[hewwo2u2]

as for upgrading my adapter's driver, I went to windows device manager, selected the adapter, clicked the driver tab, clicked update driver, and then selected the "search automatically for updated driver" option. (The other option is to browse my computer for driver software). It then told me that "Windows has determined that my driver software is up to date". It must do this automatically since I have never had to do this. Is it accurate or do I need to attempt to update it manually? I assume this would involve using the other option. If you want me to do this, please walk me through this as well. Thanks in advance!

[JohnWill]

You need to go to the Marvel website and get the latest driver and install it manually. As for the router's firmware, you go to the web interface of the router and under Administration or Tools there will be a function to update the firmware. Browse to the location of that .BIN file and apply it.

[TerryNet]

As I said before

Firmware update is usually in a 'tools' or 'utilities' or 'system' or some such section. The user manual, either on CD or online, is often a good source of information about using the router.

The manual will likely tell you more specifically how to update the firmware. The general instruction for reset to factory default settings is hold the recessed reset button for 10 - 20 seconds. The exact procedure for your router will be described in the manual.

Manuals are helpful to most everybody, and especially to "a serious newbie."

[JohnWill]

Posting the exact model and hardware version of the router would be useful here.

[hewwo2u2]

so I lost internet for 3 days (it was doing the "local access only" thing) but the usual restarting was not fixing the problem. The only thing I had done other than download that .bin file was change the channel to 11. I went back to 192.168.1.1 during this time and saw that I was on channel 1 again which is odd to me since I had changed it to channel 11 like you instructed. I then changed it again (this time to channel 6), shut down my computer, and reset my modem and router, and was able to connect to the internet again. I guess we'll see how long it lasts this time.
Anyway, this is why I wasn't able to read your posts but I am going to attempt to update this firmware again.

I wonder why it reset itself back to channel 1? Is this common for computers to do this on their own?

[TerryNet]

I'm assuming you meant to ask about routers changing channels on their own, and the answer is "no." If you reset the router to factory default settings, obviously the channel will be reset to the default channel. If you try to change the channel but neglect to click on "Apply" or "Save changes" or whatever then the change won't actually happen. Otherwise, the channel should stay at exactly what you specified.

[hewwo2u2]

TerryNet- I do not have the manual. I got my router from my ex.

JohnWill- sorry I dodn't post this. I should have done it from the get-go. It's a LinksysWireless-G Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports 2.4 GHz 802.11g model# WRT54GP2

is this everything you needed? I am not sure what you mean by hardware version

I do know that my current firmware version is 1.3.10, and the name of the file I downloaded has the number 1.3.06 on it

[hewwo2u2]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

I'm assuming you meant to ask about routers changing channels on their own, and the answer is "no." If you reset the router to factory default settings, obviously the channel will be reset to the default channel. If you try to change the channel but neglect to click on "Apply" or "Save changes" or whatever then the change won't actually happen. Otherwise, the channel should stay at exactly what you specified.

This is very strange to me as I am 100% positive I clicked "save changes" after I had changed the channel. I even went back after I did this to see that it was on the new channel and it was. I also have not reset the router yet. Is this something I should be worried about?
Could it have occurred automatically when windows diagnostics was attempting to "fix the problem"? It did say once that it was "resetting the network adapter" after which it said the problem was solved when in fact it was not....

[TerryNet]

Your ex left a copy of the user manual on the Linksys site.

[hewwo2u2]

So I found where I am supposed to browse for the file that I downloaded to upgrade the firmware.
I selected it and it said it was upgrading and then it sent me to an error that says "Upgrade action is not completed!!
Upgrade file pattern error."
I attempted this twice and the same error occurred. What's going on now??

[hewwo2u2]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

Your ex left a copy of the user manual on the Linksys site.

God I feel stupid now

[TerryNet]

Is this something I should be worried about?

Hope that it was just a glitch and that you don't see it happen again. But don't worry about it, 'cause updating to the latest firmware (if needed) and resetting to factory defaults and reconfiguring is about all you can do about it anyhow.

[TerryNet]

I do know that my current firmware version is 1.3.10, and the name of the file I downloaded has the number 1.3.06 on it

That sounds like you already have a newer version than the download, which might explain why the "update" failed. I'm just guessing, but others will probably know.

I feel stupid now

Don't! I don't know why, but looking for a user manual on the web just doesn't seem to be intuitive to most of us. I know it did not occur spontaneously to me. Now I sometimes look for manuals online for products I'm only thinking about buying. Even when I have a paper copy I often download one also for easier access and searching.

[JohnWill]

Frequently, my first attempt if I can't browse to it on the manufacturer's site is to use Google and do a search something like this: user manual Linksys WRT54GP2

[hewwo2u2]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

That sounds like you already have a newer version than the download, which might explain why the "update" failed. I'm just guessing, but others will probably know.

oops I meant 1.30.01 sorry about that!