How do I restart a router properly?

Restarting clears the router's memory, drops stale connections and forces it to re-establish the broadband link. It genuinely resolves a large share of connection problems, which is why it is the first thing every support line asks about.

What you'll need

• Access to the router
• A clock or timer (optional)

Step by step

1. Unplug the router from the mains, do not just switch it off.Some routers keep parts powered on standby. Pulling the plug guarantees a full power cycle.
2. Wait a full 30 seconds.This lets capacitors discharge and the connection register as dropped at the provider's end. Two seconds is not enough.
3. If you have a separate modem, power that on first.Wait until its lights are steady — usually two to three minutes — before powering the router. Order matters when they are separate units.
4. Plug the router back in and wait.Two to five minutes for a full reconnection. The lights will cycle several times; wait for them to settle before testing.
5. Check the lights against the manual.A steady broadband or internet light means it has synced. Flashing or red means it has not, and reconnecting devices will not help.
6. Reconnect and test with one device.If that works, the rest will. Testing everything at once tells you less.
7. Do not press the reset pinhole.That is a factory reset. It erases your wifi name, password and every custom setting, and you will have to set the whole thing up again.

Tips

• If you find yourself restarting the router weekly, it is failing or overheating. Check its ventilation, then consider a replacement.
• Note your wifi name and password somewhere before doing anything to a router. Many people only discover they never knew it when they need it.
• Some routers can be restarted from their web interface or app, which is a genuine restart and easier if the unit is awkwardly placed.

Common mistakes

• Pressing the reset pinhole instead of unplugging — Factory reset wipes all settings including your wifi password. It is a last resort, not a restart.
• Plugging it back in after two seconds — The connection may not have registered as dropped, so nothing is actually cleared.
• Testing before it has finished booting — Routers take several minutes to sync. Testing after thirty seconds tells you nothing.

Questions people ask