This article covers how to reset the Sonicwall TZ-205 router back to factory default settings. A router reset is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Every time your router loses power it reboots. A Router Reset completely erases the router and returns it to factory settings.
Warning: This is not a step to be taken lightly. A router reset will affect the following settings:
- The router's login and password are reset to factory defaults.
- 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 port forwards, firewall settings, or parental controls 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. 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 Sonicwall TZ-205 Guides
This is the reset router guide for the Sonicwall TZ-205. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in Sonicwall TZ-205
If the only reason that you are resetting your router is because you forgot your router password, then you may want to try running our Router Password Finder instead of resetting your router.
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
Just keep in mind that a router reset should be done as the last resort when you are unable to login to your router.
Reset the Sonicwall TZ-205
On most routers you can find a small button on the back or the bottom labeled reset. Look at your router and try to find something that 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 lights on the front of your router and hold the reset button down for about 10 seconds. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. Keep holding the button as long as you want, it will not hurt anything to hold it down too long.
Remember, this will erase everything you have previously done to this Sonicwall TZ-205 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 Sonicwall TZ-205
Now that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. We have a TZ-205 Login Guide with all this information ready for you.
Change Your Password
After logging in to your router for the first time, you need to change your router's password. Leaving a router password set to default is a very serious security risk. Our Choosing a Strong Password guide talks about choosing a strong password for your router.
Tip: Put your new password on a post-in note and stick it to the bottom of your router.
Other Sonicwall TZ-205 Guides
We have collected a lot of information about the Sonicwall TZ-205 router. You can find some of our additional content here.
This is the reset router guide for the Sonicwall TZ-205. We also have the following guides for the same router: