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Reset the TP-Link TD-W8960N

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Setup Router Staff
Last Updated: | Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this article, you will learn how to reset your TP-Link TD-W8960N back to factory settings. This is not the same thing as rebooting a router. A reboot happens every time a router loses power. Resetting a router erases all settings from it and returns it to factory defaults.

Warning: Proceed with caution; resetting your router can be a major headache. The following settings will be changed in your router:

  • The router's login and password are reset.
  • Your WiFi name and password are reset.
  • Any ISP settings saved in your router will be removed. You may have to contact your ISP.
  • 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. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.

Other TP-Link TD-W8960N 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 TP-Link TD-W8960N v1.3.6. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in TP-Link TD-W8960N

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 - Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords

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

Reset the TP-Link TD-W8960N

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You can usually find a small reset button on either the back or the bottom of a router. Most reset buttons look like this:

Router Reset Button

Your reset button may look different, but usually they are very small. Sometimes the button is under a pinhole, and you need a paper clip to push it.

Hold the reset button down for 10 seconds and watch the lights. Notice how the lights on the front of the router are blinking. When the lights do something different, the router is reset. 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 TP-Link TD-W8960N 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 TP-Link TD-W8960N

Now you need to log in using the factory default username and password. You can find all of the information that you need in our TD-W8960N Login Guide.

Change Your Password

You need to change your router's default password after you log in for the first time. It's a very bad idea to leave your router's password set to the factory default. You can follow our Choosing a Strong Password guide to help you pick a solid password for your router.

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

Other TP-Link TD-W8960N Guides

We have collected a lot of information about the TP-Link TD-W8960N router. You can find some of our additional content here.

This is the reset router guide for the TP-Link TD-W8960N v1.3.6. We also have the following guides for the same router: