In this article, you will learn how to reset your Netgear Nighthawk R7960P back to factory settings. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. A reboot happens every time a router loses power. This is different from a reset because a reset completely erases all settings from the router.
Warning: Since this erases everything you have done to the router, there are some things you need to consider first. The following settings will be changed in your router:
- The router's username and password are reset to factory defaults.
- All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
- If your router has any ISP settings they will be removed, and you will have to contact your ISP.
- All port forwards, firewall settings, and parental controls 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 Nighthawk R7960P Guides
Use a VPN
Have you considered using a VPN when you connect to the internet? A VPN is a great way to increase your security and anonymity while surfing.
We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes securely sharing your home network super simple. 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 Netgear Nighthawk R7960P v1.4.2.84_1.3.42. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Netgear Nighthawk R7960P
Instead of resetting your router back to factory settings, you may want to 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 - Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords
If you are unable to recover your lost router password, then you may have to proceed with a full router reset.
Reset the Netgear Nighthawk R7960P
Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.
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.
You can usually find a small reset button on either the back or the bottom of a router. What you are looking for is something that looks like this:
Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. Sometimes the button is under a pinhole, and you need a paper clip to push it.
Hold the reset button down for 10 seconds and watch the lights. The lights on the front of the router should do something different when the reset happens. You cannot hold the button too long, and it will not hurt the router to hold the reset button down for longer than 10 seconds.
Just don't forget that this will totally reset your Netgear Nighthawk R7960P router.
Only do this once 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 Netgear Nighthawk R7960P
Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. Just follow our Nighthawk R7960P Login Guide to find all of the information that you need.
Change Your Password
Do not forget to change your router's default password when you log back into it. It is a huge security risk to leave your router's password set to the factory default. 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 post-it note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Netgear Nighthawk R7960P Guides
If you want additional help with your Netgear Nighthawk R7960P be sure to check out some of our other guides.
This is the reset router guide for the Netgear Nighthawk R7960P v1.4.2.84_1.3.42. We also have the following guides for the same router: