Setup Router logo in white Setup router name logo in white
Get Software

Reset the Linksys E2500

Thumbnail image of Setup Router Staff
Setup Router Staff
Last Updated: | Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this article, you will learn how to reset your Linksys E2500 back to factory settings. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Unplugging a router from the wall reboots it. This is very different from a reset, which erases a router completely and returns it to factory default settings.

Warning: Since this erases everything you have done to the router, there are some things you need to consider first. A router reset will affect the following settings:

  • The router's login and password are reset.
  • Your WiFi login, password, and network name are reset.
  • If your router has any ISP settings they will be removed, and you will have to contact your ISP.
  • All parental controls, firewall settings, and port forwards will be removed.

Resetting your router should be considered the last step. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.

Other Linksys E2500 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 faster than ever deal!

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 E2500 4.0.00. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Linksys E2500

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 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 - 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 Linksys E2500

Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.

NordVPN faster than ever deal!

You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.

On most routers you can find a small button on the back or the bottom labeled reset. This is what a typical reset button looks like:

Router Reset Button

Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. Sometimes the button is under a pinhole, and you need a paper clip to push it.

Hold the reset button down for about 10 seconds while watching the lights on the front of your router. The blinking pattern of the lights on the front of the router should change when the reset is complete. Do not be concerned about holding the reset button down too long. It will not hurt anything.

Remember, this will totally reset your Linksys E2500 router.

This last step should only be taken if you have tried everything else, such as using our Router Password Finder software, which can recover lost or forgotten router passwords.

Login to the Linksys E2500

Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. You can find all of the information that you need in our E2500 Login Guide.

Change Your Password

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

Other Linksys E2500 Guides

This isn't our only Linksys E2500 guide. We also have the following guides for this router.

This is the reset router guide for the Linksys E2500 4.0.00. We also have the following guides for the same router: