Setup WiFi on the Linksys HG200

The Linksys HG200 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 HG200

To get started configuring the Linksys HG200 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 HG200, follow our Linksys HG200 Login Guide.

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys HG200

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

router setup — This is the *setup* page from your Linksys HG200 router.

This guide begins on the Basic Setup page of the Linksys HG200 router. To configure the WiFi settings click the option at the top of the page labeled Wireless.

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys HG200

wifi wireless — This is the *wifi setup* page from your Linksys HG200 router.

This should take you to a page like the one you see here.

First, Find the box labeled Wireless Network Name (SSID). This name is how you identify your wireless network. It's not important what you enter here but we recommend avoiding personal information. Learn more in our guide titled How to Change your Wireless Name.

Directly below that is the Wireless Channel. Make sure you are using channel 1,6, or 11. These three channels are not overlapping. If you are interested in learning why this is important, read our guide titled WiFi Channels.

Go ahead and click the Save Settings button near the bottom of the page. Then in the gray bar at the top of the page, click the link titled Wireless Security.

router wifi security wireless — This is the *wifi security* page from your Linksys HG200 router.

This brings you to a page like the one you see above.

The first setting is called Security Mode. The two options here are WEP and WPA Pre-shared Key. Both of these options are outdated and insecure with today's technology. We strongly recommend that you update your firmware to allow for WPA2 Pre-Shared key. Learn why this is the best option in our guide titled WEP vs. WPA.

After you have chosen the type of security you want to use, you will be asked for the Pre-Shared Key. This is the password you are to use to gain access to your local network. This password should be as strong as you can make it for maximum security. We recommend 14-20 characters as a minimum length for your password. Try and use all kinds of characters, such as numbers, letters, and symbols. Learn more tips about creating a strong password in our guide titled Choosing a Strong Password.

Once this is done, click the Save Settings button and you are finished.

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 HG200

Use a VPN Instead

Other Linksys HG200 Guides

WiFi Terms

Wireless Name

Wireless Password

Wireless Channel

Encryption

Login To The Linksys HG200

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys HG200

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys HG200

Possible Problems when Changing your WiFi Settings

Other Linksys HG200 Info