How to set up WEP, WPA, WPA2 for Linksys router

Wireless connection is a necessity today and because of that, wireless security is essential to ensure safety in your local network.

Why should you set up security on your wireless router?

The various wireless security features of the router protect your network, against possible hacking cases. With these wireless security features, you can:

1. Ensure that no one can easily connect to your wireless network and use the Internet without any permission.
2. Personalize access for people who can configure your wireless settings.
3. Protect all data transmitted over the wireless network.

One method of security settings on your network is to set WEP, WPA or WPA2 as wireless security mode. To learn how to do this, follow the instructions below.

Set up WEP, WPA or WPA2 personal wireless security on wireless router

Step 1:

Access the router's web-based setup page by opening a web browser like Internet Explorer or Safari. In the address bar, enter the router's local IP address and press Enter. When the login prompt appears, enter the router's username and password.

NOTE: The default local IP address of the Linksys router is 192.168.1.1, and the default password is 'admin' and the username field is blank.

QUICK TIP : If you have changed the username and password of the router, use that login instead. If you lose or forget them, you need to reset the router.

Step 2:

Now, you will be redirected to the main screen of the setup page. On the settings page, click the Wireless tab , then click the sub-tab Wireless Security.

Step 3:

On the Configuration View section , click the Manual button .

Other router models, especially older versions do not have the Manual option . In this case, you must scroll to the bottom of the page to find the Wireless Security section instead.

Step 4:

Now, you can choose from 4 options.

Linksys router supports the four most commonly used wireless security modes you can choose: WEP, WPA Personal, WPA2 Personal and WPA2 / WPA Mixed Mode . Below is a detailed comparison table of different types of security for your reference:

Security mode Ranking Number of WEP characters
Wired Equivalent Protocol 40/64-bit Basic (10 characters)
128-bit (26 characters) WPA Personal
Wi-Fi Protected Access Personal Strong 8-63 WPA2 Personal characters
Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 Personal Most powerful 8-63 characters WPA2 / WPA Mixed Mode WPA2: Strongest
WPA: Strong 8-63 characters

WPA, WPA2 and WPA2 / WPA security modes are recommended higher than WEP. Follow the instructions below to know how to set up each security mode.

WPA2 / WPA Mixed Mode

Step 1:

In the Security Mode field , select Security Mode and enter your password in the Passphrase field .

NOTE: Passphrase must include at least 8 characters and is case sensitive.

WPA2 / WPA Mixed mode is also called PSK2-Mixed on some Linksys routers. Refer to the image below for an example.

Step 2:

Click on the Save Settings button.

WPA2 Personal

Step 1:

On the Security Mode field, select WPA2 Personal and enter your passphrase in the Passphrase field .

NOTE: The passphrase must contain at least 8 characters and is case sensitive.

WPA2 Personal is also called PSK2 on some Linksys routers. Refer to the image below for an example.

Step 2:

Click on the Save Settings button .

WPA Personal

Step 1:

In Security Mode , select WPA Personal and enter your passphrase in the Passphrase field .

NOTE : The passphrase must include at least 8 characters and is case sensitive.

WPA Personal is also called WPA Pre-Shared Key or PSK Personal on some Linksys routers. Refer to the image below for an example.

WPA Pre-Shared Key

NOTE: WPA Pre-Shared Key in the image above is the network password you will use to connect wirelessly.

PSK Personal

NOTE: PSK Personal in the image above is the network password you will use to connect wirelessly.

Step 2:

Click on the Save Settings button.

NOTE: If you have trouble selecting the type of security you want, you should reset your router. If the problem persists, you should upgrade the router's firmware to the latest version.

Some things to note

For dual-band routers, setting up wireless security may depend on the type of dual-band router you are using. Dual band routers can be simultaneous or selectable ( selectable ). If the router is selectable, this means you can only use one wireless band at a time and set a unique wireless network password.

However, if your dual-band router is simultaneous, you can use both 2.4 and 5GHz wireless bands at the same time. This also means that you can set up 2 different wireless network names and 2 wireless passwords for each frequency (this is really recommended to avoid causing interference).

Once you have the appropriate wireless security settings for both bands, you are ready to connect computers and other wireless devices such as iPads, smartphones, console games, printers and access points. to the router.

Good luck!

See more:

1. Upgrade Wi-Fi security from WEP to WPA2
2. Create security key for Wifi network in Windows 7
3. How to hack WiFi passwords with holes on WPA / WPA2