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Setup WiFi on the Linksys WRT54G

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Setup Router Staff
(Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 8 minutes

The Linksys WRT54G 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 WRT54G Guides

This is the wifi guide for the Linksys WRT54G v4. 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.

Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.

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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 WRT54G

To get started configuring the Linksys WRT54G 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 WRT54G, follow our Linksys WRT54G Login Guide.

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys WRT54G

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

router setup
This is the setup page from your Linksys WRT54G router.

This guide begins on the Basic Setup page of the Linksys WRT54Gv4 router. First, click the link at the top of the page labeled Wireless.

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys WRT54G

wifi wireless
This is the wifi setup page from your Linksys WRT54G router.

This takes you to the Basic Wireless Settings page. Find the box labeled Wireless Network Name (SSID). This is a name you need to create in order to identify your network. It doesn't matter what you enter here but we advise you to stay away from personal data such as names or numbers. Learn more in our Wireless Name Guide.

Below that is the Wireless Channel. For the least amount of interference we recommend everyone use channels 1,6, or 11. If you want to know why, read our WiFi Channels Guide.

Do not use the SES or the green button. SES or Secure Easy Setup is not very secure. SES is the same as WPS, read our guide titled What is WPS for more info.

When you have finished on this page click the Save Settings button. Then going back to the top of the page click Wireless Security.

router wifi security wireless
This is the wifi security page from your Linksys WRT54G router.

On this new page, use the drop-down menu to choose the appropriate security for your network. We recommend the choice of WPA2Pre-Shared Key. This is the best security for home networks. Learn why in our WEP vs. WPA guide.

You are then asked for an Encryption or WPA Algorithm. The best choice is AES.

Finally, enter the WPA Shared Key. It is important to change your default password because hackers know the defaults and try these first when trying to access your network. Create a strong password of at least 14-20 characters here. We also recommend using at least one symbol, number, and capital letter in this password. We have a great guide on this topic, read our Choosing a Strong Password Guide.

That's it, just click the Save Settings button near the bottom 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.

Other Linksys WRT54G Info

Don't forget about our other Linksys WRT54G info that you might be interested in.

This is the wifi guide for the Linksys WRT54G v4. We also have the following guides for the same router: