This is the reset guide for the ZyXEL PK5001Z router. A router reset is a much bigger deal than a router reboot. Turning a router off and back on again causes a reboot. Resetting a router erases all settings from it and returns it to factory defaults.
Warning: Since this erases everything you have done to the router, there are some things you need to consider first. The following settings in your router will be changed:
- The router's login credentials are reset.
- All WiFi information such as network name, password, and authentication method are erased.
- Your ISP settings are reset, which means you will have to contact your ISP to get them back.
- All port forwards, firewall settings, and 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 ZyXEL PK5001Z 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 PK5001Z CenturyLink. We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in ZyXEL PK5001Z
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 - 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 ZyXEL PK5001Z
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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:
Yours may look slightly different, but they are usually tiny. You may need a paper clip to push the reset button.
Hold the reset button down for 10 seconds and watch the lights. The blinking pattern of the lights on the front of the router should change when the reset is complete. You cannot hold the button too long, and it will not hurt the router to hold the reset button down for longer than 10 seconds.
Remember, this will totally reset your ZyXEL PK5001Z router.
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 ZyXEL PK5001Z
Now that you have finished resetting the router, you need to login to the router interface using the default username and password. You can follow the PK5001Z Login Guide to find everything that you need to log in.
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. Our Choosing a Strong Password guide talks about choosing a strong password for your router.
Tip: After creating this new password, we highly recommend writing this down on a post-it note and attaching it to the bottom of your router for future reference.
Other ZyXEL PK5001Z Guides
We have collected a lot of information about the ZyXEL PK5001Z router. You can find some of our additional content here.
This is the reset router guide for the ZyXEL PK5001Z CenturyLink. We also have the following guides for the same router: