Reset the Arris TM1602

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Setup Router Staff
Last Updated: | Reading Time: 3 minutes

In this article, you will learn how to reset your Arris TM1602 back to factory settings. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. A reboot happens every time a router loses power. However, when you reset a router you, return it back to its factory default settings.

Warning: Before you continue, there are a few things you need to know. The following settings will be changed in your router:

  • The router's login and password are reset.
  • All WiFi login information and network names are reset.
  • All ISP settings will reset to default, and you may have to contact your ISP.
  • All parental controls, firewall settings, and port forwards 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 Arris TM1602 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.

NordVPN is the fastest VPN!

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 Arris TM1602 vA1 Spectrum. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Arris TM1602

If the only reason that you are resetting your router is because you forgot your router password, then you may want to try running our Router Password Finder instead of resetting your router.

Our Router Password Finder can recover your lost or forgotten router password without doing a full router reset, which can save you lots of time.

Router Password Finder - Lost or Forgotten Router Password Recovery Tool

Just keep in mind that a router reset should be done as the last resort when you are unable to login to your router.

Reset the Arris TM1602

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On most routers you can find a small button on the back or the bottom labeled reset. What you are looking for is something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. You may need a paper clip to push the reset button.

Watch the front panel lights while you hold the reset button down for at least 10 seconds. Notice how the lights on the front of the router are blinking. When the lights do something different, the router is reset. Keep holding the button as long as you want, it will not hurt anything to hold it down too long.

Remember, this will totally reset your Arris TM1602 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 Arris TM1602

Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. Just follow our TM1602 Login Guide to find all of the information that you need.

Change Your Password

After logging in, you should really change your router's password for added security. Leaving a router password set to default is a very serious security risk. Our Choosing a Strong Password guide talks about choosing a strong password for your router.

Tip: Write your new password down on a note and tape it to the bottom of your router for future reference.

Other Arris TM1602 Guides

If you want additional help with your Arris TM1602 be sure to check out some of our other guides.

This is the reset router guide for the Arris TM1602 vA1 Spectrum. We also have the following guides for the same router: