How do I restart my router?

Buffering videos and sluggish website loading times leaving you frustrated?

Your router might be to blame for those annoying internet slowdowns. It’s a common culprit behind slow internet speeds and connectivity issues.

Thankfully, restoring your router’s performance is often an easy fix. You know the old IT adage, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” Well, it turns out that bit of wisdom applies to your router, too.

Restarting your router clears out temporary memory issues, resets connections, and helps it re-establish optimal settings. And that’s often enough to get your internet back up to speed. Best of all, rebooting a router doesn’t require you to be an IT pro.

Ready to give it a try? Let’s run down how to restart your router.

4 Steps to Restart Your Router

Alright, let’s give your router its much-needed wake-up call. Here’s how to restart your router in four simple steps.

1. Unplug your router.

Disconnect the power cord from the back of your router. Make sure you take this extra step beyond just hitting the router’s power or reset button, the latter of which might disrupt your network settings.

Leave your router unplugged for at least one minute so all the power drains before you plug it back in and turn it on.

2. Plug your router back into the power source.

Once you’ve waited a full minute or longer, plug the router back into the outlet or extension cord. Check for lights indicating the device is rebooting. If you don’t see any, push the power button now to make sure the router is turned on.

3. Wait for your router to reboot.

Now, you just have to wait a little longer for the router to fully turn on again. The color codes vary depending on your device, but a green or blue light usually indicates a proper connection.

An orange or red light could mean that your network connection is still having trouble. For specifics, refer to your router’s documentation.

4. Test your connection.

Once your router has rebooted, check your connection. The easiest way is to load a web page and see how long it takes. But you can also run an internet speed test, either online or through your Wi-Fi manager, if available.

Some routers offer companion apps that allow you to manage various settings, including restarting the device remotely. Check your router’s documentation or manufacturer's website to see if this option is available.

If restarting your router doesn’t solve the problem ...

If your internet doesn’t work or remains sluggish after restarting your router, other issues may be at play. See if these troubleshooting strategies help.

Restart your modem.

Your modem and router perform different functions to deliver a strong internet connection. The modem translates signals between your home network and the internet service provider (ISP), while the router manages traffic and connections within your home network.

After restarting your router, follow the same steps to restart your modem, or your optical network terminal (ONT) if you have fiber internet. Remember to wait at least a minute at the appropriate intervals so the modem has enough time to fully power down.

Do a hard reset of your router.

The next step is to give your router a hard reset back to its factory settings. There’s usually a small hole on the back of the device. It’s intentionally hard to access so you don’t unintentionally reset it. Once you locate the hole, use a paperclip or small screwdriver to push the button in the hole. This trick should successfully reset your router and may fix your connection issues.

Do note that a hard reset will erase all custom settings on the router, potentially requiring reconfiguration. Proceed with caution, and only attempt a hard reset if you’re comfortable with that process or have backed up your settings.

Try another router location.

Your router’s location can impact its ability to transmit Wi-Fi signals to the devices in your house. Experiment with placing your router in different areas of your home to optimize performance. The best spot is usually in a central location and up off the floor.

Avoid peak hours.

Weekday evenings are prime time for internet use, with everyone streaming, gaming, and browsing. If you notice slowdowns mainly during these hours, it could be due to network congestion.

While you can't control your ISP’s network, try scheduling bandwidth-heavy tasks like large downloads or 4K streaming for off-peak times, like early mornings or late nights.

Tips for Improving Internet Speed and Connection

So, you’ve tried restarting your router, but your internet connection is still slow. What else can you do? Here are a few more tricks that might help get your internet back up to speed.

• Clear your cache history: Your web browsers store temporary data (cache and cookies) to help speed up website loading. Over time, though, this can have the opposite effect and slow down your browsing experience. Clearing your cache and cookies can help keep things running smoothly. In your browser settings, look for “Delete browsing data” on Chrome or “Manage website data” on Safari.

• Close background programs on your device: Similarly, background programs hog memory and processing power, dragging down the performance of your devices. Regularly close out any applications you aren’t using to keep your devices running optimally.

• Look for available software updates: Set up automatic updates so you don’t inadvertently miss a new software release for your device’s operating system or important applications. This helps keep everything running smoothly and protects against internet security threats like viruses and malware.

• Upgrade your router: Like any technology, routers get outdated. If it's been a few years (or you have a lot of devices connected), consider investing in a new router for a serious speed boost. Err on the more frequent side if you have a lot of devices at home.

• Try a Wi-Fi extender: Even if you know how to restart a router, your signal may not be strong enough to reach every corner of your home. Consider strategically placing Wi-Fi extenders in low-connection areas to grab a stronger signal from the router and thus strengthen your whole-house Wi-Fi setup.

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Ready for fast and reliable internet?

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How to Restart Your Router FAQs

Why should I restart my router to solve connection issues?

Your router may be storing too much information, such as background files and tasks. Restarting your router clears all that data and gives the operating system a fresh start. For many connectivity issues, this is all you need to do to get back online.

How do I restart my router?

Here’s how to restart a router: Unplug the device and wait a full minute so there’s enough time for the power to fully drain from the router. Then plug it back in and wait another full minute for it to turn back on. At this point, you should know whether this quick fix worked or if you need to try another method.

What should I do if my Wi-Fi is slow after restarting the router?

If your Wi-Fi is still slow after restarting the router, try restarting your modem or doing a hard reset of your router. Other options include checking for router firmware updates, clearing out stored memory on your devices, upgrading your router, or using a Wi-Fi extender.

Can restarting the router help with internet connection speed?

Yes, restarting the router could improve your internet connection speed because it clears stored memory. In fact, regularly rebooting your router as a habit — before too many memory leaks occur — can help keep your connection strong.