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How to Reboot Your Router the Right Way

A proper router reboot is a specific power-cycle sequence, not just flipping a switch — doing it right, and knowing when it won’t help, saves a lot of guesswork.

  1. Unplug the power from both the modem and the router

    If they’re separate devices, unplug both. This fully clears their temporary memory and forces a clean restart, rather than a soft restart done through a settings menu.

  2. Wait at least 30 seconds before plugging anything back in

    This wait isn’t arbitrary — it gives internal capacitors time to fully discharge and lets your provider’s network release the session tied to your old connection, so the reboot actually starts clean rather than picking back up mid-state.

  3. Power the modem back on first and let it fully reconnect

    Wait for the modem’s indicator lights to show a stable, fully-connected state (typically solid, not blinking) before powering the router on — this usually takes one to two minutes.

  4. Power the router back on and wait for it to boot fully

    A router typically takes another one to two minutes to fully boot and re-establish its connection to the modem — resist the urge to unplug it again if it seems slow within the first couple of minutes.

  5. Read the indicator lights before assuming it worked

    A solid power light and a solid (not blinking or red) internet/WAN light generally indicate a successful reconnection. A blinking or red light after several minutes usually means the modem hasn’t reconnected to your provider yet, which is a different problem than a Wi-Fi issue.

  6. Test the connection from a device before considering it done

    Confirm an actual device can load a webpage, not just that the lights look normal — the lights indicate connection status, not guaranteed working internet.

Why the wait and the order actually matter

Skipping the wait or powering both devices on at once is the most common way a router reboot fails to help. The waiting period lets internal components fully discharge and lets your provider’s network cleanly release the previous connection session, while powering the modem on first ensures it has a working internet link established before the router tries to use it — power the router on too early and it can get stuck trying to route through a modem that isn’t ready yet.

Reboot versus factory reset: not the same thing

A reboot simply restarts the device using its existing settings — your Wi-Fi name, password, and configuration all stay exactly as they were. A factory reset (usually done by holding a small recessed button for 10+ seconds) wipes all custom settings back to the device’s out-of-box defaults, including your Wi-Fi password. Reach for a reboot first for almost any everyday issue; a factory reset is a much more drastic, rarely-needed last resort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will scheduling an automatic nightly router reboot help prevent problems?

Some routers support a scheduled automatic reboot, and it can help with routers or connections prone to gradually slowing down over days of continuous uptime. It is not a fix for an underlying problem, though — if you need to reboot daily just to keep a stable connection, that is usually a sign of a firmware, hardware, or provider issue worth addressing directly.

I rebooted correctly and the internet still isn’t working — what does that mean?

If the lights show a stable connection but devices still can’t get online, or if the modem light never turns stable no matter how many times you retry, the problem is more likely on your device, your provider’s network, or a line issue outside your home — not something a reboot alone can resolve.