How to Restart Your Router (and When It Actually Helps)

The right way to restart your router

1. If you have a separate modem: Unplug the modem first, then the router. Wait 30 seconds. Plug the modem back in and wait 60 seconds for it to fully connect to your ISP. Then plug the router back in.
2. If you have a modem/router combo (gateway): Unplug the single unit. Wait 30 seconds. Plug it back in. Wait 90–120 seconds for it to fully boot and re-establish the ISP connection.
3. Check the lights: The router is ready when the internet/WAN light is solid (not blinking). WiFi light should also be solid. Test your connection.

Do not just toggle the power switch if your router has one — unplug from the wall (or use the switch if it's a hard power cut) to ensure a full power cycle.

Restart via the admin panel (no physical access needed)

Most modern routers allow remote reboots from the admin page without physical access — useful if the router is in a hard-to-reach location:

1. Open a browser and go to your router's admin IP (typically 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 10.0.0.1).
2. Log in with your admin credentials (printed on the router sticker).
3. Find Advanced → Reboot, Administration → Restart, or similar. The location varies by brand.
4. Click Reboot/Restart. The router will drop your connection for 60–90 seconds while it restarts.

When a restart actually fixes the problem

• Speed has gradually gotten slower over days or weeks — classic memory exhaustion. A restart usually restores speed for several weeks.
• Some devices can't connect but others can — DHCP lease table is full or corrupted. Restart clears it.
• Pages load slowly but speed test shows normal speed — DNS cache or NAT table issue. Restart helps.
• Intermittent drops that started recently with no hardware change — firmware issue or connection state problem. Restart is a good first step.

When a restart does NOT fix the problem

• ISP outage: If your ISP's infrastructure is down, restarting your router does nothing — the WAN connection simply won't come up. Check your ISP's status page.
• Speed is consistently below your plan tier: This is an ISP-side or hardware capacity issue, not a state problem. Restart may give a minor temporary improvement but won't fix the root cause. Check for ISP throttling.
• Specific website or service is down: This is a destination-side problem. Restarting your router does nothing for a down server.
• Router hardware is failing: If the problem recurs within hours of a restart every time, the router hardware may be failing. See when to replace your router.

Schedule automatic router restarts

If your router slows down noticeably every few weeks, schedule a weekly auto-restart in the admin panel. Most Netgear, Asus, and TP-Link routers have a scheduled reboot option under Advanced → Administration → Reboot Schedule. Set it for 3–4 AM on a weekday — when no one is actively using it.