Most Linksys routers (such as Linksys WRT54G ver 3, or WRT54GC) work well with Nintendo DS gaming consoles -if they are configured properly. Try turning off WEP encryption entirely or setting Basic Rate setting to 1-2mbps if you have an older model Linksys wifi router.

For a wireless link to be established between a Linksys router and your Nintendo DS gaming console, you need to configure them both to use identical/matching parameters on not only their networking interfaces, but also in their data encryption settings and the security (user authentication) setup thereof. This may sound complicated, but doing so is just a simple, two step process: Step 1 involving verification/update of various wireless networking parameters on your Linksys router, and Step 2 being that of creating a matching connection profile using one of the three Connection Save Files (CSF 1, 2 or 3) on your Nintendo DS.

Therefore, this document first outlines how to discover/set various wireless networking/security parameters (SSID, Username, Password, WEP key, IP Address, MAC Address, etc.) on your Linksys WiFi gear, and then points you to step by step information on how to prepare your Nintendo DS for a wireless uplink using the same.

One of the easiest ways to access Linksys configuration utility is to use HTTP protocol –simply launch a web browser on your computer, type in http://192.168.1.1 in its URL/Location bar, and then press Enter on your keyboard.

If presented with a user authentication (login) screen, try the following:
Default Linksys Username: none (leave blank)
Default Linksys Password: admin (lowercase only)

If you are unable to login using the above, it may be because (a) you are typing your password incorrectly, (b) your CAPSLOCK key is on, (c) the password has been changed, or (d) the firmware (a set of instructions stored on an EEPROM microchip) inside your Linksys router has become corrupted. Consider resetting your router to its factory default settings if you are unable to login.

IMPORTANT: Do not forget to reapply stronger security measures (by making use of a strong password, WEP Key, MAC Address filtering, etc.) after you have reset (wiped clean) your Linksys router to its factory default settings.

Login to Your Linksys Wireless Router, and Proceed as Follows:

• Retrieve/Change Your Linksys SSID: From the Wireless tab, go to Basic Wireless Settings section to review or change your Linksys SSID.

  Default SSID on most Linksys routers is: linksys (note: lowercase)

• How to Access or Change WEP Keys on Most Linksys Wireless Routers: To access the WEP information, go to the Wireless tab, and then to the Wireless Security section. If you are having connectivity problems, set it to use a 64-bit (instead of using a 128 bit WEP key or WPA) for data encryption. When in doubt, use a simple 64 bit WEP Key (i.e. a 10-digit Hex WEP Key such as 0123456789 or 5555555555, etc.) on your router. Write it down because you will need it later on while configuring your Nintendo DS.
  
• To Verify or Update DHCP Settings on Linksys Routers: Go to the Setup tab, then to Basic Setup.
  
• To Verify or Update DNS Settings on Linksys Routers: Go to the Setup tab, then to Basic Setup.
  
• To Verify or Update Broadcast Settings on Linksys Routers: From the Wireless section, go to the Basic Wireless Settings tab.

Having verified/documented various networking/security parameters (such password, SSID, WEP key, LAN interface IP Address, Mac Address, etc.) off your Linksys router, all that remains to be done now is to configure one of the three Connection Save Files (CSF 1 thru 3) on your Nintendo DS using the same. Check out How to Configure Nintendo DS WiFi Connection Save Files to Work with Your Wireless Router for step by step instructions.

This how-to document applies to most Linksys wireless products including: BEFW11S4 ver 4, WAG54G, WCG200, WRT54G ver 3, WRT54G ver 5, WRT54GC, WRT54GS, WRT54GX, WRT54GX-CU, WRT55AG, and WRV54G. If you have a different Linksys model, or if your need further information on wireless link configuration/diagnosis, please check out additional documentation available at this site and/or at Linksys support site. If every thing else fails, check with Linksys if a firmware upgrade is available for your Linksys router.