I cannot login to my router's admin settings. I have tried the user and password that I set on it, that doesn't work. I tried every possible password that I would ever use. None of them work. I tried the router's default, that doesn't work. I did a factory reset on the router, that doesn't work. There is no password recovery options. Logging into my Netgear account and navigating to the support page gives me an error. The only option I can find left is to ask here, what the hell am I supposed to do with this router? If I cannot sign into it, and I cannot recover it, and factory default doesn't work, and I cannot get support from Netgear, the only option I can see left is to throw it in the trash and never buy a Netgear product again.
"cannot" is not a useful problem description. It does not say what you did. It does not say what happened when you did it. As usual, showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results (error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations.
> [...] I have tried the user and password that I set on it, [...]
How did you set a "user" on it? Isn't it fixed at "admin"?
> [...] that doesn't work. [...]
Regarding "doesn't work", see "not a useful problem description [...]", above.
> [...] I did a factory reset on the router, [...]
How, exactly? Quickly tapping the button does not do the job.
> [...] Logging into my Netgear account and navigating to the support > page gives me an error. [...]
"an error"? Could you get any more vague?
> [...] The only option I can find left is to ask here, [...]
Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your model number, and look for Documentation. Get the User Manual (at least). Read. Look for "Types of Logins" and "reset"?
Summary: Netgear sells me a router for $160. Randomly changes my login info and doesn't allow me to fix it without logging in. Can't log in since it has been changed. Resetting to factory default does nothing. Tells me I have to pay $200 per year for support past 90 days. Refuses to allow me to fix the problem, and refuses to offer any sollutions. Only options are buy a new router, or pay $200 for product support. Buying a new router is cheaper than product support. Coming soon to every tech forum on the internet: DO NOT BUY NETGEAR ROUTERS!
>cannot is not a useful problem description. It perfectly describes the problem. I want to log in. I can't.
>It does not say what you did. I navigated to the router login page, as you said the user is set as admin by default. I typed my password, it didn't work. I typed about 20 more passwords and none of them worked. I typed "password" since Netgear claims that is the default, it didn't work. I checked my router label and it gives a different default so I typed that, that didn't work either. I went through all my possible passwords again, and none work. I changed the user name to one that I may have set in the options when I was able to access it, and went through all the possible password options again several more times, nothing works.
>It does not say what happened when you did it. Literally it doesn't work.
>As usual, showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results (error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague descriptions or interpretations. You want a Youtube video?
>How did you set a "user" on it? Isn't it fixed at "admin"? I tried with the "admin" user, and also tried with one that I may have set. I think you can change it in the options but I'm not sure, so I tried both.
>How, exactly? Quickly tapping the button does not do the job. Well it a good thing I did it the right way then.
>"an error"? Could you get any more vague? I could say "doesn't work". It says "Error, we are having problems. Try again later" on the Netgear support website. Not a browser error, it is the website itself saying that section is not available.
>So, this never occurred to you? We are far beyond reading manuals. You might have caught onto that if you were not such a condescending **bleep**.
No one is trying to trip anyone up. Well, not everyone.
The subject of the first message says "Cannot access my router".
There are (too?) many ways of trying to access a router. They can involve a sequence of different usernames and passwords.
They can depend on how you try to get in there. Wired? Wifi? Anywhere access?
Knowing exactly what @Plissken is doing is important.
Did you turn up here because you have a similar problem? In general it is best to start your own conversation, providing as much detail as possible if you want to avoid people asking for more details.
Failing that, you could always use Google to suggest people you might like to contact. But be careful if you go down that road. It can be a dangerous strategy in the wrong hands. Here is one example of someone who got scammed because they weren't paying attention:
