How to Restart Your Router

Most home internet problems clear up with a router restart: slow speeds, Wi-Fi dropping, a device that refuses to reconnect, the little light on the router turning red, or internet that just... stops. When you call your ISP's support line, this is always the first thing they make you do anyway.

So before you wait on hold, give this 2-minute process a try.

Look at the back or side of your router. Most have a power button labeled 'Power On/Off' or just with a power symbol. Press it once. All the indicator lights on the front of the router should go dark.

If your router has a separate modem that's also powered on, leave that alone for now. The fix usually works just from the router.

Count to 30. This isn't arbitrary. The router has capacitors that hold a small amount of power for several seconds, and it keeps connections open with devices on your network for a bit after shutdown.

Waiting 30 seconds makes sure those capacitors drain completely and all the old connections fully clear. A 5-second wait often doesn't do the job.

Press the power button again. The indicator lights will come back on and cycle through their startup sequence - usually 1 to 2 minutes before everything is stable.

Wait for the Wi-Fi and internet lights to go solid (not blinking) before testing a connection.

Some routers don't have a power button. If yours doesn't, just unplug the power cord from the back of the router. Wait the same 30 seconds. Then plug it back in.

Same effect as the power button, same wait, same startup sequence. Works on any router or modem.

If your router is mounted somewhere inconvenient, you can restart it from any device on the network. Open a browser and go to your router's admin page - usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. Log in with the admin password (often on a sticker on the router itself).

Look for a 'Reboot' button in the settings - it's usually right on the main dashboard. Click it, confirm, and the router will restart itself.