How Do I Update The Firmware On My Router?

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Updating your router firmware can assist improve connectivity and continue your router secure. It is always recommended to install the latest available updates to go on your network safety and efficient.^[ane] Most routers have a born update checker, which may or may not perform the entire process automatically. If you're using an Apple tree Drome router, you can use the AirPort Utility programme to cheque for updates.

1
Bank check the concrete router for the address. You can admission your router by entering its IP accost into your spider web browser.^[2] Well-nigh routers have this IP address printed on the sticker affixed to the bottom. If your router does non, or you don't have access to the physical router, follow these instructions to find it.
- If you are using a Mac, skip downwardly to the adjacent department.
2

Open the Start menu or screen and type "network status." This volition open the "View network status and tasks" window.

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3
Click the proper noun of your current connexion in the summit-right corner. It will have an icon indicating the blazon of connection yous are using (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.).
- Make sure you're connected to the router's network.
4

Click the "Details" push in the new window that appears. This will display a list of entries.
v

Find the IPv4 Default Gateway entry. The IP address listed hither is your router's IP address.^[three] Make a note of it and skip downward to the Installing Router Updates section below.

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one
Check your physical router for the IP address. You'll admission your router's configuration folio past entering its IP address into a web browser on your computer. Virtually routers have the IP address printed on a sticker on the bottom. If your router doesn't have this sticker, or you tin't physically admission the router, follow the instructions in this method.
- If you lot are using an Apple Drome router, see the Updating an AirPort Router section below instead.
2

Click the Apple tree menu and select "System Preferences." This will open up a new System Preferences window.
3

Click the "Network" button. This volition display all of your network connections.
4
Select your active connection in the left frame. It volition have a green indicator next to it, and will say "Connected" underneath.
- Brand sure you're connected to the router'southward network.
five

Click the "Advanced" push button. This will open up a new window.
6

Click the "TCP/IP" tab and expect for the "Router" entry. This is the IP accost for your router.

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1

Connect to the router via Ethernet. Some routers are setup to not let admission to the configuration folio if you are connected via Wi-Fi. Connecting via Ethernet will help ensure that you lot can properly access the configuration tools.
2
Enter your router'due south IP accost into a web browser's address bar. You can find this address by post-obit the methods outlined in a higher place.
- Enter the address as if you were visiting a webpage.
3
Enter your login information. When y'all try to open the configuration page, you'll be prompted to enter your router login data. If yous don't have this information saved, yous can effort some of the common defaults:
- Try leaving both fields blank. Many routers don't have whatever username or countersign required.
- Try inbound "admin" as the username, and then leave the password blank. If that doesn't piece of work, enter "admin" as the password too.
- Wait up your router brand and model at routerpasswords.com. This will display the default login data.
- If the default login information doesn't work, and you lot tin't figure out how to log in, you tin can reset the router past pressing and property the physical Reset button on the dorsum. This will erase all of your router'due south settings, possibly disrupting your wireless network if you inverse any default settings for information technology. You tin so use the default login.
4

Open up the "Firmware," "Router Upgrade," or "Update" page. The name of this page volition be dissimilar for every different router manufacturer. The location varies, simply you lot can ordinarily find it in the "Administration," "Utilities," or "Maintenance" section.
5

Click the "Check" push to encounter if updates are available. Many routers have a button that volition check to see if a new version of the router'south firmware is bachelor.
six

Download the latest firmware files if presented with a link. Depending on the router, you may be provided a link to the latest firmware version, or the router may even be able to download it on its own.
seven
Visit the manufacturer's support site if no link is given. If in that location is a newer version of the firmware available, but no links are given, you'll demand to download the firmware from the manufacturer. You tin get these files from the Support sections of these sites.
- Perform a web search to notice the support site. For example, searching for "Netgear support" will get yous the netgear.com/support link.
8

Enter your router'southward model into the support site's search. Y'all can find your router model number at the pinnacle of the configuration folio. Enter this model number into the search on the manufacturer'south website.
9
Observe the latest firmware files. Depending on the router, at that place may be a single firmware files, many different ones, or none at all. Download the latest version, either by engagement or past number. The file will commonly download in ZIP format.
- Make sure you lot don't download a version before than the i you're using. Y'all tin can see what version yous're using on your router'south firmware update configuration page.
10

Extract the ZIP file. Afterwards the firmware file has finished downloading, double-click the downloaded Nix file to open it, then click "Extract" to extract the contents. This will usually requite y'all ane file with an unfamiliar extension.
11

Upload the file to your router. Back in your router's firmware update page, click the "Choose File" button and navigate to your newly-extracted file. Select information technology and then click the "Upload" button in the router configuration page.
12

Wait while the update is applied. Once the file is uploaded, the firmware update process will begin. Y'all'll typically run across a progress bar, and the update process may take iii-v minutes. Your router will probable reset later on, which will disconnect you from the network for a few moments.
13

Reset your router if the update fails. If the firmware update doesn't work, and y'all can no longer connect to the router, you lot can manually reset information technology and endeavor again. Printing and concur the Reset button on the back of the router for 30 seconds to reset it to factory defaults. You'll need to reconfigure your network if y'all made whatsoever changes to the default settings previously.

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ane
Open the AirPort Utility programme in your Utilities folder. This plan allows you to change your Drome router's settings. You can find the Utilities binder in your Applications folder.
- If you lot're using an iOS device, you tin can download the Drome Utility from the App Store.
- The AirPort Utility is just bachelor on Mac Os X and iOS devices.
2

Click your base station and enter your password. The base station icon may take a red badge number indicating that an update is available, but this may not appear until after you've entered your password.
3

Click the "Update" button to download and install the update. ^[4] This button only appears if an update is available. Click "Continue" when prompted to confirm.
4

Wait for the router to update. This may accept several minutes to complete. You lot will be disconnected from the network for a short time during the update process.^[v]

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Question

Practise I need to update my router'southward firmware?

Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Indicate Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of feel in full general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Prove! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over ii years.

Computer & Tech Specialist

Skilful Answer
Question

Exercise I accept to inform my net service company?

Joseph Coscia

Community Answer

You usually shouldn't take to, unless it's their router and something went wrong with the update.
Question

How practise I update my WiFi?

Allan Cramer

Community Answer

Access your router settings by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.one.0 into your web browser'south address bar. Provided that you have the admin username/password to login to the router (commonly on a sticker on the router, or typically the admin/password volition work), in that location will about probable take a notification on the first screen letting you know that an update is available when you access the router.
Question

How do I test and confirm that the firmware update was successful?

Allan Cramer

Community Reply

Typically, if your router is still functioning equally information technology was prior to the update, and then it was successful.

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Download your internet provider's app for firmware update reminders.^[6]

Having firmware that'south non updated tin make you lot susceptible to firewall attacks.^[vii]

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About This Article

Commodity Summary X

1. Connect to the router via Ethernet.
2. Get to the router's IP address into a web browser.
3. Log in every bit an admin.
iv. Go to the Firmware or Update folio.
5. Bank check for an update.
vi. Download the latest firmware if prompted.
7. Excerpt the firmware file.
8. Upload the file to your router.

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