This guide shows you how to reset your Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 router. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Every time your router loses power it reboots. However, when you reset a router you, return it back to its factory default settings.
Warning: Since this erases everything you have done to the router, there are some things you need to consider first. When you reset your router, the following will happen.
- The router's login credentials are reset to factory defaults.
- All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
- Any ISP settings saved in your router will be removed. 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 is the last step you should take in recovering your router's password. Make sure that you have tried to recover your router password using our Router Password Finder first.
Other Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 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.
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This is the reset router guide for the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 v1.0.1.52_2.0.34. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
Before you resort to doing a full router reset, 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
A router reset should be the last thing you try if you are unable to login.
Reset the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
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You can usually find a small reset button on either the back or the bottom of a router. Look at your router and try to find something that looks like this:
Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. 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 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. It is harmless to hold the reset button too long.
Remember, this will totally reset your Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 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 Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500
Once the reset is complete, you need to login to your router using the default IP address, username, and password. You can follow the Nighthawk RAXE500 Login Guide to find everything that you need to log in.
Change Your Password
You need to change your router's default password after you log in for the first time. It's a very bad idea 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: Put your new password on a post-in note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Guides
Here are some of our other Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 guides that you might be interested in.
This is the reset router guide for the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 v1.0.1.52_2.0.34. We also have the following guides for the same router: