WiFi Router Not Working After Reset? – Fix Guide

Is your WiFi router not working after reset? It helps to figure out the cause before you go about fixing it. We’re here to help you get to the bottom of this problem.

Resetting your router to factory defaults will remove all your data and configuration. You’re surely going to experience a few issues here and there.

We’ve come up with surefire solutions, so you don’t go into this blind and waste your entire day fixing this issue.

Let me show you how to fix your router!

To fix your WiFi router not working after reset, you want first to check the connections between your router and modem. There should be no damaged or loose cables. If the wirings are fine, reboot your router. This should be one of your first troubleshooting steps at home or work.

Before we proceed to the actual solutions, let us discuss the possible reasons your WiFi is not working after a reset.

It will help us select the appropriate course of action.

Why Is My WiFi Not Working After Reset

Resetting your WiFi is a handy troubleshooting fix for various router issues. However, sometimes, it may contribute to the issue itself.

When your WiFi router stops working after you reset it, it may be due to the following:

1. WiFi is Not Set Up Properly

Most troubleshooting cases exist because you don’t set up your hardware properly. Maybe you didn’t follow the instructions of your ISP down to a tee.

2. Modem Not Configured

After a reset, you need to reconfigure your router manually. Until you set it up properly, you won’t be able to connect to your devices and the internet. 

3. Outdated Firmware

A firmware update can be both the cause of the problem and a way to fix it.

It can be a cause if you fail to reset your modem after an update. Or, it might need a clean install.

4. Faulty Connection With Modem

Either you have loose power connections or damaged networking connections.

Miscommunication with your router and overheating can also be underlying causes of your WiFi problems.

These are the possible reasons your WiFi isn’t working after you reset it.

Once you pinpoint the underlying cause, you’re ready to fix a router that won’t connect to the Internet.

How to Fix WiFi Router Not Working After Reset

If the reset router can’t connect to internet, it is possible that the device settings have been messed up.

In this case, you may need to reconfigure it afterward manually. Until you do so, you won’t be able to connect to a network.

To ensure your router does not experience this issue in the future, back up your router configurations.

Most modern routers have a backup option; you’ll simply need to reload it after resetting your device.

In cases where backing up your configuration does not work, let us proceed with the troubleshooting steps to fix your connection.

Solution #1: Check the Connections Between Your Router and Modem

If you just reset your router and even the basic settings don’t get you connected to it or the internet, you want to look at the existing connections.

Resetting your router is a physical affair, which will require you to hold your router and press the Reset button.

If you’re not careful enough, it can cause your connections to come loose.

The connectors might be loose, and one of them slipped off and caused the disconnection.

The ethernet cable might be damaged, and moving around the devices has aggravated the issue.

Here’s how to check the connections on your router and modem.

1. Check the ethernet connector on your modem, and it’s locked into the WAN port.
2. Check the ethernet connector on your router, and it’s secure on the WAN port.
3. If the ethernet connector on your router is plugged into the LAN port, move it.
4. Check the ethernet cables for any signs of damage.
5. Check the fiber cable on your modem for damage if you have a fiber connection.

Note: The WAN port is also called the Internet port, so check the names on the ports to confirm.

Solution #2: Set Up WiFi on Your Router

Resetting your router to factory defaults means that all its settings are reverted back.

The WiFi names and passwords you set up are not going to be active anymore.

Instead, your router can automatically activate its WiFi with the default settings, or you’ll need to go into the settings to turn it on.

The quickest way would be to set up your WiFi with the same credentials as the network before you reset your router.

This way, your devices should detect it automatically, and you don’t have to do it for each device.

Here’s how to set up WiFi on your router:

1. Access your router’s dashboard via a web browser.
2. Go to the WiFi Setup menu.
3. Select Enable WiFi.
4. Type in the SSID for your network.
5. Choose WPA2 as the encryption method and enter your password.

Pro Tip: Your router’s username and password to access the web interface will also be reset, so check with your manufacturer.

Solution #3: Reset Your TCP/IP Settings

Now that your devices are connected to your WiFi network, it’s time to check if everything is working properly.

At this point, it should, but a factory reset on your router removes all of your settings. There could be some important configurations in the past that you might have missed.

If your devices are not connecting to your wireless network, you want to look at resetting the TCP/IP settings. This will get your connection working again in no time.

Here’s how to reset TCP/IP settings on your computer:

1. Open your computer’s Command Prompt.
2. Make sure you choose to Run as administrator.
3. Type netsh winsock reset, then press Enter.
4. Type netsh int ip reset, then hit Enter.

Note: Make sure you do this on your computer or laptop that’s connected to your WiFi network.

Solution #4: Turn Off MAC Filtering on Your Router

When you reset your router to default settings, your previous configurations will be deleted. One of the settings that can revert is MAC filtering.

If this is switched on, your router will block all connections to it unless you specify them as allowed devices.

To fix this issue, you want to turn it off so all your devices can connect to your WiFi.

Here’s how to turn off MAC filtering on your router:

1. Log in to your router’s web interface.
2. Go to the Advanced settings.
3. Select MAC filtering or access control.
4. Choose the Disable filtering option.
5. Click on Save or Apply.

Solution #5: Renew IP Address on Your Device

If your devices are unable to connect to your WiFi router after performing a factory reset, you want to look at your device’s DHCP settings.

Your router should act as your local DHCP server, and it assigns IP addresses to all your connected devices.

You can renew the IP address on your device, so it requests a brand-new one from your router to restore the connection.

Here’s how to renew your IP address on your computer:

1. Open Command Prompt on your computer and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type ipconfig /release, then press Enter.
3. Type ipconfig /renew, then press Enter.
4. Lastly, type ipconfig /flushdns, then press Enter.

Note: We recommend that you do this to all your connected devices so that there are no IP address conflicts between them.

Solution #6: Reconfigure Your Router’s WAN Settings

One of the things that need to look out for with your router’s WAN settings is the connection type.

A factory reset will clear this up and is one of the primary reasons why your router is disconnected from the internet.

If this is the case, you want to specify your ISP’s connection type.

Here’s how to reconfigure your router’s WAN settings:

1. Log in to your router’s web interface.
2. Go to Advanced settings.
3. Select WAN.
4. Find the connection type, and set it to Dynamic or Automatic IP.
5. Click on Save.

Tip: Dynamic IP should work for most ISPs, but you’ll want to check with yours to make sure you’ve selected the right one.

That’s how you fix your router after resetting it to factory defaults. Sometimes, you need to perform a reset to resolve a more serious issue with your device.

Read Next: WiFi Doesn’t Work After Power Outage?

Bottom Line

Now that you know the causes and fixes to your WiFi router not working after reset, you should be able to get it up and running in no time.

These proven solutions are easy to follow, and you should be able to resolve the issue in less than 10 minutes.

If your router is still not working after working on these solutions, contact the manufacturer’s customer support hotline for assistance.