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Reset the Netgear WNR1000

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

This is the reset guide for the Netgear WNR1000 router. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Unplugging a router from the wall reboots it. A Router Reset completely erases the router and returns it to factory settings.

Warning: Before you proceed, there are a few things you need to know. When you reset your router, the following will happen.

  • The router's username and password are reset.
  • All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
  • 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 should be considered the last resort when you cannot log in to your router any other way. 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 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 v3. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Netgear WNR1000

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 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

If you are unable to recover your lost router password, then you may have to proceed with a full router reset.

Reset the Netgear WNR1000

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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:

Router Reset Button

Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. You may need a paper clip to push the reset button.

Keep an eye on the lights on the front of your router while holding the reset button down for about 10 seconds. Notice how the lights on the front of the router are blinking. When the lights do something different, the router is reset. Do not be concerned about holding the reset button down too long. It will not hurt anything.

Remember, 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 that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. You can find all of the information that you need in our WNR1000 Login Guide.

Change Your Password

You need to change your router's default password after you log in for the first time. It is a huge security risk to leave your router's password set to the factory default. If you need help coming up with a strong password, check out our Choosing a Strong Password guide.

Tip: Write your new password down on a post-it note and stick it to the bottom of your router.

Other Netgear WNR1000 Guides

If you want additional help with your Netgear WNR1000 be sure to check out some of our other guides.

This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WNR1000 v3. We also have the following guides for the same router: