In this article, you will learn how to reset your Actiontec T3280 back to factory settings. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Rebooting a router is simply turning it off and back on again. This is very different from a reset, which erases a router completely and returns it to factory default settings.
Warning: This is not a step to be taken lightly. The following settings will be changed in your router:
- The router's username and password are reset.
- All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
- Your ISP settings are reset, which means you will have to contact your ISP to get them back.
- Any firewall settings, parental controls, and 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. You should be sure that you have tried to at least recover your router password using our Router Password Finder before resorting to a router reset.
Other Actiontec T3280 Guides
Use a VPN Instead
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When shopping for a VPN, make sure that they meet the following criteria:
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- 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.
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This is the reset router guide for the Actiontec T3280 31.527L.41.7a Windstream. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Actiontec T3280
Before you resort to doing a full router reset, you may want to 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
If you are unable to recover your lost router password, then you may have to proceed with a full router reset.
Reset the Actiontec T3280
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Most routers have a small button on either the back or the bottom. Look for something that looks like this:
Your reset button may look different, but usually they are very small. Sometimes the button is under a pinhole, and you need a paper clip to push it.
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.
Keep in mind that this will completely reset your Actiontec T3280 router.
Be sure to only reset your router if you have tried everything else, such as running our Router Password Finder software, which can find your lost or forgotten router password for you.
Login to the Actiontec T3280
Now that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. You can find all of the information that you need in our T3280 Login Guide.
Change Your Password
Do not forget to change your router's default password when you log back into it. It's a very bad idea to leave your router's password set to the factory default. You can follow our Choosing a Strong Password guide to help you pick a solid password for your router.
Tip: Write your new password down on a post-it note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Actiontec T3280 Guides
This isn't our only Actiontec T3280 guide. We also have the following guides for this router.
This is the reset router guide for the Actiontec T3280 31.527L.41.7a Windstream. We also have the following guides for the same router: