Having a reliable internet connection at home is crucial for work, entertainment, and communication. However, sometimes your Wi-Fi router can start acting up, causing slow internet speeds, connection drops, or other issues. When this happens, one of the easiest troubleshooting steps is restarting or resetting your router. But how do you know when it’s time to reset your router? Here are some signs that indicate your router needs a reboot.
You’re Experiencing Frequent Disconnections
One of the most obvious and frustrating router issues is when your Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting. You might notice that your wireless devices repeatedly lose connection to the network several times a day. Or you may find that you can connect, but the connection drops after a few minutes of use. Frequent disconnections like this usually stem from router software errors. Resetting the router often clears up temporary glitches in the software and fixes disconnection problems. If rebooting the router doesn’t help, the issue may be related to router hardware, and you may need a replacement.
Your Internet Speeds Are Slower Than Normal
Sluggish internet speeds can make it difficult to work, stream movies, or play online games. If your Wi-Fi has generally been fast in the past, but you’ve recently noticed significant slowdowns, a router reset could help. Faulty router software can get bogged down over time and start delivering slower speeds. Rebooting clears the memory cache and resets all software operations. This forces your router to start fresh, which may restore normal bandwidth. Slow internet could also be caused by connectivity problems between your router and internet service provider. Resetting re-establishes the connection and resolves temporary issues. If speed tests still show slow results after a reboot, contact your ISP to check for problems on their end.
You’re Experiencing Intermittent Connectivity
Another symptom of router trouble is intermittent connectivity. This is when your Wi-Fi works for a while but then suddenly cuts out before working again later. The periods of disconnection may only last for a few seconds or minutes at a time. But the constant dropping of your internet connection can disrupt online activities. Intermittent connectivity usually happens when the router software has glitches that cause unstable connections. Resetting the router provides a clean slate for the software and typically resolves temporary glitches. If the intermittent nature continues after a reboot, you may be dealing with a hardware issue.
Some of Your Devices Won’t Connect
When some of your devices can connect to the Wi-Fi with no issues while others cannot connect at all, router problems are often to blame. For example, you may find that your laptop and phone have no trouble accessing the network but your smart TV keeps saying it cannot connect. This points to software errors that are preventing selective connectivity. A quick reset of the router should clear up the software allowing all devices to connect. Also make sure the router firmware is updated, as connection issues are sometimes caused by firmware bugs. If the problem continues, check the Wi-Fi settings on the problematic device.
You’re Experiencing Slower Load Times
Frustratingly slow load times when browsing the web or accessing apps and services could indicate an issue with your router. Normal load times can slow down when router software needs a refresh. Resetting clears up any software faults leading to sluggish performance. Keep in mind that older routers may not have enough processing power to keep up with heavy usage. If a reboot doesn’t help, your router model may not be robust enough for your internet demands. Upgrading to a newer, faster router can provide the performance boost you need.
Your Router Keeps Dropping the Connection
If your router frequently drops the Wi-Fi signal entirely, leaving all your devices disconnected, it likely requires a reset. Total connection drops typically happen when faulty router software needs to be refreshed. Rebooting the router resets the software, which usually resolves temporary glitches that lead to dropped connections. If the router continues to lose connectivity after resetting, the issue could be a lack of sufficient memory. Routers need enough memory to handle all the operations for Wi-Fi networking. Purchasing a router with more memory can provide greater stability.
You’re Noticing Degraded Signal Strength
Has the Wi-Fi signal strength degraded in your home despite the router being in the same location? A weak wireless signal could mean performance issues with the router hardware. But before replacing the router, try rebooting it. The reboot essentially re calibrates the wireless antennas. It clears up any software faults that may be hampering signal broadcast. With the software reset, the wireless antennas can operate at full capacity again. If signal strength is still low after the reset, the router likely has a hardware problem that necessitates replacement.
Your Router Is More Than 2 Years Old
On average, most routers provide stable performance for two to three years with proper maintenance. But router hardware can start to degrade over time, eventually leading to problems. If your router is over 2 years old, a periodic reset helps keep software optimized. However, if you’re experiencing frequent issues, it may simply be reaching the end of its functional lifespan. Newer router models have faster processors and more memory to handle the growing needs of smart homes. Upgrading provides the latest hardware for peak speeds and connectivity.
You Notice Problems After Firmware Updates
Router manufacturers periodically release firmware updates with bug fixes and performance improvements. But sometimes firmware updates can accidentally create new issues. If you notice Wi-Fi problems after applying a firmware update, resetting the router often resolves the matter. Rebooting reverts the firmware back to default settings, deleting any problems introduced by the update. Make sure to back up your router settings before resetting. You’ll need to reconfigure custom settings like Wi-Fi network names and passwords.
You’ve Made Recent Hardware Changes
New routers work great out of the box. But as you make changes to your home network hardware, router software can start behaving unpredictably. For example, adding a wireless extender, smart home devices, or additional computers to your network introduces new variables. A router reset clears up any software faults caused by hardware changes. The reboot syncs all network components with a clean software slate. Try this first before spending time troubleshooting each individual device.
You Notice Problems After Moving the Router
Relocating your Wi-Fi router can also disrupt software and cause problems. For instance, you may move the router to improve the signal range but then encounter issues. The new location may interfere with the wireless radio signals based on proximity to other electronics and large metal objects. Resetting the router essentially recalibrates the antennas for the new environment. A reboot is an easy fix before spending time optimizing the router’s position.
New Settings Aren’t Saving Properly
Router glitches can sometimes prevent new settings from saving correctly even after applying them in the admin interface. For example, you may change your Wi-Fi password but notice devices using the old one still have connectivity. Or configured settings like port forwarding rules seem to revert back or disappear. Rebooting forces the router to commit all settings changes made through the admin interface. Once the router restarts, access the interface again and make sure the settings stuck.
You’re Switching Internet Service Providers
When transitioning from one ISP to another, a router reset ensures smooth service. Switching ISPs usually involves new router settings for connectivity. Rebooting first clears out the old ISP’s settings before configuring the new provider’s parameters. The router will sync optimally with the new ISP service provisioning. A reset also verifies that the hardware itself is still fully functional after the ISP switch.
You Suspect a Hacker or Network Intrusion
Unexplained behavior like emails being sent from your account could indicate a hacker accessing your network. Performing a reset makes sure there are no vulnerabilities an intruder could leverage to reconnect. The reboot wipes all connected devices making your network start from scratch. Just remember to change the default admin password right away. Monitoring router logs moving forward can help detect attacks.
There’s No Downside to Trying a Reset
When you notice any atypical router behavior, one of the easiest first steps to take is simply rebooting the device. Even if the issue ends up being unrelated to software, resetting the router seldom makes problems worse. At most, you may just have to redo some custom settings like Wi-Fi network configurations. The upside is a reboot very often fixes common glitches that disrupt connectivity. Resetting before troubleshooting other factors maximizes your time.
How to Reset Your Router
Before resetting your router, try simply turning it off and back on again via the power switch or unplugging the power cord. If that doesn’t improve the issues, proceed with a factory reset to completely reboot the software.
Using the Admin Interface Settings
Most router models have a reset option within the admin interface settings:
- Access your router admin interface by entering the IP address in a browser (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
- Log in using the admin username and password.
- Navigate to the Basic or Administration section.
- Look for a Factory Reset or Reset option.
- Click the reset button. Confirm the reset when prompted.
This clears all software and reverts settings to factory default.
Using the Physical Reset Button
All routers have a small physical reset button on the back or bottom. You’ll need something with a narrow point like a pen or paperclip to press it.
- Locate the reset button on your router.
- Press and hold the button for 10-15 seconds using a pen tip.
- Release the reset button. The router will reboot and reset software settings.
Holding the reset button for different lengths of time initiates different types of resets. Refer to your router documentation for details.
When to Replace Your Router
If your router is over 5 years old, it may not be worth the continued troubleshooting. Routers do wear out over time as hardware degrades. Technology advances also render routers outdated after several years. If you’ve consistently had issues for months that resets can’t seem to fix, investing in a newer router model is worthwhile. Here are signs it’s time for an upgrade:
- Your router is 5+ years old
- Resets and firmware updates no longer help
- You’re unable to stream HD video
- Your router doesn’t support the latest Wi-Fi standards
- You need faster speeds your router can’t deliver
Look for a new router that fits your household needs and budget. Retiring an aging router for a more powerful model can restore your Wi-Fi to peak performance.
Conclusion
Performing periodic resets keeps your router software optimized for reliable connectivity. Anytime you experience issues like slow speeds, disconnects, or intermittent connections, resetting your router should be one of the first troubleshooting steps. While router problems can be frustrating, a simple reboot quickly resolves many common software glitches before they disrupt productivity and entertainment. Knowing when to reset can help maximize uptime and maintain robust network performance.