1. Home
  2. Wireless Networking
  3. How to turn off the radio function on a Linksys BEFW11S4?

How to turn off the radio function on a Linksys BEFW11S4?

Hi! I have an old Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B Router that I would like to use as a router only. I want to turn off it's radio. I don't mean just to turn off the SSID broadcast. I want to disable its radio so that it is neither broadcasting nor receiving any signal. Maybe I missed it in the docs or on one of the setup pages, but I just can't find the answer.

Now, taking off the antennas as a means to "disable" the radio (or keep it from transmitting/receving) is not an option, as I suspect that may cause higher than normal SWR (standing wave ratio) that could damage the BEFW's radio, in case I want to use its radio in the future.

I have to say that I don't have the unit turned on at the moment, so I don't know the firmware version on it. But, is there even an option to turn off the radio on this router in any of the versions of the firmware.

Thanks in advance!

Steve

Reply to
Steve
Loading thread data ...

"Steve" hath wroth:

Old? What hardware version? It's on the serial number tag. The firmware is very different for versions 1 to 3, and 4.

V4:

formatting link
the wireless on/off setting.

V1-V3:

formatting link
there doesn't seem to be a wireless on/off setting.

A crude way to do this is to run on MAC address filtering and leave the table blank. That way, no wireless devices can connect, no matter what MAC address they use.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Basically not, at the powers in use.

I'd put a bit of insulating tape over the middle, so that the center conductor cannot come into contact with the foil that you place over teh plug, and tape securely on.

If it can't be done in software. Some of these sort of things will work as routers if you pull the radio cards, others will complain. (the card may be Cardbus, or mini-PCI, but will probably require dissasembly.)

Reply to
Ian Stirling

Type in the IP address and turn it off in the settings. Go to Internet Explorer type the IP address in a the password.

Go to a prompt and type IP config it will give it to you.

Reply to
Rich

Hey, thanks everyone for posting. Got the answer... Jeff, thanks for those links because they did the trick. I indeed have Version 4 of the router... but, with the old firmware.

I upgraded the firmware tonight, and there it was... a new option... wireless enable/disable. That did the trick.

Now, I've got the unit working as a switch for me without the radio going... just what I was looking for.

Thanks again!

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Me again... question about wireless being disabled. Does it actually turn off the physical radio? or is the radio actually still on and not transmitting anything when it is set to disabled?

Thx again!

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Yep. Someone else asked the same question before. I recently fired up my Wi-Spy spectrum analyzer and checked. Nothing being transmitted. That doesn't mean that it can't receive but there's not going to be a connection without the transmitter.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Great! Jeff, thanks again for the info!

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.