A friend recently asked me how they can reset their wireless router to its default settings as they can no longer remember the Wi-Fi password. Has it ever happened to you? I also!
There are several reasons why you may need to reset your wireless router: 1) You used a hard-to-remember password, forgot it and did not save your password anywhere, or 2) It was configured by someone else and you are not using it. don’t know the password, or 3) you want to reset your router due to performance or connectivity issues, or 4) you think your router might be compromised and want to reset it to block any unauthorized users.
Please note, if you are just having connectivity issues, you may not need to reboot your router at all, you just need to reboot it. To reboot, simply unplug the router, wait about 20 seconds, and then plug it back in. It will take a minute or two to reboot your router, but most connection issues can be fixed with this.
After resetting the router, the web interface password and Wi-Fi password will be reset to the default passwords. Read my post on how to find the default password for your wireless router.
Factory reset (physical button)
Resetting your wireless router is a fairly straightforward task, but the results are pretty serious, which means you have to spend a lot of time setting up your entire backup. When you reset your wireless router, you will lose all settings, including the following:
Router administrator login (username and password) WiFi username and password, security type, channel < / pre> SSID name Forwards any port Any dynamic DNS setting Any firewall rules or settings
Almost every modern router can be reset with a very simple procedure. Either turn the router upside down, or look on the back panel for a small hole with the word RESET. All you have to do now is simply find a small paper clip and insert one end into the hole while the router is on.
Typically you will have to hold the button for 10 to 15 seconds. At this point, you should see your wireless router lights blinking, blinking, or simply rebooting. After a full reboot, the router returns to its original factory default state.
That’s all! Some older routers may require you to turn off the router first, then hold down the reset button, and then turn the router back on. If neither of these two methods work, you should probably take a look at the manual that came with your router, or look up the manual online.
Soft reset (web admin)
The second way to reset the router settings is to restore factory default settings from the web admin interface. To do this, you need to know the IP address of your router and enter it into your web browser.
Where you need to go in the web interface will vary greatly depending on which router you are using. Your best bet is to check sections such as Management, Administration, Advanced, System, Maintenance, or something similar. I have Verizon FIOS and my Actiontec router was in the Advanced section.
There should be a “Restore Defaults” or “Restore Factory Defaults” button, which will do the same as the physical reset button. The only difference is that most modern routers also have the ability to back up your settings to a configuration file that you can use to restore later.
If you’re having trouble with your router, you probably don’t want to restore your current settings, but it’s a very good idea to reset your router, set everything up, and then save a backup of all your settings once you’ve configured them correctly. again.
Now that your router is back on and working, you will need to connect to it using your web browser to configure all settings again. To do this, you need to find the IP address of your router.
If you can’t follow the instructions from the previous link, you can also check a program called Router Detector on the Setup Router website, which basically finds the router for you.
After logging in, you need to do two things: change the default password for logging into the router and then configure the wireless settings.
Be sure to read my post on how to secure your wireless network so others can’t use your bandwidth, and how to turn off SSID broadcasts for more security.
If you are having trouble resetting your wireless router or having trouble maintaining a connection to your wireless router, please leave a comment and I will try to help. Enjoy!
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