This guide shows you how to reset your Linksys WRT1200AC router. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Every time your router loses power it reboots. Resetting a router erases all settings from it and returns it to factory defaults.
Warning: This is not a step to be taken lightly. When you reset your router, the following will happen.
- The router's username and password are reset to factory defaults.
- All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
- Your ISP username and password will be reset, and you may have to contact your ISP.
- Any parental controls, firewall settings, or port forwards 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 Linksys WRT1200AC Guides
This is the reset router guide for the Linksys WRT1200AC. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Linksys WRT1200AC
Before you resort to doing a full router reset, you may want to 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 - 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 WRT1200AC
You can usually find a small reset button on either the back or the bottom of a router. This is what a typical reset button looks like:
Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. You might find a pinhole on the back of the router that requires a paper clip to push the button hidden under 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. Do not be concerned about holding the reset button down too long. It will not hurt anything.
Just don't forget that this will totally reset your Linksys WRT1200AC 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 WRT1200AC
Once the reset is complete, you need to login to your router using the default IP address, username, and password. We have a WRT1200AC Login Guide with all this information ready for you.
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 post-it note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Linksys WRT1200AC Guides
This isn't our only Linksys WRT1200AC guide. We also have the following guides for this router.
This is the reset router guide for the Linksys WRT1200AC. We also have the following guides for the same router: