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Reset the Netgear WNR1000

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Setup Router Staff
Last Updated: | Reading Time: 6 minutes

This article covers how to reset the Netgear WNR1000 router back to factory default settings. A router reset is very different than a router reboot. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. 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. When you reset your router, the following will happen.

  • The router's username and password are reset.
  • All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
  • Your ISP settings are reset, which means you will have to contact your ISP to get them back.
  • All parental controls, firewall settings, and port forwards 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 WNR1000 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 WNR1000 v1. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Netgear WNR1000

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 WNR1000

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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.

There is usually a small reset button located on either the back or the bottom of a router. Look at your router and try to find something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

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.

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. Keep holding the button as long as you want, it will not hurt anything to hold it down too long.

Just don't forget that this will totally reset your Netgear WNR1000 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 WNR1000

Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. Our WNR1000 Login Guide has all of the information that you need.

Change Your Password

Be sure to change your router's default password after you get logged back in. 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: Write your new password down on a post-it note and stick it to the bottom of your router.

Other Netgear WNR1000 Guides

We have collected a lot of information about the Netgear WNR1000 router. You can find some of our additional content here.

This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WNR1000 v1. We also have the following guides for the same router: