In this article, you will learn how to reset your Sagemcom Fast 3686 back to factory settings. A router reset is very different than a router reboot. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. 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 login credentials are reset to factory defaults.
- All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
- Your ISP settings are reset, which means you will have to contact your ISP to get them back.
- Any parental controls, firewall settings, or port forwards will be removed.
A router reset is the last step you should take in recovering your router's password. 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 Sagemcom Fast 3686 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 Sagemcom Fast 3686. We also have the following guides for the same router:
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - How to change the IP Address on a Sagemcom Fast 3686 router
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - Sagemcom Fast 3686 Login Instructions
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - Sagemcom Fast 3686 Screenshots
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - Information About the Sagemcom Fast 3686 Router
Recover Password in Sagemcom Fast 3686
Instead of resetting your router back to factory settings, 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 - Lost or Forgotten Router Password Recovery Tool
Do not do a full router reset until after you have tried every other option to log in to your router.
Reset the Sagemcom Fast 3686
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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 for something that looks like this:
Even though yours may look slightly different, you need to look for a tiny button. Sometimes the reset button is under a pinhole on the back of the router, and you 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 lights on the front of the router should do something different when the reset happens. Do not be concerned about holding the reset button down too long. It will not hurt anything.
Remember, this will totally reset your Sagemcom Fast 3686 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 Sagemcom Fast 3686
Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. Just follow our Fast 3686 Login Guide to find all of the information that you need.
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. Our Choosing a Strong Password guide talks about choosing a strong password for your router.
Tip: After creating this new password, we highly recommend writing this down on a post-it note and attaching it to the bottom of your router for future reference.
Other Sagemcom Fast 3686 Guides
Here are some of our other Sagemcom Fast 3686 guides that you might be interested in.
This is the reset router guide for the Sagemcom Fast 3686. We also have the following guides for the same router:
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - How to change the IP Address on a Sagemcom Fast 3686 router
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - Sagemcom Fast 3686 Login Instructions
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - Sagemcom Fast 3686 Screenshots
- Sagemcom Fast 3686 - Information About the Sagemcom Fast 3686 Router