How to Reset ADSL Router/Modem Password

When I had my ADSL Internet installed by the telephone company, I was excited to see the new ADSL router/modem installed. It has Wi-Fi capability, so I can use the internet over my Android phone as well as on my desktop computer. The modem/router came with the default username & password (both set to admin) when it was first unpacked and installed. Being a security conscious person, I had changed the password to something stronger that I forgot over time. Now, two years later, I had to configure the router settings but I could not login to its web interface (through http://192.168.1.1/ because I do not remember the password anymore. It is usual that you tend to forget the passwords that you do not use frequently. After a bit of talk with the NetGear support line, I figured out how to reset the router password (and everything else inside it).

So if you also have forgotten the router password, you can follow these steps to reset it (and also all other settings) to their factory default values. If you have an ADSL router/modem, then you should be careful as you will have to enter your ADSL settings all over again. This means that immediately after reset, you will not be able to connect to the Internet. Either you should be ready with the ADSL connection settings (like your telephone number, password, username etc.) or you should talk to your ISP before you perform these steps.

  1. Power on your ADSL router/modem (or whatever your phone company calls it).
  2. Wait for one minute before it starts up. You can tell that router has started up when all the LED lights have turned on and the action/status LED light is blinking.
  3. On the back of your router, you would find a small hole labeled Reset. On my Netgear Wi-Fi router, the reset hole looks like as shown in the following snapshot. It is located in different places on different models. Actually, there is a small button inside this hole. The button-in-the-hole design prevents someone accidentally pressing the reset button.Reset Router Password
  4. Take a small needle, safety pin, tack, toothpick or piece of metal wire (anything that can go inside this hole) and try to press the button inside the reset hole. Press and hold the Reset button for some time.Reset Router Password
  5. When you see that your router LED status/action lights are restarting, let the reset button go. Usually it takes 10 seconds. Your router would now restart itself.
  6. When the router has restarted, it will reset itself to factory settings and you can login to its web interface using the default username and password both of which in most cases are “admin”.

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