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Reset the Netgear WNR612

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

This article covers how to reset the Netgear WNR612 router back to factory default settings. This is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Unplugging a router from the wall reboots it. Resetting a router erases all settings from it and returns it to factory defaults.

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 login and password are reset to factory defaults.
  • Your WiFi name and password are reset.
  • 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. 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 WNR612 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.

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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 WNR612 v3. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in Netgear WNR612

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

A router reset should be the last thing you try if you are unable to login.

Reset the Netgear WNR612

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Most of the time you can find 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. If you find a pinhole on the back of the router then that may be the reset button. You will need a paper clip to push it.

Keep an eye on the lights on the front of your router while holding the reset button down for about 10 seconds. The blinking pattern of the lights on the front of the router should change when 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 WNR612 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 WNR612

Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. Just follow our WNR612 Login Guide to find all of the information that you need.

Change Your Password

After logging in, you should really change your router's password for added security. Leaving a router password set to default is a very serious security risk. If you need help coming up with a strong password, check out our Choosing a Strong Password guide.

Tip: A great place to write your new password down is on a piece of paper taped to the bottom of your router.

Other Netgear WNR612 Guides

This isn't our only Netgear WNR612 guide. We also have the following guides for this router.

This is the reset router guide for the Netgear WNR612 v3. We also have the following guides for the same router: