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Reset the Netgear FVX538

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

This is the reset guide for the Netgear FVX538 router. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Every time your router loses power it reboots. 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. When you reset your router, the following will happen.

  • The router's login and password are reset.
  • All WiFi login information and network names are reset.
  • Your ISP username and password will be reset, and you may have to contact your ISP.
  • Any firewall settings, parental controls, or port forwards that you have configured will be removed.

Resetting your router should be considered the last step. Make sure that you have tried to recover your router password using our Router Password Finder first.

Other Netgear FVX538 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 Netgear FVX538. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Netgear FVX538

If the only reason that you are resetting your router is because you forgot your router password, then you may want to try running our Router Password Finder instead of resetting your router.

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 - Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords

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

Reset the Netgear FVX538

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Most routers have a small button on either the back or the bottom. Look at your router and try to find something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

Even though yours may look slightly different, you need to look for a tiny button. Sometimes the reset button is under a pinhole on the back of the router, and you need a paper clip to push it.

Keep an eye on the lights on the front of your router while holding the reset button down for about 10 seconds. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. 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 Netgear FVX538 router.

Be sure to only reset your router if you have tried everything else, such as running our Router Password Finder software, which can find your lost or forgotten router password for you.

Login to the Netgear FVX538

After you are finished resetting your router, you need to login in using the original factory username and password. Our FVX538 Login Guide has all of the information that you need.

Change Your Password

After logging in, you should really change your router's password for added security. 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: A great place to write your new password down is on a piece of paper taped to the bottom of your router.

Other Netgear FVX538 Guides

If you want additional help with your Netgear FVX538 be sure to check out some of our other guides.

This is the reset router guide for the Netgear FVX538. We also have the following guides for the same router: