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Setup WiFi on the Linksys WRT51AB

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Setup Router Staff
(Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Linksys WRT51AB 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

Have you considered using a VPN when you connect to the internet? A VPN is a great way to increase your security and anonymity while surfing.

We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes securely sharing your home network super simple. 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.

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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.

Other Linksys WRT51AB Guides

This is the wifi guide for the Linksys WRT51AB. We also have the following guides for the same router:

WiFi Terms

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

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You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.

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 WRT51AB

To get started configuring the Linksys WRT51AB 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 WRT51AB, follow our Linksys WRT51AB Login Guide.

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys WRT51AB

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

router setup
This is the setup page from your Linksys WRT51AB router.

Once you have finished logging onto the Linksys WRT51AB router you should see a page like the one you see here.

To change the WiFi settings click the option of either Change 5GHz Settings or Change 2.4GHz Settings. I recommend using 2.4 unless you are located in a very crowded location.

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys WRT51AB

router setup
This is the setup page from your Linksys WRT51AB router.

This option opens up a page that unfortunately we don't have. In this section you are asked to create an SSID. The SSID is the network name you give your connection so you can identify it later. I recommend avoiding personal or router specific information. Learn more in our How to Change your Wireless Name guide.

After that is the Channel. If you want to change the channel you do that by opening the drop down box labeled Channel. I recommend using only channels 1,6 or 11.

Next you should choose the type of security mode you want to use. You may only have the option for WEP security. This is not advisable to use this option. Learn what his is and your other options in our WEP vs. WPA guide. My recommendation is to use WPA2-PSK. If you don't have this option you should update your firmware.

The last setting you need to change is the Passphrase. I recommend using at least 14 to 20 characters. It is important that you create a strong password. Learn more about this in our Choosing a Strong Password guide.

When you are finished click the Apply button to save your changes.

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.

Other Linksys WRT51AB Info

Don't forget about our other Linksys WRT51AB info that you might be interested in.

This is the wifi guide for the Linksys WRT51AB. We also have the following guides for the same router: