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Reset the Linksys DD-WRT

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

This guide shows you how to reset your Linksys DD-WRT router to factory default settings. This is not the same thing as 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: Proceed with caution; resetting your router can be a major headache. A router reset will affect the following settings:

  • The router's login credentials are reset.
  • 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.
  • Any firewall settings, parental controls, and port forwards that you have configured will be removed.

Resetting your router should be considered the last step. 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 Linksys DD-WRT 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 Linksys DD-WRT v3.0. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Linksys DD-WRT

If you are resetting your router because you forgot your router password, then you should 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 - Lost or Forgotten Router Password Recovery Tool

Only after you have tried to recover your missing router username and password should you perform a full router reset.

Reset the Linksys DD-WRT

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There is usually a small reset button located on either the back or the bottom of a router. Look for something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. If you find a pinhole on the back of the router then that may be the reset button. You will need a paper clip to push it.

Watch the front panel lights while you hold the reset button down for at least 10 seconds. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. Do not worry about holding the button down too long; this is harmless.

Just don't forget that this will totally reset your Linksys DD-WRT 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 Linksys DD-WRT

Once the reset is complete, you need to login to your router using the default IP address, username, and password. You can find all of the information that you need in our DD-WRT Login Guide.

Change Your Password

You need to change your router's default password after you log in for the first time. It's a very bad idea 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: 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 Linksys DD-WRT Guides

Here are some of our other Linksys DD-WRT guides that you might be interested in.

This is the reset router guide for the Linksys DD-WRT v3.0. We also have the following guides for the same router: