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Reset the Netgear WAG102

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

This guide shows you how to reset your Netgear WAG102 router. Resetting a router is different than rebooting a router. Rebooting a router is simply turning it off and back on again. This is different from a reset because a reset completely erases all settings from the router.

Warning: Make sure that you fully understand the following before resetting your router. The following settings will be changed in your router:

  • 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.
  • All parental controls, firewall settings, and port forwards will be removed.

A router reset is the last step you should take in recovering your router's password. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.

Other Netgear WAG102 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 WAG102. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Netgear WAG102

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

Just keep in mind that a router reset should be done as the last resort when you are unable to login to your router.

Reset the Netgear WAG102

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Usually there is a reset button located on the back or bottom of a router. What you are looking for is something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

Even though yours may look slightly different, you need to look for a tiny button. 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. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. Keep holding the button as long as you want, it will not hurt anything to hold it down too long.

Don't forget, this step will totally reset your Netgear WAG102 router back to factory settings.

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 WAG102

Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. We have a WAG102 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. The factory default passwords for routers are very well known. Our Choosing a Strong Password guide talks about choosing a strong 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 WAG102 Guides

Here are some of our other Netgear WAG102 guides that you might be interested in.

This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WAG102. We also have the following guides for the same router: