This article covers how to reset the Netgear WNR2500 router back to factory default settings. A router reset is very different than a router reboot. A reboot happens every time a router loses power. 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 username and password are reset.
- All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
- All ISP settings will reset to default, 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. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.
Other Netgear WNR2500 Guides
This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WNR2500. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Netgear WNR2500
Before you resort to doing a full router reset, you may want to try running our Router Password Finder first.
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 - Lost or Forgotten Router Password Recovery Tool
A router reset should be the last thing you try if you are unable to login.
Reset the Netgear WNR2500
You can usually find a small reset button on either the back or the bottom of a router. This is what a typical reset button looks like:
Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. Sometimes the reset button is under a pinhole on the back of the router, and you need a paper clip to push it.
Hold the reset button down for 10 seconds and watch the lights. The lights on the front of the router should do something different when the reset happens. Keep holding the button as long as you want, it will not hurt anything to hold it down too long.
Keep in mind that this will completely reset your Netgear WNR2500 router.
Only do this once 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 WNR2500
Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. We have a WNR2500 Login Guide with all this information ready for you.
Change Your Password
Do not forget to change your router's default password when you log back into it. Since factory passwords are well known, it's a huge security risk to leave your router set to the default. If you need help coming up with a strong password, check out our Choosing a Strong Password guide.
Tip: Put your new password on a post-in note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Netgear WNR2500 Guides
Here are some of our other Netgear WNR2500 guides that you might be interested in.
This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WNR2500. We also have the following guides for the same router: