Linksys AC 1200 dual-band router allows you to have quick and easy internet access from any place and provide the user with an amazing high-speed internet access experience. But how to set up the Linksys AC 1200 router? If this is the first time you buy a brand new Linksys router then the setup process can be a bit complicated for you. That’s why we are here today to guide you properly about how to set up the Linksys AC 1200 dual-band router.
System Requirement for the Setup
Now before starting the setup procedure please check if your system meets the minimum requirements to set up the router or not. These requirements are:
- For router setup and Linksys Smart Wi-Fi access, the AC1200 router requires Internet Explorer 8, Safari 5 (for Mac), Firefox 8, or Google Chrome browser.
- For user documentation, it requires a Wi-Fi-enabled PC that has a CD or DVD drive and that runs Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows 7, or Windows 8; or a Wi-Fi-enabled Mac that has a CD or DVD drive and that runs Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.8 or later, Snow Leopard 10.6.1 or later, Lion 10.7, Mountain Lion 10.8, or Mavericks 10.9.
Step by Step Guide for Linksys AC 1200 Dual Band Router Setup
Linksys AC 1200 dual-band router setup surely is a time-consuming process but is not as complicated as you think. With proper guidance, anyone can configure it to enjoy the highspeed network. Here, we have tried to make the whole procedure as simple as possible so that every user can implement it. So, please follow the entire procedure carefully to start using your Linksys router.
Step 1: Wire Connection with the Router
At first, you have to place the router near your desktop or laptop for easy accessibility during the whole setup procedure. But you can relocate the router to your preferred location once it is ready to use. Now, connect the included AC power adapter to the Power port of the router and then press the power switch to turn on the router (Power switch is only available on European model). Next, use an ethernet cable and connect its one end with the blue Fast Ethernet (10/100) ports and the other end to wired devices on your network. Use another ethernet cable to connect your modem and your router. In this case, the ethernet cable will be plugged in with the yellow port of the router.
You can take help of the reset button ( from the bottom of the device) to erase the previous changes. Press and hold the reset button for 10 seconds and look at the indicator light. If you find that the light is blinking, then you can be assured that the reboot process is in progress. Once the reboot process is finished, jump to the next step.
For the user’s knowledge, we have provided some information about the indicator light. The indicator light will keep you up to date about the connection status and ongoing procedure of the device in the whole setup process.
Power/WPS Indicator Light:
- OFF: Power is Off
- For Blinking (0.7 GHz): Router is Booting up / System self-testing / Upgrading firmware
- Blinking (1.0 GHz): WPS in progress (up to 2 minutes)
- Blinking (2.0 GHz): WPS error.
- Solid: Power ON / device is ready / WPS is successful.
Ethernet (LAN) and Internet (WLAN) Indicator Light:
- OFF: No physical link on LAN port.
- Solid: Physical link is up on the LAN port but no data activity.
- Flashing: Data is transmitting through the LAN port
Step 2: Accessing the Configuration Menu
Now, after completing the wiring setup of the router, you have to connect it with your computer via Ethernet cable. This will ensure a stable connection when changes are made to the wireless network settings. After connecting with your router’s network, you have to open any web browser from the computer and type your router’s IP address in the search bar. In general, all Linksys router can be accessed by entering the address 192.168.1.1. You can confirm your router’s IP address by the following process:
Open your computer -> Type and Open Command Prompt from the Start Menu -> Type and Enter ipconfig command -> Look at the details beside the Default gateway.
Once you land to the router setting page, enter the default password and username to enter to the setting menu. The default user name and password can be found in the user manual or the back of the router.
Alternately, you can install the configuration program using the Linksys router’s installation CD. One of the benefits of the installation CD is, you don’t need to enter a user name and password in order to land in the setting page of the router. Once the setup software opens, you will be redirected to the same router login page which you can see by entering the router’s IP address.
Step 3: Setting up the Wireless Network
When you first open the configuration utility, you will see lots of tabs at the top of the window. Select the WLAN tab from there to open the Basic Wireless Setting Section. From here, you will be able to create and secure your wireless network. In the Basic Wireless Settings section, there will be a field labeled as SSID. Here, you have to provide a name for your wireless network. This name will appear in the list of the available network in the wireless devices. After providing the name, ensure that your wireless network is On by clicking the Enabled box of Broadcast SSID.
After providing the name of your wireless network, select the Security tab from the top. This section will allow you to set the security encryption type and password for your wireless setup. Now, navigate to Security mode. We will recommend you to set the type to WPA2 because this is the latest and most secure encryption available. But if you are using an old computer then switch to WPA or WEP because not all old device supports WPA2 connection. Now, in the Pre-Shared Key box, you have to provide a password. Remember this password will be needed to access your WiFi connection. So, make sure to add a strong password. Now, just click the Apply Change button to apply the changes.
Upon completing the whole procedure, your router will reboot and once it starts up, it will be activated to use the internet connection.
Other Setup Option
Here, we have provided some extra information about router setup which is not required to activate the internet connection of the router but can help you to set some other parameters. So, you can go through it if you want to learn something more about router setup.
Forwarding Ports
If you have programs that need unrestricted access to specific port then you’ll need to open them up through your router’s configuration page. If you don’t know how to do that, then follow the steps below:
- To check the list of the devices connected to the router and their IP addresses, click the status bar from the top of the window.
- Now select the Local network from the left scroll bar and click the DHCP Client Table button to check the list.
- Once the new window opens, you will see the Port range Forwarding section. In the blank box, enter the information for the program you want to forward the ports for and enter the name of the application in the Application field.
- Only type in a port if instructed by the application. Open ports can pose a security threat to your network. If you are opening only one port, enter the same value in both the “Start” and “End” fields.
- After that, you need to select a specific protocol for the open port. Generally, there will be two options: TCP or UDP. If you don’t know which one to select just choose TCP/UDP option.
- Now enter the IP address that you are forwarding the port to. This is the address for the device that is running the application. You will only need to enter the digits from the last group of the IP address.
- Once you have finished entering all the information, check the “Enabled” box to turn on the new rule. Scroll down and click the “Apply Change” button to restart the router and apply it.
Wrapping Up
We hope our method able to solve your query about Linksys AC 1200 dual-band router setup. If you are still not able to properly set up the device, then we will advise you to redo the whole process once again in case you made a mistake during the procedure. Also, you can look at your user manual to get the official setup guide for your range extender. Otherwise, the best option for you will take the help of a professional for better throughout guidance.
