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Reset the Netgear WAG302

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

In this article, you will learn how to reset your Netgear WAG302 back to factory settings. A router reset is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Unplugging a router from the wall reboots it. This is very different from a reset, which erases a router completely and returns it to factory default settings.

Warning: This is not a step to be taken lightly. A router reset will affect the following settings:

  • The router's login credentials are reset.
  • Your WiFi login, password, and network name 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.

Since a router reset is such a drastic step, it should only be done as a last resort when you cannot recover your router's password using any other methods. You should be sure that you have tried to at least recover your router password using our Router Password Finder before resorting to a router reset.

Other Netgear WAG302 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 WAG302. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Netgear WAG302

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 - 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 WAG302

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NordVPN birthday deal!

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. A typical reset button looks like this:

Router Reset Button

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

Watch the front panel lights while you hold the reset button down for at least 10 seconds. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. It is harmless to hold the reset button too long.

Remember, this will totally reset your Netgear WAG302 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 WAG302

Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. Just follow our WAG302 Login Guide to find all of the information that you need.

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. 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 WAG302 Guides

Here are some of our other Netgear WAG302 guides that you might be interested in.

This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WAG302. We also have the following guides for the same router: