A router is a small computer that sits between your home and the internet. Its software gets fixes from the maker. CISA's Project Upskill module on home Wi-Fi lists updating router firmware beside changing the default administrator login as basic steps.
Steps
- Sign in to the router
Use the maker's app, or the address on the label. The page finding your router's address helps.
- Find the current firmware version
Look under Administration, Advanced or Settings for a Firmware or Software Update page. The names differ by maker.
- Use the update button
Most routers can check for an update from the maker. Do not follow update links sent in an email or a text.
- Leave the router alone while it updates
Do not unplug it. It may restart by itself, and the internet drops for a few minutes.
- Turn on automatic updates if offered
CISA says some routers can update automatically. Pick a time when nobody is on a call.
- Change the default administrator login
CISA calls this crucial, because default login details can be public. Write the new one down.
- Check that the internet returned
If the connection does not come back within a few minutes, restart the injector and router in order and read restarting your equipment.
What if the router is too old to update?
Some makers stop issuing updates. Then the safe choice is a newer router. The guide on end-of-life routers shows how to tell and what to do.
Will the update erase my settings?
Normally not, but a few updates change a setting or two. Take a note of the Wi-Fi name and password first. A reset is separate and is described in factory reset a router.
Does this affect the High Desert equipment?
No. This is only about your router. High Desert looks after the antenna, radio and injector. Never touch the outdoor radio.
What should I do if an update goes wrong?
If the router does not come back after an update, wait ten minutes before you do anything, because some take longer than they appear to. Then unplug the router, count to thirty and plug it back in. Power the High Desert injector first and wait for its light, then the router, in the order on the restart page.
If the router still has no internet but your phone can join its Wi-Fi, the update may have reset a setting. Sign in and check that the internet connection type is still automatic. If it says it cannot find a connection, call 775-575-9593 and say what the update was and when it ran. Do not climb to the antenna or touch the outdoor radio; the problem will be indoors.
Do I need to go outside or touch the antenna for this?
Everything here happens indoors. If you suspect the outdoor radio, do not climb or touch it or its cable. Call us instead.
Sources
- cisa.gov/audiences/high-risk-communities/projectupskill/module5 (CISA, Project Upskill Module 5: Securing Your Home Wi-Fi, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15; page not opened)