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Forum Discussion
Router Password Recovery?
I am in password hell and need help. I'll spare the long story to say I cannot recover my password. I go to "Router Password Recovery", enter serial number, successfully answer security quest...
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 have posted your message in the section of this community given over to Nighthawk WiFi Routers. (This is easily done, given Netgear's complicated community structure.)
Many questions apply to different types of device, so you might get responses here, but you might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your hardware, in the appropriate section for your device. That's probably here:
DSL Modems & Routers
I will ask the Netgear moderator to move your message.
In the meantime you could visit the support pages:
Support | NETGEAR
Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware.
You may have done this already. I can't tell from your message.
"There is a bug in Netgear's implementation of password recovery on some devices. You can get locked into a closed loop."
You don't say. Why has Netgear not fixed this???? They give no support after 90 days, at least they could do is fix issues in firmware updates - which I did.
Thanks for the reply, better then Netgear.
As I posted earlier I did a factory reset but that failed to fix the problem. This morning out of desperation I attempted another reset. Instead of choosing "manual settings" ( I had made printout previously), I chose "auto". Went through the steps and was successful in restoring access to router. I also tried to head off another password death loop by using "@newdig" as the new password since this is the continued password Netgear keeps giving me to reset the password which never worked.
My problem here is no cable access, only ADSL. There are little to no chooses for router/modem combos except Netgear. Seems they have lock on market - which tells you why they have NO service after 90 days.
pedro967 wrote:
My problem here is no cable access, only ADSL. There are little to no chooses for router/modem combos except Netgear. Seems they have lock on market - which tells you why they have NO service after 90 days.
I don't know where you are but there are alternative DSL modem/routers in the UK.
But I would never buy one. I like to have separate modems and routers. That way I get a better choice of router features.
If you look around, you will find that DSL modems and modem/routers are dying. Fewer and fewer makers and models.
My conspiracy their is that the ISPs are trying to squeeze out third part suppliers so that we are stuck with the rubbish that they provide. I have two Homehub modem/routers still sitting in their original shrinkwrap. Horrible things
I have discovered that the admin password will not allow the paste function. So if you have the password stored on a word document and do a copy/paste you cannot gain access. Password must be typed.