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Reset the Asus RT-AC87U

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Setup Router Staff
Last Updated: | Reading Time: 4 minutes

This guide shows you how to reset your Asus RT-AC87U router. Resetting a router is different than rebooting a router. Every time your router loses power it reboots. However, when you reset a router you, return it back to its factory default settings.

Warning: Since this erases everything you have done to the router, there are some things you need to consider first. The following settings in your router will be changed:

  • The router's login credentials are reset to factory defaults.
  • All WiFi login information and network names are reset.
  • Any ISP settings saved in your router will be removed. You may have to contact your ISP.
  • All port forwards, firewall settings, and parental controls 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 Asus RT-AC87U 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.

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  • 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.

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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 Asus RT-AC87U 3.0.0.4.382_52545. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Asus RT-AC87U

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.

Router Password Finder is designed from the ground up to help you recover your forgotten router username and password, which can save you a lot of time.

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 Asus RT-AC87U

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Usually there is a reset button located on the back or bottom of a router. A typical reset button looks like this:

Router Reset Button

Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. Sometimes the reset button is under a pinhole on the back of the router, 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. The blinking pattern of the lights on the front of the router should change when the reset is complete. Keep holding the button as long as you want, it will not hurt anything to hold it down too long.

Just don't forget that this will totally reset your Asus RT-AC87U router.

Only do this once 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 Asus RT-AC87U

Once the reset is complete, you need to login to your router using the default IP address, username, and password. You can follow the RT-AC87U Login Guide to find everything that you need to log in.

Change Your Password

After logging in to your router for the first time, you need to change your router's password. It is a huge security risk to leave your router's password set to the factory default. If you need help coming up with a strong password, check out our Choosing a Strong Password guide.

Tip: A great place to write your new password down is on a piece of paper taped to the bottom of your router.

Other Asus RT-AC87U Guides

We have collected a lot of information about the Asus RT-AC87U router. You can find some of our additional content here.

This is the reset router guide for the Asus RT-AC87U 3.0.0.4.382_52545. We also have the following guides for the same router: