When you buy an internet plan, your ISP provides you with user configuration information to allow your devices to connect to the modem or router.
For instance, with any of the Xfinity internet plans that you choose to buy, you will also get an installation with an additional fee.
Installation of the modem to your home, physical cables, and other switches are also included in the package. This helps to ease consumers into the process of having an internet connection.
What is Resetting?
Resetting refers to erasing all the data being stored. If you reset a router, you are putting it back into the same state it was in when you first purchased it, which is its default state.
This means that it will have all the original customization, and any changes you might have made will be gone.
For instance, if you changed the password after purchasing it, that password will not work on the router that has already been reset. Any customizations that you might have made since you had it installed in your home will all be erased.
Why and How to Reset the Router?
You probably want to sell your device or you want to set an ISP address, which is why you are trying to reset your router or modem. Whatever your reasons, you can reset the device by going into their configuration web service on your computer.
To get into your router’s configuration settings, simply enter the router’s IP address in the address bar. The page that opens up will ask for the username and password.
After logging in, you will find an option for System Tools and there you will find Restore or Factory default. This action will automatically reboot the router for you.
Or you can also locate a reset button next to the power button on the back of the router. Holding the button down for 30 seconds will get the job done.
After 30 seconds, release the reset button and your device will turn on automatically. The power button on the back is usually confused for the reset button, but it has a completely different function.
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What is Rebooting?
The power button on the back of the router can reboot or restart the router. Rebooting/restarting and resetting are also used interchangeably but they’re actually two very different actions. It is one of the simplest troubleshooting steps for your internet connection, and it works 75% of the time.
Why Reboot the Router?
Have you heard of the famous quote, “Have you tried turning it off and on again”? Chances are, you have. If you haven’t, then in simple terms, it is usually used by IT engineers when you report a computer problem.
The first thing they ask you to do is to turn the computer off and then on again. The general idea here is that a reboot wipes the temporarily stored data, which also includes whatever was causing the problem.
This, in turn, returns the computer to its previous state before the problem was there. The same action applies to all the devices like laptops, tablets, smartphones, and even routers.
It is recommended to do the same with the router or modem as well. As the above example suggest, restarting means turning off the device and turning it again. If there is any sort of disruption in your network connection, you might consider rebooting the router or modem.
You can simply reboot or restart the router by pressing the power button, waiting 30 seconds, and then pressing the power button again to turn it on. Rebooting the router or modem does provide a refreshed network connection to your devices.
Modem or Router
The main difference between the modem and router is that the modem connects to the internet and the router allows Wi-Fi access to devices. Ethernet cables can be connected to both the modem and router.
You receive the internet from ISP through your modem. However, both can be rented by the ISP or the user can buy his own. Some devices have both the modem and router installed into one.
The action of resetting and restarting/rebooting on modem and router works the same as explained in this article.
So, What Does Resetting Really Do?
In conclusion, if you reset the router, it will turn back to its default state as it was when it was first purchased. All your passwords and other customizations made after it was purchased will be erased.
However, if you need to use the internet, you need the user configuration first to be able to do so.
If you have its default username and password, you can easily log in again and be able to use the internet. If you do not have that information, you will not be able to access the internet.
