Reset the Dlink DSL-2740U

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

This guide shows you how to reset your Dlink DSL-2740U router to factory default settings. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Rebooting a router is simply turning it off and back on again. A Router Reset completely erases the router and returns it to factory settings.

Warning: Proceed with caution; resetting your router can be a major headache. The following settings will be changed in your router:

  • The router's login credentials are reset to factory defaults.
  • All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
  • All ISP settings will reset to default, and you may have to contact your ISP.
  • Any port forwards, firewall settings, or 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. Make sure that you have tried to recover your router password using our Router Password Finder first.

Other Dlink DSL-2740U 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 Dlink DSL-2740U ME_1.02. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Dlink DSL-2740U

Instead of resetting your router back to factory settings, 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

If you are unable to recover your lost router password, then you may have to proceed with a full router reset.

Reset the Dlink DSL-2740U

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Most routers have a small button on either the back or the bottom. Most reset buttons look like this:

Router Reset Button

Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. Sometimes the reset button is under a pinhole on the back of the router, and you need a paper clip to push it.

Hold the reset button down for 10 seconds and watch the lights. 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.

Don't forget, this step will totally reset your Dlink DSL-2740U router back to factory settings.

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 Dlink DSL-2740U

Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. You can find all of the information that you need in our DSL-2740U Login Guide.

Change Your Password

Do not forget to change your router's default password when you log back into it. Leaving a router password set to default is a very serious security risk. You can follow our Choosing a Strong Password guide to help you pick a solid password for your router.

Tip: After creating this new password, we highly recommend writing this down on a post-it note and attaching it to the bottom of your router for future reference.

Other Dlink DSL-2740U Guides

This isn't our only Dlink DSL-2740U guide. We also have the following guides for this router.

This is the reset router guide for the Dlink DSL-2740U ME_1.02. We also have the following guides for the same router: