Setup Router logo in white Setup router name logo in white
Get Software

Setup WiFi on the Linksys WRT54GS

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

The Linksys WRT54GS 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.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN!

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 WRT54GS Guides

This is the wifi guide for the Linksys WRT54GS v4 Gargoyle. 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.

NordVPN faster than ever deal!

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 WRT54GS

To get started configuring the Linksys WRT54GS 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 WRT54GS, follow our Linksys WRT54GS Login Guide.

Find the WiFi Settings on the Linksys WRT54GS

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 WRT54GS router.

After you have logged into the Linksys WRT54GSv4 Gargoyle you should start on the Overview page. From there, click the Connection link in the left sidebar. Then below that choose Basic.

Change the WiFi Settings on the Linksys WRT54GS

router setup
This is the setup page from your Linksys WRT54GS router.

On this new page, scroll down until you come to the section titled Wireless. Skip down to the second subsection and there are a few changes that should be changed.

  • Access Point SSID - This is the name you need to create in order to identify your network. This name can be anything you like but we recommend avoiding personal information. Learn more in our guide titled Wireless Name Guide.
  • Wireless Channel - For the least amount of interference we recommend that everyone use channels 1,6, or 11. To learn why read our WiFi Channels Guide.
  • Encryption - For maximum security choose the option of WPA2 PSK. Learn more in our WEP vs. WPA guide.
  • Password - This is the password you use to access your internet. Hackers know the default passwords and try these first. We recommend changing this as soon as possible. Create a strong password of at least 14-20 characters. Use a mixture of symbols, numbers, and letters to create this password. Learn more in our Choosing a Strong Password Guide.
  • Broadcast SSID - If you want to hide your SSID go ahead and click the option of Disabled. Remember that this doesn't make you immune from attack. A hacker intent on finding a hidden network can still do so with the right tools.

That's all that needs to be changed, just click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page before you exit.

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 WRT54GS Info

Don't forget about our other Linksys WRT54GS info that you might be interested in.

This is the wifi guide for the Linksys WRT54GS v4 Gargoyle. We also have the following guides for the same router: