How To Reset Your Router

Are you experiencing problems with your internet? Is it slow or not working at all? The first step any expert will tell you is that you should try to reboot or reset your router. Fortunately, rebooting or resetting your router is an easy process that anyone can do.

How To Reboot Your Router

If you’re experiencing Internet issues, the first thing you will want to try is rebooting or restarting your router. This is a soft reset and will not reset your router to factory settings and cause you to lose information. Normally, this is all it takes to fix Internet problems.

Step One: Locate Your Router

Your router is the device used to connect to the internet. It’s the device the technician hooked up when you first received your internet.

Step Two: Unplug your router.

Your router will have at least two cords attached to the back. One of these will be the cord to the modem and the other will be the router’s power cord. The modem cord will be the one hooked into your phone jack, while the power cord will be plugged into an electrical socket. To start, you want to unplug both of these cords, starting with the modem and then the power cord.

Step Three: Wait 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Don’t immediately plug the router back in. You’ll want to wait at least 30 seconds before plugging your router back in.

Step Four: Plug the modem back in.

The modem will be hooked into the phone jack. Reconnect this cord to the router and wait 60 seconds.

Step Five: Plug the router back in.

Wait anywhere from two to ten minutes.

Step Six: Test to see if the issue is fixed.

Try to sign back onto the internet and see if the issue has corrected itself. If the issue is not fixed, you may have to call your internet service provider. 

How To Reset Your Router With a Reset Button

While rebooting your router and resetting your router sound similar, they are two different things. Resetting your router will return the device to its factory settings. This will reset your information and possibly cause you to lose your configurations and settings. It will also reset your username and password. Do this only if you know what you are doing.

Step One: Don’t unplug your router.

Unlike when you reboot your router, to reset your router, you’ll want to keep the device plugged in.

Step Two: Locate the reset button.

Most likely, your router’s reset button will be located either on the bottom or the back of the device.

Step Three: Hold the reset button for 30 seconds.

You might need a pen or a paper clip to press the button. Press the button for at least 30 seconds.

Step Four: Let the device power back on.

How To Reset a Router Without a Reset Button

If your router doesn’t have a reset button, don’t worry. It’s still possible to reset your router.

Step One: Find your router’s IP address.

In order to find your router’s IP address, go to your search bar and type in ‘cmd’. You’ll want to open the command prompt program and type in IPCONFIG. Press enter, and the number it shows you will be your IP address.

Step Two: Enter your username and password.

Your username and password will be what you set up with the technician when they first hooked up your internet. If you didn’t set these, they will be their default. You can find this default written on your router.

Step Three: Locate System or System Tools.

Click System, System Tools, or a similar option you have based on your router.

Step Four: Locate System Restore or find the return to factory settings option.

Find either System Restore or Factory Default. Click this and then confirm it.

Step Five: Let the router reboot.

What’s The Difference Between Rebooting a Router and Resetting a Router?

As similar as they sound, there’s a difference between a reboot and a reset. Rebooting your router is simply turning it off and turning it back on again, much like you would any other technology issue. Resetting a router will erase all of your settings and return it to the factory default.

Rebooting your router will help with issues like disconnected or slow internet, whereas resetting your router will help with lost passwords or corrupted settings. It’s recommended that you don’t reset your router unless you have done enough research or are being guided by an internet technician. 

Resetting your router can cause problems and make it so you lose valuable information.

Should I Try Reboot My Router?

Is your internet slower than it should be? Has it slowed down lately? One thing you can do is check your bandwidth. Testing your bandwidth will tell you exactly how fast your internet is by diagnosing your upload speed, your download speed, and your ping. 

Upload speed is how fast your computer can send information to the internet or how fast you can upload files. Download speed is how fast your computer can get information from the internet or how fast you can receive files. Ping is your internet reaction time.

If your speed is less than you want it to be, it may be time to try rebooting your router.

Rebooting My Router Didn’t Work…

If rebooting and resetting your router don’t fix your internet problems, it may be time to look into other internet providers. Bandwidth Place can help you compare top internet providers in the United States. By comparing providers, you’ll be able to find the provider in your area that can help you get top internet speeds for the lowest price.