In this article, you will learn how to reset your ZyXEL USG20W-VPN back to factory settings. A router reset is very different than a router reboot. Unplugging a router from the wall reboots it. This is very different from a reset, which erases a router completely and returns it to factory default settings.
Warning: Make sure that you fully understand the following before resetting your router. When you reset your router, the following will happen.
- The router's login and password are reset to factory defaults.
- All WiFi login information and network names are reset.
- If your router has any ISP settings they will be removed, and you will 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 ZyXEL USG20W-VPN 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 USG20W-VPN v5.37(ABAR.0). We also have the following guides for the same router:
Recover Password in ZyXEL USG20W-VPN
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
Do not do a full router reset until after you have tried every other option to log in to your router.
Reset the ZyXEL USG20W-VPN
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You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.
Most of the time you can find a small reset button located on either the back or the bottom of a router. Look at your router and try to find something that looks like this:
Even though yours may look slightly different, you need to look for a tiny button. If you find a pinhole on the back of the router then that may be the reset button. You will need a paper clip to push it.
Watch the front panel lights while you hold the reset button down for at least 10 seconds. The blinking pattern of the lights on the front of the router should change when the reset is complete. It is harmless to hold the reset button too long.
Remember, this will totally reset your ZyXEL USG20W-VPN 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 ZyXEL USG20W-VPN
Now that you have finished resetting your router, you need to log in using the default username and password from the factory. You can find all of the information that you need in our USG20W-VPN Login Guide.
Change Your Password
You need to change your router's default password after you log in for the first time. 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 ZyXEL USG20W-VPN Guides
We have collected a lot of information about the ZyXEL USG20W-VPN router. You can find some of our additional content here.
This is the reset router guide for the ZyXEL USG20W-VPN v5.37(ABAR.0). We also have the following guides for the same router: