How do I factory reset a pre owned Netgear router?
Hi, I bought a pre owned modem and router online. The modem has no problem connecting to my brand new Xfinity internet but the router is not communicating to my modem. I spent 6 hours working with xfinity customer service and we couldn't fix the problem. It looks like the previous owner forgot to do a factory reset before selling it to me. What can I do to reset the router so I can use it? It is a functioning like normal otherwise. I have pushed the reset button ( held it down until the router restarted) and it didn't work and then tried going to the router website on the bottom of the router with the ethernet cable running from my router to my laptop (got the previous owner's security questions so I backed out. Now I'm locked out of that part.) I've tried looking up what to do everywhere for 2 days and can't figure out what to do. Can anybody help me?
Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look for Documentation. Get the User Manual (at least). Read. Look for "Factory Settings". Further reading might not hurt, either.
> [...] I have pushed the reset button ( held it down until the router > restarted) [...]
How long would that be in "clock" units (for the people who weren't watching you when you did it)? How does your method compare with what the Manual suggests?
> [...] I've tried looking up what to do everywhere for 2 days [...]
Re: How do I factory reset a pre owned Netgear router?
I looked up the manual asap after the reset button didn't work countless times, connected Netgear and looked at several tech forums. The manual has a generic explanation on how to push the reset button on the back of the router. I have tried holding down the reset button for 10-30 seconds until the whole router restarted. All that seems to be doing is restarting the router. Customer service took me right back to the http://www.routerlogin.net page where I got locked out because the previous owner's info is still registered to the router. The 2 techs I talked to in the past week had me do the exact same thing with no success.
Re: How do I factory reset a pre owned Netgear router?
> [...] The manual has a generic explanation on how to push the reset > button on the back of the router. [...]
What's "generic" about "press and hold the Reset button for more than 10 seconds until all the LEDs blink green."? Did you do that?
To me, "held it down until the router restarted" is worse than "generic", because it's not obvious that either of us could know when "the router restarted" actually occurred.
As usual, showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results (error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations.
I've never had a problem getting a Reset button to work, so I know nothing, but there have been some claims made here that disconnecting all the data cables from a router like this can get it past some difficulties with a settings reset.
Customer service took me right back to the http://www.routerlogin.net page where I got locked out because the previous owner's info is still registered to the router.
What tells you that?
How are you trting to access the router? Browser graphical user interface (GUI)? Wireless app?
Just because the thing asks you to answer some questions does not mean that it is registered to someone else.
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, by some chance, the reset didn't work, there is a more sever recovery reset:
Press reset for 30 seconds
Keep pressing reset while removing power
Keep pressing reset for another 30 seconds while apply power
But my guess is that you are locked into the password loop.
