Firmware upgrades can add a slew of additional features and tweaks to a router’s basic configuration. Scheduled reboots, MAC filtering, URL blocking, and port forwarding are just a few of the apparently simple functions that some routers lack. Advanced functions are sometimes only available through a third-party firmware upgrade.
We’ll look at how to change the firmware on a simple router to gain access to some pretty amazing and sophisticated capabilities that would otherwise be unavailable.
WHY SHOULD I UPGRADE MY FIRMWARE?
Bug fixes, new features, and/or general enhancements to the router’s functionality are all included in firmware upgrades.
The following are some of the characteristics of the example we’ll use:
VLAN: A VLAN is a set of physical interfaces on a switch that acts as if they are their own switch.
DMZ: A network device or computer to which all incoming traffic that does not have a predefined destination indicated by PAT or port forwarding is routed.
Ad hoc: Enables the router to connect to other wireless devices that support ad hoc connections.
Afterburner: Also known as SpeedBooster, SuperSpeed, TurboG, 125mbps, HSP125, and G+, Afterburner is a function, integrated into some routers that use software or firmware to potentially enhance throughput.
Others can be found here.
For this example, we’ll use a Linksys WRT150N router.
HOW DO YOU UPGRADE YOUR FIRMWARE?
We must first back up the current settings before updating anything. This may Perform by going to Administration > Management > Backup and Restore. To save the modifications, simply choose Backup Configurations. Now, if something goes wrong, we can simply utilize the Restore Configurations option to restore the router’s settings.
The firmware will be upgrading to DD-WRT, a third-party firmware for many 802.11a/b/g/h/n wireless routers. Some of its characteristics are outlined above.
The steps are as follows.
Step 1: Click here to get the BIN file, required for the update.
It’s critical to have a physical connection to the router so that you don’t lose service when upgrading. Also, if you have any high-bandwidth connections going, turn them off to guarantee that you have consistent router connectivity. Any interruption to the upgrading might result in software problems.
Step 2: Reset the router to factory settings. (Before you start this step, make sure you read the next two paragraphs.)
Hold press the little reset button on the back of the machine to accomplish this. Do this for 30 seconds, but don’t let go after that — maintain holding the button down while unplugging the gadget from the wall. Continue to hold down the reset button for another 30 seconds. Continue to hold the button down while plugging the gadget back in and pushing it for another 30 seconds.
In essence, you’ll keep the reset button down for 90 seconds in 30-second intervals, with the power on, off, and back on.
Then, to upgrade the firmware, choose Start to Upgrade. Before continue, wait for the success message.
To discover the latest firmware, you may need to close the browser window and then reopen the URL.
Note that the root/admin credentials are the default login combination for restricted areas such as the Security and Administration sections. Change the password right away under the Administration > Management > Router Password area.
CONCLUSION
A firmware upgrade can unlock a slew of new capabilities. Simply browsing the firmware we’ve provided above will reveal a slew of security and functionality enhancements over the basic Linksys software.