Setup WiFi on the Linksys EA8500

The Linksys EA8500 router is considered a wireless router because it offers WiFi connectivity. WiFi, or simply wireless, allows you to connect various devices to your router, such as wireless printers, smart televisions, and WiFi enabled smartphones.

Use a VPN Instead

Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.

We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes forwarding a port no longer necessary for most applications. With NordVPN Meshnet, you can connect to your devices from anywhere in the world, completely secure, over a highly encrypted VPN tunnel.

When shopping for a VPN, make sure that they meet the following criteria:

Your VPN provider should have a no-logs policy. This means that they do not keep any logs of any kind.
Make sure that your VPN provider has lots of exit nodes all around the world.
Check that your VPN will not affect your speed.
Verify that your VPN provider uses WireGuard as the underlying protocol.
Many people prefer a VPN provider that is not based in the United States.

This is the list of requirements that we used when we were shopping around for a VPN provider. There are lots of free, shady VPN providers out there that we looked at and dismissed.

Based in Panama, using diskless servers, and with over 6,100 servers in 61 countries, we can safely say that NordVPN satisfies all of these requirements.

Once you've set up your NordVPN account on multiple computers and enabled Meshnet, you can seamlessly access all of your devices as if they were on the same network. You don't even have to log in to your router. It's very simple.

Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.

WiFi Terms

Before we get started there is a little bit of background info that you should be familiar with.

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Wireless Name

Your wireless network needs to have a name to uniquely identify it from other wireless networks. If you are not sure what this means we have a guide explaining what a wireless name is that you can read for more information.

Wireless Password

An important part of securing your wireless network is choosing a strong password.

Wireless Channel

Picking a WiFi channel is not always a simple task. Be sure to read about WiFi channels before making the choice.

Encryption

You should almost definitely pick WPA2 for your networks encryption. If you are unsure, be sure to read our WEP vs WPA guide first.

Login To The Linksys EA8500

To get started configuring the Linksys EA8500 WiFi settings you need to login to your router. If you are already logged in you can skip this step.

To login to the Linksys EA8500, follow our Linksys EA8500 Login Guide.

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys EA8500

If you followed our login guide above then you should see this screen.

router status mac address internet IP — This is the *status* page from your Linksys EA8500 router.

Now that you have finished logging into the Linksys EA8500 router you should see the Home screen.

To change you WiFi settings, first click the option in the left sidebar labeled Wireless.

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys EA8500

wifi wireless — This is the *wifi setup* page from your Linksys EA8500 router.

Then make sure the tab at the top of the page labeled Wireless is chosen.

There are two different network options on this screen. You can either use 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. If you live in an apartment or very close proximity to your neighbors then I recommend using 5 GHz. The signal is much smaller and weaker but there are more channels to choose from. If you live in the suburbs or more rural I recommend using 2.4 GHz. There are less channels to choose from but the signal is much stronger and has a farther reach.

In the box of the desired network enter the Network name. This is the identification of your network so should be unique to you. When creating your new network name make sure to avoid personal or router specific information. Learn more in our guide titled How to Change your Wireless Name.

Below that is the Password. This is the most important step. You must have a strong password to protect your network access. Make this password at least 14 characters long. Do not include words or personal data in it. Make it as random looking as possible. Learn fun ways to create new passwords in my Choosing a Strong Password guide.

To the right of that is the Broadcast SSID. This is not a security measure. Whether your SSID (network name) is hidden or not it can be found. Do not rely on a hidden name as your only security. Personally I recommend leaving this setting alone. Go ahead and broadcast it because you should have a strong password protecting it along with strong encryption.

Farther to the right is the Channel. If you are using the 2.4 GHz network make sure to use only channels 1,6 or 11. Find out why in our WiFi Channels guide.

Below that to the left is the Security mode. This is the encryption you plan on using. I recommend the option that is shown in this screenshot. WPA2 Personal is the newest and strongest form of encryption available. Find out more in the WEP vs. WPA guide.

The last two settings can be left as they are. The only thing left to do is click the blue Apply button in the lower right corner of the screen.

Possible Problems when Changing your WiFi Settings

After making these changes to your router you will almost definitely have to reconnect any previously connected devices. This is usually done at the device itself and not at your computer.

Setup WiFi on the Linksys EA8500

Use a VPN Instead

Other Linksys EA8500 Guides

WiFi Terms

Wireless Name

Wireless Password

Wireless Channel

Encryption

Login To The Linksys EA8500

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys EA8500

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys EA8500

Possible Problems when Changing your WiFi Settings

Other Linksys EA8500 Info