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How to reset any router or modem
And get the password and settings back to factory defaults

Have a router from the following brand?
If any of the following is your router/modem brand, please go there for the specific instructions.
ASUS AT&T Arris Belkin Cisco D-Link Linksys Netgear TP-LINK Verizon Xfinity

If your router is acting up, or you have forgotten your password, you can reset it to get it back to the defaults. To perform a reset there are usually three ways it can be done:

  • Through the admin interface of the device
  • Pressing the reset button
  • Doing the 30-30-30 reset
Word of warning: All your custom settings will be lost

When you reset your router all the current settings will also be lost, consider this before performing the reset.

Option 1: Reset through the admin interface

If your router configuration is still working, and you know the admin password, you can use this option to reset the router.

Prerequisites

Once you have all things needed from the checklist we can continue to resetting the router.

  1. Open a web browser of your choosing (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, ..)
  2. Navigate to http://xxx.yyy.zzz.ooo (replace with your routers IP address)
  3. Login to your device with your credentials
  4. Navigating to the reset page differs a bit from router to router, but see if you can find any of the following paths in the admin:
    • Administration > Restore/Save/Upload Settings
    • Administration > Factory defaults
    • System > Backup/Restore
    • Settings > Administration > Factory Reset
    • Advanced > System > Restore
    • Advanced Settings > Restore Factory defaults
    • Other similar paths, above examples will help.
  5. Click the factory reset / restore option and confirm if needed
  6. Wait for a while for the router to reboot.
If you need more help on how to login check out the How to login to any router guide

Option 2: Pressing the reset button

If you don't remember your password or your router configuration is not working, this is probably the way to go.

Prerequisites
  • Physical access to the router/modem.
  • A paperclip or similar sharp object. (This might not be needed, depending on reset button)

Step 1: Locate the reset button

Examples of reset buttons on different routers and modems.

The reset button is usually hidden inside a small hole, but sometimes also sticking out like a normal button.

If you can't find any reset button it might also be that the router's WPS button acts as a reset button when pressed long enough.

Step 2: Perform the reset sequence

The reset sequence for your router is as follows:

  1. Ensure that the device is powered on
  2. Press and hold the reset button for at least 7 seconds.
  3. When the LED lights start flashing, let go of the reset button
  4. Wait a minute or so for the LED lights to start lighting as usual.

Option 3: Doing the 30-30-30 reset

This is more of a fallback option, and quite similar to Option 2 in that it will require physical access to the device.

As the name implies, the 30-30-30 reset is about performing the reset sequence in 30s increments.

To perform a 30-30-30 reset read our guide on How to perform the 30-30-30 reset