am using WRT54G v5 linksys router.
You are right. I tried to update router firmware with a wireless computer. I got the error message “firmware update failed”. I then found an ethernet cable. Hard wired the computer to the router and tried it again. It worked. After that I did reset the router and reconfigured. It is now working properly. I had wireless connection dropping issues before.
I have an old WRt160N router which had been working properly for a long time without any issues. Recently Wifi stopped working on all computers. So checked the settings of the device and I thought I need to go for Linksys firmware update. I downloaded the Linksys router firmware update file and saved it on my computer. After updating the firmware, I reset the router to factory default settings and reconfigured it from the scratch. Now everything is working properly. I did exactly what you have in your article. Thanks !
Linksys E2500 firmware update failed. Whenever I try to update the firmware it fails. How do I fix this probelm as I’m having connection problems from upstairs whereas my router is located downstairs.
The wireless connection is dropping. I have WRt120N which had been working for years. Recently the WiFi started dropping so often. I did upgrade new version on the router but there is no improvement. I did follow the steps to reset and reconfigure the device.
Is there anything that I can try or should I buy a new one?
Not able to open the setup page. I have WRT120N and power light is blinking on it. Tried to access the configuration page but it is not opening. The password is not working. Also tried to reset many times.
The Internet connection is intermittent if I connect it to my WRT54G V6. If I connect my computer directly to the modem, there is no problem getting on the Internet.
I have E4200 and the connection is very intermittent. I tried to upgrade the software and it failed 3 times. The wired connection is steady but the wi-fi is not steady.
You are absolutely right. I was not able to stay on the Internet for more than 5 minutes. The connection was very intermittent. I updated the software and reconfigured the network. Now it is ok and much faster.
It is correct. Many wireless connection problems can be fixed and also improve the performance.
I have 5 wireless computers and WRT160N. 3 wireless computers are working fine without any problem. 2 are dropping connection. Do I need to upgrade? or shall I try changing some other settings?
I had lot of issues with my E3000. I updated it to the latest version and I can now see improvement in wireless connection. The connection was dropping before and it was very slow. But now it is stable and fast.
I really appreciate your help and the guide that you have provided. I was able to reconfigure it and change advanced wireless settings.
TRying to update new software on E3000 but can not open the setup page. I tried to reset many times but I still can not open the setup page. Is there a way to update without opening the settings page?
I am getting the file pattern error. I have very old BEFW11S4 v4. I am going to get a new model but before that I want to try some experiment with this old device.