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Reset the Asus RT-AC88U

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

This article covers how to reset the Asus RT-AC88U router back to factory default settings. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. Resetting a router erases all settings from it and returns it to factory defaults.

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

  • The router's username and password are reset.
  • Your WiFi name and password are reset.
  • Your ISP settings are reset, which means you will have to contact your ISP to get them back.
  • All port forwards, firewall settings, and parental controls that you have configured 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. 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 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.

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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-AC88U 3.0.0.4.384_45713. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Asus RT-AC88U

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 - Automatically Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords

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-AC88U

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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.

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. Do not worry about holding the button down too long; this is harmless.

Remember, this will erase everything you have previously done to this Asus RT-AC88U 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-AC88U

Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. Our RT-AC88U Login Guide has all of the information that you need.

Change Your Password

You need to change your router's default password after you log in for the first time. 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: Write your new password down on a note and tape it to the bottom of your router for future reference.

Other Asus RT-AC88U Guides

We have collected a lot of information about the Asus RT-AC88U router. You can find some of our additional content here.

This is the reset router guide for the Asus RT-AC88U 3.0.0.4.384_45713. We also have the following guides for the same router: