If you need to reset your Netgear WNR1000v4 router back to factory settings, then this article shows you how. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. Rebooting a router is simply turning it off and back on again. This is very different from a reset, which erases a router completely and returns it to factory default settings.
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.
- 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.
- Any firewall settings, parental controls, and port forwards 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. Before you reset your router you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.
Other Netgear WNR1000v4 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.
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 WNR1000v4. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Netgear WNR1000v4
Instead of resetting your router back to factory settings, 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 WNR1000v4
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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:
Reset buttons are usually tiny. Yours may look slightly different than this. Sometimes the reset button is under a pinhole on the back of the router, 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. The lights on the front of the router should do something different when the reset happens. You cannot hold the button too long, and it will not hurt the router to hold the reset button down for longer than 10 seconds.
Remember, this will erase everything you have previously done to this Netgear WNR1000v4 router.
Only take this last step of fully resetting your router after you have exhausted all other troubleshooting options, such as running our Router Password Finder software, which can recover a lost router password for you.
Login to the Netgear WNR1000v4
Once the reset is complete, you need to login to your router using the default IP address, username, and password. Our WNR1000v4 Login Guide has 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. The factory default passwords for routers are very well known. 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 WNR1000v4 Guides
Here are some of our other Netgear WNR1000v4 guides that you might be interested in.
This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WNR1000v4. We also have the following guides for the same router: