If you need to reset your Linksys WRT1900ACS router back to factory settings, then this article shows you how. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. However, when you reset a router you, return it back to its factory default settings.
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.
- All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
- Your ISP username and password will be reset, and you may have to contact your ISP.
- All port forwards, firewall settings, and 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. Before you reset your router you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.
Other Linksys WRT1900ACS 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.
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 WRT1900ACS ExpressVPN. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Linksys WRT1900ACS
Before you resort to doing a full router reset, you may want to 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 - Automatically Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords
A router reset should be the last thing you try if you are unable to login.
Reset the Linksys WRT1900ACS
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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:
Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. 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 lights on the front of your router and hold the reset button down for about 10 seconds. 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.
Remember, this will totally reset your Linksys WRT1900ACS 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 WRT1900ACS
Now that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. You can find all of the information that you need in our WRT1900ACS 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. Our Choosing a Strong Password guide can help you pick a strong password for your router.
Tip: Put your new password on a post-in note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Linksys WRT1900ACS Guides
We have collected a lot of information about the Linksys WRT1900ACS router. You can find some of our additional content here.
This is the reset router guide for the Linksys WRT1900ACS ExpressVPN. We also have the following guides for the same router: