Firmware updates are one of those things that never feel urgent until something goes wrong. I finally checked mine after a stretch of random disconnections, found an update that had apparently been sitting available for well over a year, and figured I’d document the process since it’s less complicated than it sounds.
What firmware actually is, briefly
Think of it as the router’s own small operating system. Manufacturers release updates periodically to patch security holes, fix bugs, and sometimes improve performance — but unlike your phone or laptop, most routers don’t update themselves automatically unless you specifically enable that option.
Checking your current version
Log into your router’s admin panel, usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, using the credentials printed on the router itself if you’ve never changed them. Look for a “System” or “About” section, which will list your current firmware version and, on many routers, tell you directly whether a newer one is available.
Backing up your settings first
This step is easy to skip and I don’t recommend skipping it. Firmware updates occasionally reset custom settings back to factory defaults. Most routers have a “Backup Configuration” option under settings — export it before updating, just in case you need to restore your custom WiFi name, password, or port forwarding rules afterward.
Finding the actual update
If your router isn’t ISP-provided, the manufacturer’s official website is the right place — search your exact model number rather than a general product line, since firmware isn’t always interchangeable between similar models. If your router came from your internet provider, check whether updates are pushed automatically; many ISP-supplied routers handle this without giving you manual access to the process at all.
Installing it
Upload the downloaded firmware file through the admin panel’s update section, then start the process and — this part matters — don’t touch the power during it. Updates typically take somewhere between three and ten minutes, and interrupting one partway through is one of the few ways to genuinely damage a router beyond a simple restart fixing it.
What I noticed afterward
The random disconnections that pushed me to check in the first place dropped off almost entirely within the first day. I can’t say for certain the old firmware was the sole cause, but the timing lined up closely enough that I’m confident it was at least part of the problem.
Turning on automatic updates going forward
Many routers made in the last several years support this, buried somewhere in the system or advanced settings. I turned it on once I confirmed the manual update worked cleanly, mostly because I know myself well enough to know I won’t remember to check again in another two years otherwise.
A few other things worth doing while you’re already in there
Changing default admin login credentials if you haven’t already — this is a bigger security gap than most people realize, since default logins for common router brands are searchable online. Enabling WPA3 if your router supports it, for stronger encryption than the older WPA2 standard. Disabling remote management unless you specifically need to access your router’s settings from outside your home network.
How often this actually needs doing
Checking every couple of months is a reasonable habit if updates aren’t automatic. It’s a five-minute task most of the time, and the two years I went without doing it was two years longer than I should have waited.
Tanimur Rahman is the founder of Internet Fix Guide. He writes step-by-step tutorials to help users solve WiFi, router, and internet connectivity problems quickly.