In this article, you will learn how to reset your ZyXEL NBG6817 back to factory settings. A router reset is very different than a router reboot. Every time your router loses power it reboots. This is very different from a reset, which erases a router completely and returns it to factory default settings.
Warning: This is not a step to be taken lightly. The following settings in your router will be changed:
- The router's login and password are reset.
- All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
- Your ISP username and password will be reset, and you may have to contact your ISP.
- Any parental controls, firewall settings, or port forwards will be removed.
Since a router reset is such a drastic step, it should only be done as a last resort when you cannot recover your router's password using any other methods. Before you reset your router, you may want to try recovering your router password with our Router Password Finder.
Other ZyXEL NBG6817 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 ZyXEL NBG6817. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in ZyXEL NBG6817
If you are resetting your router because you forgot your router password, then you should try running our Router Password Finder first.
Router Password Finder can save you a ton of time by recovering your lost or forgotten router password instead of doing a full router reset.
Router Password Finder - Recover Lost or Forgotten Router Passwords
Only after you have tried to recover your missing router username and password should you perform a full router reset.
Reset the ZyXEL NBG6817
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You can usually find a small reset button on either the back or the bottom of a router. A typical reset button 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.
Watch the lights on the front of your router and hold the reset button down for about 10 seconds. Notice how the lights on the front of the router are blinking. When the lights do something different, the router is reset. Do not worry about holding the button down too long; this is harmless.
Don't forget, this step will totally reset your ZyXEL NBG6817 router back to factory settings.
Be sure to only reset your router if you have tried everything else, such as running our Router Password Finder software, which can find your lost or forgotten router password for you.
Login to the ZyXEL NBG6817
After you are finished resetting your router, you need to login in using the original factory username and password. Our NBG6817 Login Guide has all of the information that you need.
Change Your Password
After logging in to your router for the first time, you need to change your router's password. Since factory passwords are well known, it's a huge security risk to leave your router set to the 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 ZyXEL NBG6817 Guides
We have collected a lot of information about the ZyXEL NBG6817 router. You can find some of our additional content here.
This is the reset router guide for the ZyXEL NBG6817. We also have the following guides for the same router: