I recently created a post titled Securing Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G router in which I provided step-by-step instructions on securing the WRT54G router. The Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G router is a popular router, but it isn’t the only one on the market. In this post I will discuss how to secure another wireless router, the D-Link DI-524.
Securing Your Wireless Router
Note:
If you need to reset your router back to the factory defaults, then please read How to Reset the D-Link DI-524 Wireless Router.
To secure your D-Link DI-524 wireless router, follow these steps:
- Open your Internet browser and enter the following in the address bar: http://192.168.0.1.
- Enter the user ID and password for your router. If you haven’t changed it, the default user ID is “admin” and the password is “blank”. We will change it later if you haven’t already changed it.
- We will first change the administrative password. First click the “Tools” tab at the top of the page. The “Admin” page should be displayed.
- Within the “Administrator Settings” on the right, enter a new password for the administrator beside “New Password” and then again beside “Confirm Password”.
- Click “Apply” at the bottom of the page. The next time you access the administrative options, you will need to enter the new password with the “admin” user ID.
- Next, click the “Home” tab, and then select “DHCP” on the right. The “DHCP Server” Web page should now be displayed.
- We will now limit the number of IP addresses assigned by your wireless router. Count the number of computers that will connect to the router, and change the “Ending IP Address” to allow that many computers to connect.
- Click “Apply” at the bottom to save your changes.
- Now we will secure you wireless connection to prevent others from connecting. Under the “Home” tab, click the “Wireless” option from the left.
- Beside the “SSID” option, enter the name for your wireless network connection.
- This is where the steps are different depending on which revision of the DI-524 you are using. Beside “Security”, if you see “WPA-PSK”, then you should select that option, and then go to step 14. If you see a dropdown list, select “WPA”. If you can’t connect using “WPA”, then select “WEP”. Using “WPA” will provide a much more secure connection that using “WEP”. For more information about WEP and WPA please read Wireless Security: WEP and WPA.
- Click “AES” beside the “Cypher Type”.
- Make sure “PSK” is selected beside “PSK/EAP”.
- Now you must get very creative. Specify a long “Passphrase” with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and punctuation. Once again, please read Creating Secure Passwords for tips on how to do this. In this case the longer the better.
- Enter your passphrase next to “Passphrase” and again beside Confirmed Passphrase.
- Click Apply to save your security settings.
- Now you are all done securing your wireless router and network. All you need to do is connect to your network, and enter your “Passphrase” exactly as you specified it. I won’t go into detail on how to connect to your wireless network, as I will save that for another post.
Note:
If you have changed the IP address of your wireless router, enter that into the address bar. By default, the address is 192.168.0.1.
For example, if you have three computers that need to connect to your wireless router, enter “102″ into the text box. The first computer will get the IP address 192.168.0.100, the second 192.168.101 and the third 192.168.0.102.
Make sure you write down this key somewhere, either on a piece of paper or in a text document on your computer. You will need this information when you connect to your wireless network.
Wireless Router Security Connection Questions
- How come we didn’t disable the SSID broadcast? Won’t that help with securing my wireless connection?
- It has been mentioned many times that disabling your SSID broadcast will help secure your network. The reality is that those who attempt to get into your wireless network will be able to easily pick up or SSID whether it is broadcasted or not. You may also have problems connecting to your wireless router if you disable the broadcasting of your SSID. I keep it enabled.
- Question: Why do you specify to use WPA – Personal first, and not WEP?
- The reason is that WPA is much more secure than WEP, and therefore you should use that security mode over WEP. An experienced hacker can easily crack WEP encryption so it doesn’t provide as strong security as WPA. If you can’t use WPA, use WEP because it is still better than nothing.
Summary
This post provided step-by-step instructions on securing your D-Link DI-524 wireless router. After following the steps, you should now be confident knowing that you have a secure wireless Internet connection.
Related Posts
How to Reset the D-Link DI-524 Wireless Router
Securing a Wireless Network
Connecting Multiple Computers to Broadband
Wireless Security: WEP and WPA
Creating Secure Passwords
Broadband Internet Connection – Troubleshooting
I’m trying to get into http://192.186.0.1 and it’s asking me for my name and password.
Nothing is working…….How can I have this reset?? I am trying to secure my router.
Were you connecting with 192.168.0.1 or 192.186.0.1? You need to connect to 192.168.0.1.
I have a dlink di-524. I don’t have problems with the wireless connection to the internet. It’s just when I play a streaming videos online from a website that opens in windows media player (WMP). WMP just opens for about 5 to 6 seconds and exits out. Your help is much appreciated. Thanks.
[...] of the most popular posts on Technically Easy has to do with securing the Linksys WRT54G and D-Link DI-524 wireless routers. With many people using wireless routers at home, it becomes more important to [...]
I cant even connect to the router. i have an ethernet cord connecting me directly to the dlink but when i type http://192.168.0.1. in the brower it can not display the webpage. Am i doing something wrong? which point am i meant to connet it to? i currently have it in the 1st point “WAN”
You can’t use the WAN network link to access the browser config page; it only shows up when you connect to one of the four internal network ports. This is because a) the address of the WAN port is received from the WAN uplink and normally will be different than 192.168.0.1, and b) WAN port doesn’t run the configuration page because it would potentially allow everyone on the internet to reconfigure your router.
Hi. I’ve been trying to get my nintendo ds into our little wireless circle consisting entirely of our two destop computers. The thing is, the router’s locked, nobody knows the pass, but the computers are running fine. (we got them wireless when we knew the pass) Now, if I reset the router, [di-524], could I simply add my ds’s ip address to the list from instruction #7?
You should ensure that your router assigns at least three IP addresses. Once for each of your two desktops, and one for you DS as shown in the example in step 7.
Hi I have a problem. I bought the DI-524 OFF a friend of mine a few weeks ago same as I bought a Acer Aspire 5050 laptop. It has a Broadcom wireless in it but that’s not really the point. (But it can find other routers are my area can’t hook up to them highly illegal of course plus they are WEP)
The point is that the WLAN keeps flashing.. The firmware I have in it
Current Firmware Version: 3.23
Firmware Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006
I’ve tried resetting after resetting after resetting, it still flashes. I is starting to get frustrating as I have been trying for about a week now. I’ve tried every different steps to correct this problem.
The WLAN light has been flashing since the day I got it. Is it the wireless router or am I doing something wrong.
Thanks for any help.
This is what I am now calling
Ferg’s Frustration LOL
Are you able to connect to the router with your laptop? If so, have you logged in and secured the router?
There is also a built-in log within the router that will indicate any activity from other computers that you don’t own. You may want to check that log.
I can’t connect to it at all by wireless. I am how ever getting other signals from abroad, they are locked. The WLAN light flashes off and on slowly
Like
On
Off
Only way I can get net to the Lappy is through LAN..
Did you secure the router through the LAN as explained in this post?
Thank you for the information on setting up the DI-524 router. I have followed all of your instructions but I am still trying to secure the network. On the wireless page where you select the type of security (WEP or WPA) I selected WPA-PSK as I believe you suggested. It asks for the passphrase and after typing it in and clicking “apply”, it does not accept the passphrase. Nothing happens. I can’t seem to “apply” it. I’ve tried all the different settings, WEP, WPA, etc and none of them work. Any suggestions?
What happens when you click apply?
HI! I have the followings:
* sending “log” on email doesnt work; I use a gmail adress with the smtp.gmail.com (the setting from gmail help) and it doesnt work; on yahoo I didnt, yet, getted how i can find this setting for smtp server;
* how I can make a PC from LAN available on net; I did all it says in help: doesnt work, but I saw that on “firewall” I have a ” Deny Default *, * LAN, * *, * ” and this isnt active to be changed.
Thanks and thanks again!
Chris
Hi. I have a different problem. I bought the DI-524 a few years ago. I installed it only last year. I remember not finishing the entire installation procedure. We moved to a different apartment and being so busy at the time, i wasn’t able to use the router again. Now, I’m trying to reinstall it, but when i connect to 192.168.0.1. it keeps on asking for my username and password. I think I changed the username and password because it won’t accept ADMIN anymore. Now, after almost a year, I can’t seem to recall what username I used. What should I do? Should I reset it to its original factory settings? I hope you can help me. Thank you in advance.
Anthony
hi. it’s me again. i did a reset. problem solved. thanks.
anthony
I’m glad your issue has been resolved. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to secure your router.
when I type http://192.168.0.1. it is written busy….what does that mean?