Resetting a router

[vancouv]

I have been incredibly stupid and seem to have set the password to my router to something I can't remember - at least it's refusing to let me log on if I use what I thought it was. So I assume the only way round this is to press the button on the back and reset to factory defaults?

If I then go in and set the key to be the same as it currently is, will my laptop connect happily and not notice a difference?

[srobarts]

You don't say whether the router is wireless or wired. For a wired router you reset to factory defaults and then setup your ISP settings**. If it is wireless you will also need to reset the security settings - SSID, encryption and MAC address access list.
Some routers allow you to backup the settings, if you can it is a good idea to do so. Either that or print each page of settings and file away for the future.

**This assumes that you used the default settings on the router. If you changed other settings as well eg IP address range and used fixed IP addresses for your PCs ensure that you know what that range was before you reset the router. If everything is working OK now you may want to defer the job to when you have time if you hit snags.

[parabellum]

When I had wired router problems the person helping me reverted it to factory settings and when a password was asked for he just typed in 'password' and that did it - apparently this is not uncommon.

[Mike-Bracknell]

In general, you will need your ADSL login details which are the only things you need to get access to the internet again. If it's a Netgear then the default userid and password is admin and password. Others may be admin and admin, but in general they're easily guessable.

[twiggs]

I have been incredibly stupid and seem to have set the password to my router to something I can't remember - at least it's refusing to let me log on if I use what I thought it was. So I assume the only way round this is to press the button on the back and reset to factory defaults?

If I then go in and set the key to be the same as it currently is, will my laptop connect happily and not notice a difference?

Yes it should and I think you have nothing to lose by doing so.
Once you have access to your router again, you can then contact your ISP tech help if you are having further internet connection issues.