Reset is a last resort. It returns your router to how it left the factory, so the Wi-Fi name, the password and every setting go away. Before you do it, try a restart, which is gentler and fixes most things.
Steps
- Try a restart first
Follow restarting your equipment. A reset is for a router that will not talk to you at all or that you are giving away.
- Write down what you will lose
The Wi-Fi name and password, any fixed addresses and port settings. A TP-Link page says a reset clears internet, Wi-Fi, port forwarding and parental controls.
- Use the menu if you can still sign in
TP-Link lists Advanced, System Tools, Backup and Restore, Factory Default Restore. ASUS lists Administration, Restore/Save/Upload Setting, then Restore next to Factory default. Linksys lists Configuration, Administration, Device Reset on its E9450 router. Do not power off during the reset.
- Otherwise find the Reset button
It is a small recessed hole or a button. TP-Link says it may be a Reset button, a combined WPS and Reset button, or a pinhole.
- Hold it with the router powered on
TP-Link says to hold for more than 10 seconds. Linksys says 10 seconds on its mesh models and 10 to 20 on a dual-band router. A Netgear business page says 7 seconds, and a Netgear blog says some models need at least 10. ASUS pages disagree, so hold until the power light flashes.
- Let it restart
Wait until the lights settle. Then set it up again with the article for your brand.
- Reconnect the High Desert cable
The injector cable goes in the router's internet (WAN) port, as in the setup articles. Do not press anything on the injector or the outdoor radio.
Will a reset change my High Desert service?
No. Service lives on the equipment we install. A reset only changes your own router. The service itself is unaffected.
Why do the hold times differ?
Because makers differ, and models differ. Check the label or your model's page. If the first try does nothing, hold longer, the way Netgear's blog and Linksys's dual-band article allow.
Is there a risk in giving away a router without resetting?
Yes, your Wi-Fi password may still be on it. Reset it first. Our guide on end-of-life routers covers retiring one.
Do I need to go outside or touch the antenna for this?
If the fix is not inside the house, it is ours. Do not climb to the antenna or handle the radio cable.
Sources
- tp-link.com/us/support/faq/497/ (TP-Link, How to Factory Reset Your TP-Link Router, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15)
- support.linksys.com/kb/article/93-en/ (Linksys, resetting the mesh router, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15)
- asus.com/us/support/faq/1000925/ (ASUS, reset the router to factory default, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15)
- kb.netgear.com/000061358/How-do-I-reset-my-business-router-to-factory-default-settings (Netgear, business router reset, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15)