If you need to reset your Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I router back to factory settings, then this article shows you how. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. This is different from a reset because a reset completely erases all settings from the router.
Warning: Before you proceed, there are a few things you need to know. When you reset your router, the following will happen.
- The router's login credentials are reset.
- Your WiFi login, password, and network name are reset.
- Any ISP settings saved in your router will be removed. You may have to contact your ISP.
- Any firewall settings, parental controls, or port forwards that you have configured will be removed.
A router reset should be considered the last resort when you cannot log in to your router any other way. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.
Other Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I Guides
Use a VPN Instead
Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.
We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes forwarding a port no longer necessary for most applications. With NordVPN Meshnet, you can connect to your devices from anywhere in the world, completely secure, over a highly encrypted VPN tunnel.
When shopping for a VPN, make sure that they meet the following criteria:
- Your VPN provider should have a no-logs policy. This means that they do not keep any logs of any kind.
- Make sure that your VPN provider has lots of exit nodes all around the world.
- Check that your VPN will not affect your speed.
- Verify that your VPN provider uses WireGuard as the underlying protocol.
- Many people prefer a VPN provider that is not based in the United States.
This is the list of requirements that we used when we were shopping around for a VPN provider. There are lots of free, shady VPN providers out there that we looked at and dismissed.
Based in Panama, using diskless servers, and with over 6,100 servers in 61 countries, we can safely say that NordVPN satisfies all of these requirements.
Once you've set up your NordVPN account on multiple computers and enabled Meshnet, you can seamlessly access all of your devices as if they were on the same network. You don't even have to log in to your router. It's very simple.
Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.
This is the reset router guide for the Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I 40.21.24. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I
If you are resetting your router because you forgot your router password, then you should try running our Router Password Finder first.
Router Password Finder can save you a ton of time by recovering your lost or forgotten router password instead of doing a full router reset.
Router Password Finder - Lost or Forgotten Router Password Recovery Tool
Do not do a full router reset until after you have tried every other option to log in to your router.
Reset the Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I
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You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.
Most routers have a small button on either the back or the bottom. A typical reset button looks like this:
Your reset button may look different, but usually they are very small. You may need a paper clip to push the reset button.
Keep an eye on the lights on the front of your router while holding the reset button down for about 10 seconds. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. You can hold the button down as long as you like, it will not hurt anything.
Just don't forget that this will totally reset your Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I router.
Only take this last step of fully resetting your router after you have exhausted all other troubleshooting options, such as running our Router Password Finder software, which can recover a lost router password for you.
Login to the Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I
Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. We have a MI424WR-GEN3I Login Guide with all this information ready for you.
Change Your Password
After logging in to your router for the first time, you need to change your router's password. The factory default passwords for routers are very well known. You can follow our Choosing a Strong Password guide to help you pick a solid password for your router.
Tip: After creating this new password, we highly recommend writing this down on a post-it note and attaching it to the bottom of your router for future reference.
Other Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I Guides
Here are some of our other Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I guides that you might be interested in.
This is the reset router guide for the Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I 40.21.24. We also have the following guides for the same router: