I've just purchased this router and set it all up and now I want to update the firmware. Linksys website is useless and i'm thinking of coming away from Linksys altogether. How on earth do I know what version of router it is? It's a WRT54GS-UK, that's all it says. There's no V1, V2, V66 (Version) on it or the packaging. I bought it from PC World. Whilst typing, i've noticed my signal is still crap even though the router is above my head! The firmware version is v1.50.6
By the first 4 digits in serial number you are able to know what version you have. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G Hope it helps you...
With the router pretty much above you head, your signal should be crappy. The dipoles on WRTs put out signal in a sort of donut, so right above/below the router - very little signal. The version is usually also on the label on the bottom of the router, together with the serial number. Don't judge Linksys based on a WRT V6.0 (which you seem to have). It is recommended all over this site not to buy the V5+. If you can wangle it it any way, return the V6 and exchange it for a WRT54GL V1.1. This is because you WILL want to get more out of the router than what the stock firmware gives you, and with the GL you have that option, but the V5+s are limited .
I agree to HennieM, with a V6 all you can do is flash to DD-WRT Micro v23 SP2, nice firmware but it lacks some nice features you will enjoy for sure. If you can exchange for a GL, go today do it...
Thanks for the advice. Since adjusting the aerials and what not, my connection has remained at very good / excellent and the speed on the internet is as good as being directly connected to the modem. My father in law can connect also two doors away and has a "good" connection and my wife is sat on the settee with an excellent connection on her laptop. I have updated the firmware and not had any issues with it since..... I've looked at the other router, all we want is a good, secure, fast wireless connection and that is what we are now getting. Is there a need to go for another model? We are happy just to be wireless now ;-)
Neal, I would still suggest you do a swap if possible. You might feel right now that you are fat 'n happy, but a few months down the line maybe you want to WDS to a wireless ISP, or you want to make a wireless ethernet bridge to a neighbor, or something... You will be able to do all that with your V6 if you do the firmware swap to dd-wrt, but that's tricky, and you are limited only to dd-wrt. With the GL, you can pretty much go to whatever firmware you need, just like you upgraded the stock Linksys firmware, to get whatever functionality you need.
OK thanks peeps, after the singal again dropped to crap and my father in law can't connect to well I will be returning this as it's not doing what it says it would do. I thought it would be fine after it ran well as stated above, but it's a bag of crap!
I think you have intermittent interference from either another AP somewhere around you, or maybe some cordless phones or bluetooth or something similar. Return the router, but bear in mind that if you have interference, another router won't solve that. (Trying another wireless channel might....)
Well I thought it was the unsecured linksys router near me that someone uses, so I logged into their router and changed their's to channel 1. Mine is on channel 11 (Default) and i've scanned for other devices that could be interfering and there's none (Network Stumbler).
Scanning with NetStumbler (or most such sniffers) will only pick up other devices which talk the 802.11 wireless protocol. Devices such as microwave ovens, HAM radio, most cordless phones, etc. don't talk 802.11, so you won't see them on NetStumbler, but that does not mean they are not screwing up your signals. (It also does not mean they ARE). Try a few different channels and see if you get connectivity on those.
Well since changing the channel, it's all worked fine since. Connection at it's worst has been "Good" since making some changes. I'd thought i'd see how it went before messing around again with another, and all we will want is a secure, fast wireless connection.
