How to Reset My Username & Password on My Netgear Router

Reset your Netgear wireless router if it malfunctions and causes your Internet connection to drop periodically. You can reset the device by pressing the Restore Factory Settings button or by accessing its Web interface. Use the Restore Factory Settings button if you can't log in to the Web interface. A factory reset restores all of the router's settings to default values and erases all customizations, and you won't be able to recover them.

You can open http://www.routerlogin.net or http://www.routerlogin.com to access the Web interface. If the URLs don't open the Web interface, type 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into your browser's address bar and press Enter.

The URL or IP address of some Netgear routers is printed on a label on the back of the device. If the default IP addresses and URLs don't work, you can use the Command Prompt to find the correct IP.

1. Press Windows-X to display the Power User menu in Windows and select Command Prompt to open the utility.
2. Type ipconfig into the Command Prompt and press Enter to obtain detailed information about the network.
3. Locate the router's IP address in the Default Gateway section and use it to access the Web interface.

Type the username and Netgear router password into the User Name and Password fields. The default username on Netgear routers is admin and the default password is password or 1234.

If you don't know the correct username or password for the router's control panel, you must reset the router using the Restore Factory Settings button. Otherwise, select Backup Settings from the Maintenance section of the left tab and then click the Erase button in the Revert to Factory Default Settings section to reset the Netgear router.

Some routers don't prompt you to confirm your action, and reset immediately — restoring all settings to defaults and erasing all customizations. If you're prompted, however, click OK to confirm.

The Power LED starts to blink and the router restarts when the reset is complete. You can access the router when the Power LED turns solid green.

Most Netgear routers, including WNDR3300, WNR3500, WGT624, WPN824, DGN2000 and N300, have a Restore Factory Settings button recessed into the case, on the back of the device.

You can use a paperclip to press the Restore Factory Settings button and hold it for at least seven seconds — or until the Power LED starts to — to reset the router. Do not exert too much pressure on the Restore Factory Settings button to avoid damaging it and voiding your router's warranty. The device restarts after the reset is complete.

Note that the DGN2000 and DG834Gv5 routers don't have a Restore Factory Settings button. To reset them, you'll need hold the Wireless On/Off and WPS buttons for at least six seconds – or until the Power LED light starts to blink.

You can find instructions on how to reset your Netgear router model in the user manual that came with the device. Download the user manual from the Netgear Support website if you don't have the hard copy.

You don't need to reset the router to find or change the password of the wireless network. You can change your Netgear password from the Web interface.