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Reset the Asus RT-AC88U

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Setup Router Staff
Last Updated: | Reading Time: 5 minutes

This guide shows you how to reset your Asus RT-AC88U router to factory default settings. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Unplugging a router from the wall reboots it. A Router Reset completely erases the router and returns it to factory settings.

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 username and password are reset to factory defaults.
  • All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
  • Your ISP settings are reset, which means you will have to contact your ISP to get them back.
  • All parental controls, firewall settings, and port forwards will be removed.

Since a router reset is such a drastic step, it should only be done as a last resort when you cannot recover your router's password using any other methods. Make sure that you have tried to recover your router password using our Router Password Finder first.

Other Asus RT-AC88U 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 Asus RT-AC88U 3.0.0.4.384_45149. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Asus RT-AC88U

Before you resort to doing a full router reset, you may want to try running our Router Password Finder first.

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 - Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords

A router reset should be the last thing you try if you are unable to login.

Reset the Asus RT-AC88U

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Usually there is a reset button located on the back or bottom of a router. What you are looking for is something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

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.

Hold the reset button down for 10 seconds and watch the lights. The blinking pattern of the lights on the front of the router should change when 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 Asus RT-AC88U 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 Asus RT-AC88U

Now that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. Our RT-AC88U Login Guide has all of the information that you need.

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. You can follow our Choosing a Strong Password guide to help you pick a solid password for your router.

Tip: Put your new password on a post-in note and stick it to the bottom of your router.

Other Asus RT-AC88U Guides

This isn't our only Asus RT-AC88U guide. We also have the following guides for this router.

This is the reset router guide for the Asus RT-AC88U 3.0.0.4.384_45149. We also have the following guides for the same router: