how to reset a router - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Stiltzkin · 09-01-2003, 10:19 AM

I have a Linksys BEFSR41 and it is impossible to reset.

No one seems to agree on how to reset one of these damned things:

Quote:

Reset Cable/DSL Modem. If you have exhausted everything and still are having difficulties, try resetting the cable or DSL modem. You can accomplish this by turning off the cable or DSL modem for 3 seconds and then power the modem back on, then restart the computer.
Reset Cable/DSL Router to factory default. If you want to start over and set the router to factory default, put the reset button with a pen or something small enough to go through the hole for 3 seconds or until the Red Diag Light comes on, then restart the computer.

source: http://www.linksys.com/support/support.asp?spid=1

I e-mail Linksys's tech support and got a reply. Because that correspondence is supposed to be confidential, and because I have a certain quality called "integrity", I will not quote the method recommended to me, but will briefly outline it:

1.) Hold the reset button for 1 minute
2.) Unplug the power with reset still held
3.) Plug it back in right after unplugging
4.) All the while still holding the reset button, wait yet another minute (total of two minutes holding down the reset button)
5.) After the second minute has passed, let go of the reset button

Another method:

Quote:

If not and you can remember the password , then just pull the plug on your gateway and the linksys router and go eat dinner. when you get back Plug in the gateway (your dsl modem) let it sinkup . Then plug in the linksys router, let the lights light up then plug in your computer. go to your browser and type in 192.168.1.1 if the box comes up type in admin in the password only. you should be able to get in then.

Found here.

Then there's more stuff here.

I'm a bit iffy about trying so many methods. So far I've only tried the method recommended by Linksys support itself, and it didn't work. Anyone know the real method to reset one of these damned things?

My problem is that I can no longer access my router settings. I think it all started when I upgraded my firmware. My internet access went away for about a week (no one on TFP seems to have noticed that I was gone for a week

), but anyway, I finally called my ISP tech support and of course was put on hold for around 40 minutes. Finally, tech support told me to just turn all my junk off, including modem and computer. Told me to plug my computer in directly to the modem instead of through the router. Turned my computer on and whammo, 'net access restored. So I figured that it must've been my router.

Well all is fine and dandy until I want to get my web server back up. I go in to try to change my router settings and such, but http://192.168.1.1/ no longer works. Neither does http://192.168.0.1/ or any other variant. I e-mail Linksys tech support and got the reply that I detailed above, but he also told me to try finding my default gateway address, and that should be my router's IP address. Fine. So I open up a command prompt and type in "ipconfig" and get the default gateway. I enter this address into my browser and I get a "page cannot be displayed error", which is the same thing that http://192.168.1.1/ gives me, and http://192.168.0.1/ and various other combinations.

Okay, great, so nothing works so far. How about if I just renew my stupid gateway and such. Well okay, so I type in "ipconfig /renew" and it pretends to renew my stuff. I still have the same gateway address. Maybe I should restart my computer? Or maybe I should go over to Linksys headquarters and break their windows by throwing my router at them?

slant eyes · 09-01-2003, 10:52 AM

**NOTE: prior to resetting your router, it is recommended that you write down the internet settings that were specified by your isp, in case you don't have the original documentation. if not, a simple call to your isp should reveal these numbers again.

from the past, 192.168.0.1 is what dlink uses on their routers while linksys uses 192.168.1.1. so trying 192.168.0.1 would get you nowhere.

when you try to access the router by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address, you need to make sure you are in the same subnet, basically meaning, without getting technical, your ip address should look something like 192.168.1.xxx. if it's something like 169.254.xxx.xxx, that is the standard windows one, and since it's not in the same subnet, it won't work.

if you did get a 169.254.xxx.xxx number for an ip address on your computer, then you should check that all the cabling is plugged in. if it is, they reset your router by holding the reset button while you power off your router, and continue holding it until you turn it back on. i don't think you necessarily need to hold it down for a minute a piece, i think anywhere between 5 - 10 seconds should suffice. when the router has finished initializing, ie the lights stop blinking and stay solid green, make sure the port you're plugged into has a solid green light. check your ip address this time again, and see if the router's dhcp has issued you an ip address in the form of 192.168.1.xxx, if not, try 'ipconfig /renew all'. then try accessing your router again.

if you are not able to grab an ip address from the router, try manually assigning the address to your computer. right click 'my network places' > properties, highlight and right click the local area connection > properties. highlight 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' and press properties. in the properties of this sheet, assign the following:

ip: 192.168.1.100
subnet: 255.255.255.0
default gateway: 192.168.1.1

preferred dns and secondary dns should be what your isp issued you, if not i think you can use verizon's for the time being 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2.

now that it is assigned, try accessing your router by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address bar again. mind you that if you successfully resetted your router, the default login/password would be *blank*/admin to gain access to your router. and also, all of your internet settings will be lost. so you would have to set this up according to what your isp has specified before you can use your router to access the web.

hope this helps. let us know what happens.

Stiltzkin · 09-01-2003, 11:25 AM

Well, I tried what you said and it suddenly lets me access my router settings agian (yay!) But my internet connection stops working. Hmm... I found out what my ISP's DNS is and I entered that, but it didn't work. I also tried the Verizon ones that you supplied and they didn't work either. I might just get a wireless router pretty soon anyway... hopefully. I think. We'll see

slant eyes · 09-01-2003, 02:03 PM

you still need to adjust the settings on the main page of your router. if you're isp gave you a dynamic ip, then make the changes accordingly. if you're isp gave you a static ip, then you must pull down the drop box on the 'connection type' on the router page and set to 'static ip' and fill in the blanks that are highlighted, ie WAN IP, gateway, subnet, DNS. although you've set these on your computer, they are for LAN side (local area), while the ones on the router are WAN side (wide area, internet). since you can access your router, your router-pc connection is fine. now you need to fix the connection between your router and the server of your isp. if you want, i can get some screen shots taken to show you.

even if you were to get a wireless router, you still need to supply these settings. and one more thing. try a power cycle now that your connection to the router is ok.

unplug everything, modem, router and shut down your computer. turn on the modem, wait for the lights to finish blinking (sync-ing), then when it's done, turn on your router, wait for it to sync as well, then turn on your computer. if your isp has a dynamic ip for you, this fixes it the majority of the time.

good luck

Stiltzkin · 09-01-2003, 04:12 PM

Cool. I'll try this later tonight, when my brothers go to sleep. See, we have computers hooked up to the LAN so my bro's and I won't quarrel over who gets to use the net and such... well, they'll give me hell if I do all this now. But I will give it a try. Thanks. I'll let you know what happens

09-01-2003, 10:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
slant eyes Psycho Location: cali	*NOTE: prior to resetting your router, it is recommended that you write down the internet settings that were specified by your isp, in case you don't have the original documentation. if not, a simple call to your isp should reveal these numbers again. from the past, 192.168.0.1 is what dlink uses on their routers while linksys uses 192.168.1.1. so trying 192.168.0.1 would get you nowhere. when you try to access the router by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address, you need to make sure you are in the same subnet, basically meaning, without getting technical, your ip address should look something like 192.168.1.xxx. if it's something like 169.254.xxx.xxx, that is the standard windows one, and since it's not in the same subnet, it won't work. if you did get a 169.254.xxx.xxx number for an ip address on your computer, then you should check that all the cabling is plugged in. if it is, they reset your router by holding the reset button while you power off your router, and continue holding it until you turn it back on. i don't think you necessarily need to hold it down for a minute a piece, i think anywhere between 5 - 10 seconds should suffice. when the router has finished initializing, ie the lights stop blinking and stay solid green, make sure the port you're plugged into has a solid green light. check your ip address this time again, and see if the router's dhcp has issued you an ip address in the form of 192.168.1.xxx, if not, try 'ipconfig /renew all'. then try accessing your router again. if you are not able to grab an ip address from the router, try manually assigning the address to your computer. right click 'my network places' > properties, highlight and right click the local area connection > properties. highlight 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' and press properties. in the properties of this sheet, assign the following: ip: 192.168.1.100 subnet: 255.255.255.0 default gateway: 192.168.1.1 preferred dns and secondary dns should be what your isp issued you, if not i think you can use verizon's for the time being 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2. now that it is assigned, try accessing your router by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address bar again. mind you that if you successfully resetted your router, the default login/password would be blank*/admin to gain access to your router. and also, all of your internet settings will be lost. so you would have to set this up according to what your isp has specified before you can use your router to access the web. hope this helps. let us know what happens. __________________ no man or woman is worth your tears - and the one who is, won't make you cry question authority, don't ask why, just do it!

09-01-2003, 11:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
Stiltzkin Junkie	Well, I tried what you said and it suddenly lets me access my router settings agian (yay!) But my internet connection stops working. Hmm... I found out what my ISP's DNS is and I entered that, but it didn't work. I also tried the Verizon ones that you supplied and they didn't work either. I might just get a wireless router pretty soon anyway... hopefully. I think. We'll see __________________ The most important thing in this world is love.

09-01-2003, 02:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
slant eyes Psycho Location: cali	you still need to adjust the settings on the main page of your router. if you're isp gave you a dynamic ip, then make the changes accordingly. if you're isp gave you a static ip, then you must pull down the drop box on the 'connection type' on the router page and set to 'static ip' and fill in the blanks that are highlighted, ie WAN IP, gateway, subnet, DNS. although you've set these on your computer, they are for LAN side (local area), while the ones on the router are WAN side (wide area, internet). since you can access your router, your router-pc connection is fine. now you need to fix the connection between your router and the server of your isp. if you want, i can get some screen shots taken to show you. even if you were to get a wireless router, you still need to supply these settings. and one more thing. try a power cycle now that your connection to the router is ok. unplug everything, modem, router and shut down your computer. turn on the modem, wait for the lights to finish blinking (sync-ing), then when it's done, turn on your router, wait for it to sync as well, then turn on your computer. if your isp has a dynamic ip for you, this fixes it the majority of the time. good luck __________________ no man or woman is worth your tears - and the one who is, won't make you cry question authority, don't ask why, just do it! Last edited by slant eyes; 09-01-2003 at 02:05 PM..

09-01-2003, 04:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
Stiltzkin Junkie	Cool. I'll try this later tonight, when my brothers go to sleep. See, we have computers hooked up to the LAN so my bro's and I won't quarrel over who gets to use the net and such... well, they'll give me hell if I do all this now. But I will give it a try. Thanks. I'll let you know what happens __________________ The most important thing in this world is love. Last edited by Stiltzkin; 09-01-2003 at 04:21 PM..