How to Check for Router Firmware Updates

Updating your router firmware tin assist improve connectivity and keep your router secure. It is always recommended to install the latest bachelor updates to keep your network safety and efficient.^[i]
About routers accept a built-in update checker, which may or may not perform the entire process automatically. If you’re using an Apple tree AirPort router, you lot can apply the AirPort Utility program to check for updates.

1
Check the physical router for the address.
Y’all can access your router by entering its IP accost into your web browser.^[ii]
Most routers have this IP address printed on the sticker affixed to the bottom.
If your router does not, or you don’t have admission to the physical router, follow these instructions to detect information technology.
- If you are using a Mac, skip downward to the
  next department.
2

Open the Start menu or screen and type
“network status.”

This will open the “View network status and tasks” window.

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iii
Click the proper name of your current connectedness in the top-right corner.
It will have an icon indicating the type of connection you are using (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.).
- Make sure you’re connected to the router’s network.
4

Click the “Details” button in the new window that appears.
This will brandish a listing of entries.
five

Find the
IPv4 Default Gateway
entry.
The IP address listed here is your router’due south IP address.^[3]
Make a note of it and skip down to the
Installing Router Updates
department below.

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one
Bank check your physical router for the IP address.
You’ll admission your router’s configuration page by entering its IP address into a web browser on your computer.
Nearly routers take the IP address printed on a sticker on the bottom.
If your router doesn’t have this sticker, or you lot tin can’t physically admission the router, follow the instructions in this method.
- If you lot are using an Apple Aerodrome router, encounter the
  Updating an AirPort Router
  section beneath instead.
ii

Click the Apple carte and select “System Preferences.”
This volition open a new System Preferences window.
3

Click the “Network” push.
This will display all of your network connections.
4
Select your active connection in the left frame.
It will have a dark-green indicator adjacent to information technology, and will say “Continued” underneath.
- Brand sure y’all’re connected to the router’south network.
5

Click the “Advanced” button.
This will open a new window.
6

Click the “TCP/IP” tab and look for the “Router” entry.
This is the IP address for your router.

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1

Connect to the router via Ethernet.
Some routers are setup to not permit admission to the configuration page if you are continued via Wi-Fi. Connecting via Ethernet will help ensure that yous can properly access the configuration tools.
2
Enter your router’southward IP address into a web browser’southward address bar.
Yous tin find this accost past following the methods outlined higher up.
- Enter the address as if you were visiting a webpage.
3
Enter your login information.
When you try to open the configuration page, you lot’ll be prompted to enter your router login data. If you don’t have this information saved, yous can try some of the mutual defaults:
- Effort leaving both fields blank. Many routers don’t have any username or countersign required.
- Try entering “admin” as the username, and and then leave the password bare. If that doesn’t work, enter “admin” as the password as well.
- Look up your router make and model at
  routerpasswords.com. This volition display the default login information.
- If the default login information doesn’t work, and you tin’t figure out how to log in, y’all can reset the router by pressing and holding the physical Reset button on the back. This volition erase all of your router’s settings, possibly disrupting your wireless network if you changed whatsoever default settings for information technology. You tin can and then use the default login.
four

Open the “Firmware,” “Router Upgrade,” or “Update” page.
The name of this page will be different for every different router manufacturer. The location varies, simply you lot tin unremarkably find it in the “Administration,” “Utilities,” or “Maintenance” section.
5

Click the “Bank check” button to see if updates are available.
Many routers have a button that volition check to see if a new version of the router’s firmware is available.
6

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 ain.
vii
Visit the manufacturer’southward support site if no link is given.
If there is a newer version of the firmware bachelor, only no links are given, you’ll need to download the firmware from the manufacturer. Y’all can become these files from the Support sections of these sites.
- Perform a web search to find the support site. For example, searching for “Netgear back up” will get you the
  netgear.com/support link.
8

Enter your router’s model into the back up site’south search.
You can find your router model number at the top of the configuration folio. Enter this model number into the search on the manufacturer’s website.
nine
Notice the latest firmware files.
Depending on the router, in that location may be a single firmware files, many different ones, or none at all. Download the latest version, either by appointment or by number. The file volition commonly download in Naught format.
- Make sure yous don’t download a version before than the one y’all’re using. You can see what version you’re using on your router’s firmware update configuration folio.
ten

Extract the Goose egg file.
Later the firmware file has finished downloading, double-click the downloaded Zippo file to open up information technology, and then click “Extract” to extract the contents. This will commonly give you i file with an unfamiliar extension.
11

Upload the file to your router.
Dorsum in your router’south firmware update folio, click the “Cull File” button and navigate to your newly-extracted file. Select it and then click the “Upload” button in the router configuration page.
12

Look while the update is applied.
Once the file is uploaded, the firmware update procedure will brainstorm. You’ll typically see a progress bar, and the update process may have 3-5 minutes. Your router will likely 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 piece of work, and you tin can no longer connect to the router, y’all can manually reset information technology and try once again. Press and hold the Reset push button on the back of the router for 30 seconds to reset information technology to factory defaults. You’ll demand to reconfigure your network if you lot made whatever changes to the default settings previously.

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1
Open the AirPort Utility plan in your Utilities folder.
This programme allows you lot to alter your Airdrome router’southward settings. You tin can observe the Utilities binder in your Applications folder.
- If you’re using an iOS device, you can download the Drome Utility from the App Store.
- The AirPort Utility is simply bachelor on Mac Os X and iOS devices.
2

Click your base station and enter your password.
The base station icon may have a red badge number indicating that an update is available, merely this may not appear until after you’ve entered your password.
iii

Click the “Update” push button to download and install the update.
^[iv]
This push simply appears if an update is bachelor. 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 fourth dimension during the update process.^[5]

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Add New Question

Question

Exercise I demand to update my router’s firmware?

Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Human Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering key California for over 2 years.

Calculator & Tech Specialist

Skilful Answer
Question

Do I take to inform my internet service visitor?

Joseph Coscia

Customs Answer

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

How do I update my WiFi?

Allan Cramer

Community Answer

Access your router settings by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0 into your web browser’southward address bar. Provided that yous have the admin username/password to login to the router (usually on a sticker on the router, or typically the admin/password will piece of work), there volition almost probable have a notification on the offset screen letting you know that an update is available when you access the router.
Question

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

Allan Cramer

Customs Respond

Typically, if your router is nonetheless operation as it was prior to the update, then information technology was successful.

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Download your internet provider’s app for firmware update reminders.^[half-dozen]

Having firmware that’s not updated can make y’all susceptible to firewall attacks.^[7]

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About This Article

Article Summary
X

1. Connect to the router via Ethernet.
two. Go to the router’south IP address into a web browser.
iii. Log in as an admin.
4. Become to the
Firmware
or
Update
page.
5. Check for an update.
vi. Download the latest firmware if prompted.
seven. Extract the firmware file.
viii. Upload the file to your router.

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