How to Reset Router: Restart vs Factory Reset
Restart or factory reset? How to reboot a router, how to factory reset it with the Reset button, reset times by brand and what to do before and after.
- Restart: unplug for 30 seconds, plug back in, wait 2 minutes. Settings stay.
- Factory reset: hold the Reset button for about 10 seconds while the router is on.
- After a factory reset, log in with the default details on the label.
- Set a new admin password and WiFi password.
I have mixed up restart and reset more than once, and the two are nothing alike. One is a quick refresh that keeps your settings. The other wipes everything and starts over.
Choosing the wrong one can erase your WiFi name and password. This guide shows you when to restart, when to reset, and how to do each one safely. A restart keeps your settings; a factory reset erases them. Restart first, and reset only when nothing else works.
A factory reset restores the router’s original default username and password — after resetting, log in with the defaults for your brand from our default router password list.
Restart vs factory reset
In my experience, this is the part that trips most people up.
| Restart (reboot) | Factory reset | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Turns the router off and on | Erases all settings |
| Keeps WiFi name and password | Yes | No, back to label defaults |
| Fixes | Slow WiFi, dropped connections, temporary faults | Forgotten admin password, broken settings, selling the router |
| How long | 2 to 3 minutes | 5 to 10 minutes plus setup |
How to restart a router
I have seen this done wrong more than once, so I keep it simple here.
- Unplug the router from power (or press the power button).
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Plug it back in and wait two to three minutes for the lights to settle.
If you have a separate modem, restart the modem first and wait until it is online, then restart the router. Many routers can also restart from the admin page under System, Administration or Reboot.
How to factory reset a router
I check this before I change anything else.
- Find the Reset button, usually a small hole on the back labelled Reset or RST.
- With the router switched on, press and hold it with a pin or paperclip.
- Hold for about 10 seconds (the exact time varies by brand) until the lights flash or change.
- Release and wait for the router to restart completely.
- Log in with the default details from the label and set up your WiFi again.
Reset time by brand
I treat this as a quick check, not a deep setting.
Before you factory reset
I would rather confirm it now than fix it later.
- Write down your WiFi name and password if you want to keep them.
- Have your internet provider login ready if your connection needs one (PPPoE username and password).
- Note any port forwarding, static IP or DNS settings you added.
- On provider routers, check if the provider can reset it remotely instead.
After a factory reset
I always start with the router page for this.
- Log in with the default admin details, listed in our Default Router Password List.
- Set a new admin password straight away.
- Set your WiFi name and a strong password with our WiFi Password Generator.
- Update the firmware if an update is available.
When a reset won’t fix the problem
In my experience, this is the part that trips most people up.
A factory reset is a big hammer. It helps with forgotten passwords and settings you can’t undo, but it doesn’t fix everything:
- No internet from your ISP: if the modem or ONT light shows no signal, the problem is the line.
- Hardware faults: a router that overheats or reboots constantly needs replacing.
- Slow plan: a reset won’t make a 50 Mbps plan faster.
- Weak WiFi in far rooms: that’s a coverage problem, not a settings one.
Try a plain restart first. It clears most temporary glitches in a couple of minutes and doesn’t lose anything.
Reset a router without a reset button
I have seen this done wrong more than once, so I keep it simple here.
A few routers, especially mesh systems and some ISP gateways, either have no visible button or prefer a software reset:
- From the web page: look for Factory Defaults or Restore under System, Administration or Maintenance.
- From the app: eero, Nest WiFi, Deco and Orbi apps all have a remove or reset option.
- Power-cycle method: Starlink routers reset after being switched off and on three times quickly.
- ISP remote reset: your provider can often reset their gateway from their side.
