How to Properly Reset Your Router (and When You Should)

“Have you tried turning it off and on again” is a cliché for a reason — with routers specifically, it genuinely resolves a large share of connectivity issues. But there’s an important difference between a simple restart and a full factory reset, and using the wrong one for your situation can either waste your time or wipe settings you didn’t mean to lose.

Restart vs Factory Reset

A restart (sometimes called a power cycle) simply turns the router off and back on, clearing its temporary memory without touching any of your saved settings — your Wi-Fi name, password, and configuration all stay exactly as they were. A factory reset, by contrast, wipes the router back to its out-of-the-box state, erasing your custom Wi-Fi name and password, any port forwarding rules, and other configuration you’ve set up. These are very different actions, and it’s worth being clear on which one you actually need before you start.

How to Restart Your Router

Unplug the router from its power source, wait a full 30 seconds (this matters — unplugging and instantly replugging often isn’t long enough for internal components to fully discharge and reset), then plug it back in. Give it two to three minutes to fully boot and reconnect to your internet service provider before testing your connection again. This simple step resolves a surprising number of slow or dropped connections, since it clears minor memory or software glitches that build up over weeks of continuous operation.

How to Factory Reset Your Router

Most routers have a small recessed reset button, usually on the back, that requires a pin or paperclip to press. Hold it down for around 10 seconds while the router is powered on — the lights will typically flash or go dark and then restart, indicating the reset has begun. Once it reboots, you’ll need to reconfigure it from scratch, usually through the router’s setup page or an accompanying app, including setting a new Wi-Fi name and password.

When to Restart

Try a simple restart first if you’re experiencing slow speeds, intermittent dropouts, or devices that won’t reconnect after being out of range. It’s non-destructive, takes only a few minutes, and should always be the first thing you try before anything more drastic.

When a Factory Reset Is Actually Needed

A factory reset makes sense if you’ve forgotten the router’s admin password, suspect the configuration has become corrupted, are selling or giving away the router, or are troubleshooting a persistent problem that a simple restart hasn’t fixed. It should be a later resort, not a first response, given how much reconfiguration it requires afterward.

When a Reset Won’t Help

If your connection issues persist through both a restart and a factory reset, the cause likely sits outside the router itself — an issue with your internet service provider, damaged cabling, or in some cases a router that’s simply reached the end of its working life after years of continuous use. If you suspect hardware failure rather than a software glitch, bring it in and we can test it properly rather than leaving you guessing.