How to Restart Your Router the Right Way (and How Often)
Quick answer
Unplug the router from power for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and give it two minutes to settle. That's a restart — it clears the memory glitches behind many mystery faults. A factory reset (a hidden button held for ~10 seconds) is a different operation that wipes your settings; don't reach for it when a restart would do.
Restart is not reset
| Restart (reboot) | Factory reset | |
|---|---|---|
| How | Unplug power, 30 s, back on | Hold the recessed reset button ~10 s |
| What it does | Fresh start, same settings | Erases everything: Wi-Fi name, password, custom settings |
| Use it for | Drops, slowdowns, odd behaviour | Forgotten passwords, selling the device, last-resort troubleshooting |
It's an easy mix-up — a reset where a restart was meant leaves every device needing the Wi-Fi set up again. Check twice which one you mean.
The right way to restart
- Unplug the power from the router — and from the modem if it's a separate box. Thirty seconds is enough for the internals to fully drain. The "reboot" button in the router's app is a handy shortcut, but a full power cycle clears more — use the plug when a fault keeps coming back.
- Modem first, then router when plugging back in: give the modem a minute to establish the line before the router asks for an internet connection.
- Wait for the lights to settle — usually a minute or two. The internet light is the one to watch; it's normal for it to blink while reconnecting and then hold steady.
- Check, then test. Devices reconnect on their own. Run the speed test once they have, so you know what "good" looks like today.
Why something so simple works
A router is a small computer that runs for months without a break. Over that time, its memory fills with state — device lists half-updated, connections half-closed, occasionally a process wedged. A restart empties the slate: fresh memory, a clean line handshake, new local addresses handed out, and a re-scan for the least-crowded Wi-Fi channel. None of that is exotic; it just clears the accumulated cruft that makes an otherwise healthy router misbehave.
How often should you restart it?
When something's wrong — no schedule needed. A modern router in a ventilated spot should run for weeks or months without needing attention. If you find yourself restarting weekly, that's a symptom, not maintenance: look at why your internet keeps disconnecting (overheating, failing hardware, line faults), check the router isn't in a hot enclosed cupboard, and consider whether it's simply time for a new router. Some routers offer a scheduled nightly reboot — harmless, and a reasonable workaround while the real cause is being fixed.
Router restart or device restart?
Match the restart to the scope of the problem. Every device misbehaving → restart the router (and modem). One device struggling → restart that device first: it's smaller, faster and often the actual culprit. One device showing connected but no internet has its own checklist: Wi-Fi connected but no internet.
Provider gateways and mesh systems
A combined gateway (modem and router in one box) restarts the same way: unplug it, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in, and allow a little longer for the line to come up — the internet light can take a few minutes. If you run your own router behind it, restart the gateway first and the router once the gateway is online.
A mesh system restarts from the main unit — the one connected to the modem. Power-cycle that first, then the satellite units, and give them a few minutes to find each other again. Most mesh apps also offer a restart for the whole system in one tap, which is fine for routine glitches.