How to Restart Your Router the Right Way

Restarting your modem and router can fix many home internet problems, but the order and timing matter.

Restart vs reset

Restarting means unplugging power and letting equipment boot again. Resetting usually means wiping settings back to factory defaults. For normal troubleshooting, restart. Do not factory reset unless you are ready to set the network up again.

Steps

1. Unplug power from the modem and router.
2. Wait at least 60 seconds.
3. Plug the modem in first.
4. Wait until the modem lights stabilize.
5. Plug in the router.
6. Wait for Wi-Fi to return.
7. Run a speed test and check the problem again.

Why it helps

Network equipment can get stuck, hold stale information, or fail to renew a connection properly. A clean restart forces the equipment to reconnect and rebuild the local network.

When restarts are a warning sign

If you need to restart every day, the router may be overheating, outdated, overloaded, or dealing with a provider line problem. Frequent restarts are a symptom, not a long-term fix.