In this article, you will learn how to reset your SmartRG SR516ac back to factory settings. Resetting a router is different than rebooting a router. Every time your router loses power it reboots. Resetting a router erases all settings from it and returns it to factory defaults.
Warning: Before you continue, there are a few things you need to know. A router reset will affect the following settings:
- The router's login and password are reset to factory defaults.
- All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
- All ISP settings will reset to default, and you may have to contact your ISP.
- All port forwards, firewall settings, and parental controls that you have configured will be removed.
Resetting your router should be considered the last step. Make sure that you have tried to recover your router password using our Router Password Finder first.
Other SmartRG SR516ac 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 SmartRG SR516ac 2.6.1.3 Sonic. We also have the following guides for the same router:
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - Information About the SmartRG SR516ac Router
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - Reset the SmartRG SR516ac
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - SmartRG SR516ac Screenshots
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - Login to the SmartRG SR516ac
Recover Password in SmartRG SR516ac
Before you resort to doing a full router reset, 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 - Automatically Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords
A router reset should be the last thing you try if you are unable to login.
Reset the SmartRG SR516ac
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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.
Most of the time you can find a small reset button located on either the back or the bottom of a router. Most reset buttons look like this:
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.
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. Do not be concerned about holding the reset button down too long. It will not hurt anything.
Don't forget, this step will totally reset your SmartRG SR516ac router back to factory settings.
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 SmartRG SR516ac
Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. You can follow the SR516ac Login Guide to find everything that you need to log in.
Change Your Password
Do not forget to change your router's default password when you log back into it. It's a very bad idea 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: Put your new password on a post-in note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other SmartRG SR516ac Guides
We have collected a lot of information about the SmartRG SR516ac router. You can find some of our additional content here.
This is the reset router guide for the SmartRG SR516ac 2.6.1.3 Sonic. We also have the following guides for the same router:
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - Information About the SmartRG SR516ac Router
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - Reset the SmartRG SR516ac
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - SmartRG SR516ac Screenshots
- SmartRG SR516ac 1.0.0.102 - Login to the SmartRG SR516ac