How to Factory Reset Linksys Router | Forgot Password & Reset Settings, by TechTricks Zone on YouTube. 1 min 37 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 37 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Leave the router plugged in and switched on. The reset needs power, and pulling the cable halfway through can leave the firmware damaged.
Turn the router around and look at the back panel. Find the small reset pinhole or recessed Reset button, usually beside the power port or one of the Ethernet ports.
Straighten a paperclip and push the tip into the hole until you feel the button click. Hold it down for 10 to 15 seconds without letting go.
Watch the lights on the front. When they blink, go out or start flashing, release the button. A quick 2 second press only reboots the router and changes nothing.
Wait one to two minutes for the router to restart. Do not unplug it or press anything else while the lights settle.
On your phone or laptop, open the WiFi list and join the default network printed on the router's sticker. It is often named Linksys followed by numbers, with no password or the word admin.
Open a browser and go to 192.168.1.1 or myrouter.local. Log in with the default details on the sticker, often admin for both fields, then follow the setup wizard to set a new WiFi name, password and admin login.
Tips and common mistakes
Write down any ISP login details, like a PPPoE username, before you reset, because the router forgets them.
A reset also clears port forwarding, parental controls and device names, so expect to set those up again.
If you use a Linksys Velop mesh system, reset the parent node first and add the child nodes afterwards.
Test the new WiFi password on one device before you change anything else, so you know the setup worked.
Questions
How long do I hold the reset button on a Linksys router?
Hold it for 10 to 15 seconds until the front lights blink or flash. Release too early and the router simply restarts with your old settings still in place.
Does a factory reset delete my internet settings?
Yes. The router goes back to its out-of-box state, so you must enter your ISP details again if your connection uses a username and password. Cable connections that log in automatically usually work once the router reboots.
What if the reset button does nothing?
Try a thinner pin and check you are pressing the reset hole, not a WPS button. If the router still will not respond, unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in and repeat the 15 second hold.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
