If you are adding a router to your network, it is extremely important to lock down the administrative side of the device. According to a Broadband Genie report, 81% of people have never changed their router’s default administrator password and 47% have never adjusted the factory settings. Additionally, the report shows that 69% of users have never even changed their Wi-Fi password. All this inaction puts their network, the devices connected to it, and their families at risk. Accessing this administrative dashboard should always be the priority with a new router, and changing admin and Wi-Fi passwords should be the first action taken.
On a new device, it’s pretty simple, but if it’s a second-hand device, like a second-hand router acquired from family or friends, and you can’t connect, it can be a little more difficult. With Linksys routers, in particular, you may encounter additional errors when trying to connect, such as a “bad gateway error.” Don’t worry. There are some things you can do here. The ultimate answer is almost always to factory reset the router, which will completely erase the existing settings. In this case, you will need to reconfigure your entire network, including choosing the SSID (or the name of your Wi-Fi network), choosing a new password, and reconnecting your devices. Being locked out is not ideal, so it helps to know ways to re-enter.
How to access your Linksys router’s administrative dashboard
Routers always have a direct login portal for the administrative dashboard, which you can access by visiting its default IP address. For Linksys models, this is either 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, or myrouter.local. Once connected to the router’s broadcast network, enter one of these addresses into a web browser’s search bar and you will see a connection. The router should include a card or sticker listing this information, but the default password is most likely “admin” or some variation thereof. If no one has ever accessed the admin dashboard before, the defaults should work.
To reset your Linksys router to factory settings with administrator access, you must navigate to Configuration > Administration > Device Reset. You can also find the option under Troubleshooting > Diagnostics > Reset on some models. If you don’t know the administrator name and password, you will need to use the physical reset button for your specific model. Again, you’ll need to reconfigure your network and reconnect all your devices, but if you haven’t changed the default admin password for a long time, it’s still a good idea to reset everything. You never know who had access to it or what they changed.
If you’re not already used to it, routers are one of the many everyday gadgets you should reboot more often. It has been shown that routers can be used to track your family’s movements through walls containing malware under specific conditions.
Fix Bad Gateway Error and Similar Troubleshooting
In some cases, you may encounter an error when you try to log in to the administrative dashboard even with the correct account name and password. Linksys support typically ties this into smart Wi-Fi (EA) routers. You may also encounter an error when your browser searches for a secure connection over HTTPS.
If that doesn’t work, try logging in with the default administrator password and refresh your browser. If you are still having issues, you can try performing a manual firmware upgrade to renew the system software on the device instead of performing a full factory wipe. Note that Linksys recommends performing a factory reset after installing the firmware. In any case, you might therefore consider a new network.
According to Linksys, you’ll want to download the firmware package to a local directory on your computer so you can remember it, then reset the router, log in with the defaults, and perform the manual upgrade. This excellent support is precisely why Linksys is an underrated router brand that rivals bigger names. Keeping your router up to date with the latest firmware versions is important for the security of your network.
