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Reset the TP-Link TL-WR1043N

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

This guide shows you how to reset your TP-Link TL-WR1043N router to factory default settings. A router reset is very different than a router reboot. A reboot happens every time a router loses power. However, when you reset a router you, return it back to its factory default settings.

Warning: Since this erases everything you have done to the router, there are some things you need to consider first. When you reset your router, the following will happen.

  • The router's login and password are reset to factory defaults.
  • All WiFi settings are reset, including network name and password.
  • All ISP settings will reset to default, 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. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.

Other TP-Link TL-WR1043N 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.

NordVPN faster than ever deal!

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 TL-WR1043N. We also have the following guides for the same router:

Recover Password in TP-Link TL-WR1043N

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

Do not do a full router reset until after you have tried every other option to log in to your router.

Reset the TP-Link TL-WR1043N

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There is usually a small reset button located on either the back or the bottom of a router. What you are looking for is something that looks like this:

Router Reset Button

Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. Sometimes the button is under a pinhole, 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. After a few seconds the lights should blink differently. When this happens, the reset is complete. It is harmless to hold the reset button too long.

Remember, this will totally reset your TP-Link TL-WR1043N 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 TL-WR1043N

Now that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. Just follow our TL-WR1043N Login Guide to find all of the information that you need.

Change Your Password

Do not forget to change your router's default password when you log back into it. Leaving a router password set to default is a very serious security risk. 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 TL-WR1043N Guides

We have collected a lot of information about the TP-Link TL-WR1043N router. You can find some of our additional content here.

This is the reset router guide for the TP-Link TL-WR1043N. We also have the following guides for the same router: