How to tell if your router still gets updates

The quick answer

Your router still gets security updates if the maker still lists your exact model and hardware version as supported, and its latest firmware is reasonably current. If the vendor says the model is end-of-life, end-of-service or no longer supported, treat it as retired from front-door duty. It may still pass internet traffic, because electronics love to keep doing the one risky thing you wish they would stop doing, but it is no longer getting the fixes that close newly found holes.

The fastest check is: find the model number on the label, look it up on the vendor support site, compare your installed firmware version with the latest posted version, then turn on automatic updates if your router has that option. If the latest firmware is years old, or the vendor says security updates have ended, plan to replace the router.

This is separate from normal WiFi annoyances. Slow coverage, dead spots and old WiFi standards are performance questions. Security updates are the bigger gate. If you are also deciding between mesh and a single router, use our mesh vs single router guide after you finish this check.

Why old routers are in the news

Old routers are getting attention for two reasons. First, several state attorneys general have filed lawsuits focused on TP-Link router security and supply chain claims. Texas filed suit in March 2026, and Iowa filed a similar case on October 6, 2026. Those are allegations, and the companies get their day in court, but the useful lesson for a household is simpler: know who supports the box sitting between your family and the internet.

Second, the FCC has been moving on foreign-made consumer routers through its supply chain rules. On May 8, 2026, the FCC said certain already authorized routers may continue receiving software and firmware updates that reduce harm to consumers until at least January 1, 2029. That does not mean every router is supported until 2029. It means the FCC is allowing those updates under that rule. Your vendor still has to issue updates for your specific model.

The FBI also warned in 2025 that criminals were exploiting end-of-life routers in proxy services. The plain version: unsupported routers are useful to attackers because they are internet-facing, rarely checked and often forgotten behind a couch. A router is not a family heirloom. If it stops getting patches, thank it for its service and move on.

The FTC gives the same practical advice for home WiFi: keep router software up to date, check the manufacturer site for newer software, and ask your internet provider whether it sends automatic updates if the router came from the provider.

Find the exact model first

Do this before searching the web. Router model names are annoyingly similar, and the hardware version matters. An Archer C7 V2 and an Archer C7 V5 can have different firmware. Same family, different insides.

1. Look at the sticker on the router. Write down the brand, model, hardware version, serial number and FCC ID if shown. The model may look like RT-AX88U, RAX50, DIR-882, Archer AX55, MX4200 or eero 6+.
2. Open the router app if you use one. Look for About, Device information, Router details, Nodes or Software updates.
3. Log in to the web admin page if needed. Common addresses include 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, routerlogin.net, orbilogin.net, asusrouter.com, tplinkwifi.net and dlinkrouter.local.
4. Take a photo or screenshot of the firmware version. You want the installed version and the release date of the newest version from the vendor.

If your router came from Comcast, Spectrum, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile Home Internet or another provider, check the label first. Provider gateways are often updated by the provider, not by you. If the admin screen has no update button, that may be normal. Call or chat with the provider and ask two direct questions: is this gateway still supported with security updates, and can you replace it if it is not?

Check the official support status

Use the vendor page, not a random forum post from 2018 written by someone named WiFiWizard. Search the exact model with the vendor name and the words firmware, end of life, end of service or support.

Good official starting points:

• ASUS: the ASUS EOL product list and ASUS support pages. ASUS says EOL models no longer get firmware, utility, website, quick start guide or manual updates.
• NETGEAR: the NETGEAR End of Service page and NETGEAR security advisories. NETGEAR says products past EoS no longer receive security updates.
• D-Link: the D-Link EOL policy and D-Link support search. D-Link says that after End of Support, it no longer develops or tests firmware or software for that product, including bug fixes and security patches.
• Linksys: the Linksys Product End of Life page and the support page for your exact model.
• TP-Link: the TP-Link Download Center, your model page, hardware version selector and security notices such as its software and firmware support page for End of Service products. TP-Link says affected EOS products are no longer receiving active support, including security updates.
• eero: the eero Software Security Updates page. eero publishes minimum security update dates for current devices and says devices may still provide WiFi after updates end.

If the model is missing from the normal support site and only appears on a legacy page, that is usually a bad sign. D-Link, for example, says products on its legacy site no longer receive firmware updates. If you cannot find the model at all, contact support with the serial number. No answer after a reasonable try counts as uncertainty, and uncertainty is not great for the device guarding every laptop, phone, baby monitor and tax document in the house.

Check firmware and turn on updates

Once you know the router is still supported, update it. Do this when nobody is on a video call, game, school test or telehealth appointment. Firmware updates usually reboot the router. The internet will vanish for a few minutes, and someone will announce this from another room as if you personally unplugged the moon.

Use these official menu paths as starting points. Menus vary by model, but these names are the ones the vendors publish.

• ASUS app: open the ASUS Router app, tap Settings, then Firmware Upgrade, then Check Firmware Version. ASUS also has a web interface path at asusrouter.com, with firmware controls under Administration and Firmware Upgrade.
• NETGEAR Nighthawk app: tap the router image, scroll down and tap CHECK FOR UPDATES. In a browser, NETGEAR lists ADVANCED > Administration or Settings > Administration, then Firmware Update or Router Update, then Check.
• NETGEAR automatic updates: in the browser interface, go to ADVANCED > Administration > Router Update, then Router Auto Firmware Update, choose Enable, and click Apply.
• Linksys web interface: click Connectivity, stay on the Basic tab, check the Automatic box and use Check for Updates. In the Linksys app, open the menu, tap Network Administration, then make sure Automatic Firmware Update is enabled.
• eero app: go to Settings, then Software updates. eero lets you check for an available eeroOS update, install it, and set a Preferred update time.
• D-Link: log in at dlinkrouter.local or 192.168.0.1, go to Management, then Upgrade, then Check For New Firmware.
• TP-Link: many models use Advanced > System > Firmware Update or Advanced > System Tools > Firmware Upgrade, then CHECK FOR UPDATES or Check for upgrade. TP-Link also warns that manual firmware must match the exact model, hardware version and region.

If your router says it is current, still compare that result with the vendor support page. The FTC brought an ASUS case years ago where update notices were part of the issue, and the general lesson still holds: a second check is cheap. If the vendor page shows a newer file than the router finds automatically, read the release notes and support instructions before doing a manual install.

After updating, check the basics from our router settings to disable guide, especially remote management, WPS and UPnP. Then confirm the firewall is on with our router firewall check. If you have smart plugs, cameras, TVs and speakers everywhere, our guest WiFi setup guide is the next useful job.

Repair, reuse or replace

Keep the router if all four things are true: the vendor still supports it, the latest firmware is current enough to look alive, automatic updates are on, and it still handles your internet speed and coverage. There is no trophy for replacing working gear early.

Replace it soon if any of these are true:

• The vendor marks it EOL, EOS, legacy or unsupported.
• The newest firmware is several years old and there is no support date saying updates continue.
• The router only offers WPA or WEP, not WPA2 or WPA3. The FTC says WPA and WEP are outdated and not secure.
• You cannot change the admin password or update firmware from a supported source.
• The router is exposed to the internet for remote management and you cannot turn that off.
• Your home depends on it for remote work, school, cameras, medical devices or a small business.

Could you install OpenWrt or another third-party firmware? Sometimes, yes. For most non-technical households, that is a hobby project, not a family security plan. It can be a good answer for the right person, but it also means you become the support department. If the sentence flash the firmware image sounds relaxing to you, you already know who you are.

If you replace the router, look for automatic security updates, a published support period, WPA3 support, guest network support and enough performance for your home. For families choosing between coverage and controls, start with our best router parental controls guide. For a broader checklist, use our home network security guide.

If your old router is unsupported and you want a simple replacement path with automatic updates and published security support dates, this is the kind of pick that can make sense:

Before recycling the old router, factory reset it. Remove it from the vendor account or app if it is registered there. Then take it to an electronics recycler or a retailer recycling bin. Your router does not need a Viking funeral, just a proper reset and a responsible exit.