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Reset the Cisco Linksys E4200

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

This article covers how to reset the Cisco Linksys E4200 router back to factory default settings. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. A Router Reset completely erases the router and returns it to factory settings.

Warning: Make sure that you fully understand the following before resetting your router. The following settings will be changed in your router:

  • The router's username and password are reset.
  • Your WiFi name and password are reset.
  • Any ISP settings saved in your router will be removed. You may have to contact your ISP.
  • 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. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.

Other Cisco Linksys E4200 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.
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  • 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 Cisco Linksys E4200 2.1.42.183584. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Cisco Linksys E4200

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 Cisco Linksys E4200

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Most of the time you can find a small reset button located on either the back or the bottom of a router. This is what a typical reset button looks like:

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.

Watch the lights on the front of your router and hold the reset button down for about 10 seconds. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. 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 Cisco Linksys E4200 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 Cisco Linksys E4200

Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. Just follow our E4200 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 post-it note and stick it to the bottom of your router.

Other Cisco Linksys E4200 Guides

This isn't our only Cisco Linksys E4200 guide. We also have the following guides for this router.

This is the reset router guide for the Cisco Linksys E4200 2.1.42.183584. We also have the following guides for the same router: