Linksys WRT54G Default Password

WRT54G default login and other support information

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Tim Fisher
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Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on September 11, 2020

For all versions of the Linksys WRT54G router, the default password is admin. The password is case-sensitive, so it must be written exactly like that.

The default IP address is 192.168.1.1. It's through this address that you access the router settings and options.

There's no default username for the WRT54G, so leave this field blank when logging in. This is true for most other Linksys routers, too.

The default data mentioned applies to all versions of the WRT54G that might exist and grants full administrator-level privileges. For the later model, see our guide on the WRT54GL.

Photo of a Linksys WRT54G Router
Linksys WRT54G Router. Jonathan Zander / Wikimedia Commons

What to Do If the WRT54G Default Password Won't Work

If the password on your Linksys WRT54G has been changed, the default password of admin won't work. If you don't know the password, reset the router to its factory default settings, which restores the configurations back to how it was when the router was first purchased, including its password.

Resetting is different from restarting or rebooting the router. Restarting a router means to shut it down and start it back up; this keeps its current settings intact. Resetting, as described below, will delete all customizations.

Here's how to reset the Linksys WRT54G:

  1. Turn it around so you have access to the back of the router.

  2. Press and hold the Reset button. You may need to use a pen or other small, pointed object to access it.

  3. Wait 30 seconds then release the button.

  4. Unplug the router for a few seconds and then plug it back in.

  5. Wait 60 seconds to give the router time to boot up.

  6. Now that it's been reset, connect your computer to the router using a network cable.

  7. Open a web browser and enter http://192.168.1.1/ as the URL, and admin as the password.

  8. Change the default router password from admin to something more secure. Be sure to take note of the password. Store the password in a password manager.

Now you'll need to set up the wireless network again, plus reconfigure any other settings you had set before. This includes everything from the wireless password and network name to any custom DNS servers that were configured, static IP addresses, and port forwarding rules.

When the router is reconfigured, use the built-in feature in the Administration > Backup Configuration menu to back up the configurations. That way, you can easily restore them if you ever have to reset the router again.

What to Do When You Can't Access the WRT54G Router

If 192.168.1.1 isn't the IP address that's configured for the router, it's less of an issue than if the default password isn't correct. A router reset will restore the default IP address as well, but you don't have to do that just to find its IP address.

Assuming the Linksys WRT54G has been working as your router, you probably have several devices that are connected to it. Find one of those devices and check the IP address configured as the default gateway.

Linksys WRT54G Firmware and Manual Links

Linksys no longer hosts a support page for this router, so firmware downloads and instructions for upgrading the router's firmware are not available on their website. However, you can access this archived WRT54G Downloads page for those items.

Download the firmware that matches the hardware version of the WRT54G router. The hardware version number is at the bottom of the router. If there isn't a version number, then download the firmware from the Hardware version 1.0 section.

The same firmware is used with all versions of the WRT54G router, but it's still important to select the right section on the download page before you select Download to get the firmware. For example, if you have a version 2.0 router, choose Hardware version 2.0 on the download page.

Here's a direct link to the Linksys WRT54G Manual, in PDF format, which applies to all hardware versions.

Everything else you could possibly want to know about your router can be found on the Linksys WRT54G Support page, including FAQs and numerous how-to guides. (That is, again, an archive of the original page.)

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