If you own a Linksys Wireless router, it is strongly recommended that you upgrade the firmware to a latest version, which may resolve lot of bugs including random dropping of wireless connections. This article explains how to upgrade to the latest firmware on your Linksys wireless router.
Also, make sure you’ve secured your wireless as mentioned in 6 Steps to Secure Your Home Wireless Network
1. Get your Wireless Router Model Number and Version Number
On the back of your wireless router, you’ll see both model number and version number for your specific linksys wireless router. The example below shows the model and version of a WRT54G wireless router.
Fig: Version Number of Linksys-Cisco WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router (Compatible with Linux)
2. Download Latest Linksys Wireless Router Firmware
Go to linksys.com -> Support -> Enter your wireless router model number (for example, WRT54GS) -> Click on ‘Get Downloads’ -> Select Version number for your wireless router -> Click on the download link under firmware section, which typically shows the following information.
- Release Date: For example, 07/01/2008
- Firmware Version Number: For example, Ver.1.52.6
- Download Size and Link. for example, 1.66 MB
- Release Notes for the new firmware
Direct Download link for :
- WRT54GS firmware
- WRT54G firmware
- WRT54G2 firmware
- WRT54GL firmware
- WRT160N firmware
- WRT110 firmware
- WRT600N firmware
3. Take a Backup of Linksys Wireless Configuration
Before the upgrade, take a backup of the current Linksys Wireless Configuration. From the web interface, go to Administration -> Config Management -> Backup -> Config.bin, Save this file to some location on your local machine.
4. Upgrade the Linksys Wireless Firmware
From the web interface, go to Administration -> Firmware Upgrade -> Choose the latest file that you downloaded above -> Click on Upgrade.
Once the upgrade started, do not click on any other link on the web interface. Just wait until the upgrade is completed.
Once you’ve completed the upgrade, verify your new firmware version to make sure the upgrade was successfully completed. In my case, following is the firmware version.
- Before the upgrade old Firmware Version: v1.50.5
- AFter upgrade Firmware Version: v1.52.5
Fig: Firmware Upgrade for Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router
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My name is Ramesh Natarajan. I will be posting instruction guides, how-to, troubleshooting tips and tricks on Linux, database, hardware, security and web. My focus is to write articles that will either teach you or help you resolve a problem. Read more about 
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actually, i would rather give an advice to “upgrade” to dd-wrt
all my problems were solved after i did so over a year ago. and i also got new awesome features, one of which makes me able to have internet right now – the wireless bridge 
and this works waay faster and more stable than a normal wifi adapter (900-1000kbps direct wifi connection on my laptop vs. 4+mbps on my pc over the wireless bridge).
I’d agree with Ku here. I brought both of our routers up to dd-wrt and never looked back.
@Ku, @d,
Yes. I agree with you. Thanks for your feedback. I’ll probably write another article later about DD-WRT.
For those who don’t know about DD-WRT, it is a open source linux based firmware for the wireless router.
i bricked a 300n…can u help or know of any software that can be used for de-bricking…had power failure at the last moment.
Hi Ramesh, I am amzaed you are not using TOMATO firmware
or may DDWRT or OpenWRT, Why so ?
@uBigDummy,
I believe you are talking about Linksys WRT300N Router. You have to call Linksys customer support for that. If you find an answer, share it with me.
@Mohit,
I’m running DDWRT on one of my router. I’ve never used TOMATO firmware. Just for it’s name, I should play around with it.
For those, who are not aware of it, Tomato firmware is a small, lean and simple replacement firmware for Linksys’ WRT54G/GL/GS, Buffalo WHR-G54S/WHR-HP-G54 and other Broadcom-based routers .
Thanks for article,
DD-WRT with linksys working best for me. and i m waiting for your article on DD-WRT.
I have a WAP54G V2 Access point. I have downloaded the latest firmware from the linksys site. i type in the router’s IP address in the address bar ( computer is connect to the router with the ethernet wire), but then explorer starts to searching the net and does not open the web based utility. Am i missing something very basic ?