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Dixiemike's avatar
Dixiemike
Aspirant
Jul 09, 2021

Serial number not valid after reset

After using the reset button to do a factory reset on my old, out of warranty, but functioning router, and then using "admin" and "password" to login, a screen asks for the router's serial number, which I enter correctly. I then always get a message that it "doesn't match what is stored." Unable to proceed further. The router works and connects fine unsecured but I want to change the SSID and set up security. It won’t finish the login to allow me to do so. The serial number IS entered correctly. I've done all this before with no problems but never encountered the screen asking for the serial number before. Any ideas appreciated.

3 Replies

  • olympos1625's avatar
    olympos1625
    NETGEAR Employee Retired
    Jul 13, 2021

    Hi Dixiemike,

     

    Good day!

     

    Welcome to NETGEAR Community!

     

    Thank you for reaching out. Have you tried clearing the cache on your browser or use a different web browser or device instead? What is the model of your router? Please do a full minute reset by holding the reset button while it's powered on then after a minute, release the reset then unplug the power cord of the router. Wait for 10 seconds then power it back on then try to set it up again.


    Please do not hesitate to let me know if you need further assistance. 
     

    Regards,

     

    Oliver

    Community Team

    • Dixiemike's avatar
      Dixiemike
      Aspirant
      Jul 19, 2021
      I finally got past the page requesting the serial number after trying many different things. I don’t know exactly which one worked but I’ll tell what I did. The problem I described repeated many times (at least ten) before I posted it and I did everything correctly so none of that was the issue. The error message just kept repeating. I tried an ethernet cable as someone suggested, seemingly to no avail, but I left it hooked up as my connection while I continued working the problem. I tried using "www.routerlogin.net" and "192.168.1.1" and "www.routerlogin.com" with no luck. Finally, frustrated, I typed "http://www.routerlogin.com" and got the same serial number request as always but this time it was accepted with no error message and continued to the setup menu. I was then able to change the SSID/password and other settings as normal. I have no idea if it was the ethernet cable access or the fact that I just kept trying or that I typed the entire "http://www.routerlogin.com" or some combination of all of it. Or maybe a stubborn electron got tired of resisting me. I had attempted logon with all the various addresses probably thirty times before I used the entire "http://www.routerlogin.com" address but the success (acceptance of the serial number) came the first time I tried that particular web address. I've since logged in using all of the above addresses multiple times with no problem and no more requests for the serial number. It now seems to work as it always had before. Maybe simple persistence won out. Yes, I am joking about that and the tired electron. I appreciate the reply trying to help but I seriously have no idea what finally worked or why. Maybe my story will help someone else. Maybe not. But there it is.
  • michaelkenward's avatar
    michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User
    Jul 19, 2021
    Dixiemike wrote:
    After using the reset button to do a factory reset on my old, out of warranty, but functioning router, and then using "admin" and "password" to login, a screen asks for the router's serial number, which I enter correctly. I then always get a message that it "doesn't match what is stored."

    Sounds like you may have hit the "password recovery" bug.

     

    There is a bug in Netgear's implementation of password recovery on some devices. You can get locked into a closed loop.


    If password recovery is enabled, but you have not set the answers to the questions, it keeps sending you back to the beginning of the process. If you haven't already given the thing your personal answers, they are not in its memory and it has no way of knowing if they are correct.


    If the standard factory password (password) does not work, then you will have to factory reset the thing to get back to that. Then either disable password recovery (check the manual for your device) or provide some answers to those questions.

     

    How do I perform a factory reset on my NETGEAR router? | Answer | NETGEAR Support

     

    You say you have done this. But as olympos1625 says I'd try again. If that doesn't work, tell folks what else is on the network.

     

    What firmware version do you have on the device?

    A number is more useful than "the latest". (It may not be by the time people read this.) There can also be newer versions, or "hot fixes", that do not show up if you check for new firmware in the browser interface.

    It might also help if you told people what the modem is in front of this router, if there is one. The model number could be useful. Is it, by any chance, also a router, with a set of LAN ports on the back?

    The reason for asking is that a lot of people turn up here trying to put a router behind a modem that is also a router. That can complicate troubleshooting.