Why Rebooting Your Router (Usually) Works
By Timothy Tibbettson 06/22/2023 |
By now, we all know that unplugging your router for 10 seconds is the first thing to do when you have internet issues. Most internet providers will ask you to do this first, even if you already have. Why is rebooting a router so effective and the go-to troubleshooting answer?
Your Router is a Computer
Think of your router differently - Your router is actually a small computer with an operating system, motherboard, CPU, memory, and storage.
Much like rebooting your computer, rebooting your router can give you a clean start clearing up memory, CPU, and more. Rebooting your router eliminates one possible area of diagnosing internet problems. If your router boots back up, and all the lights are on that should be on, you have eliminated the router as the problem.
Of course, you don't have a Graphical User Interface (GUI), keyboard, or mouse, so unlike Windows, rebooting a router requires you to pull the plug, then plug it back in to reboot or restart.
Why Wait 10 or More Seconds?
When restarting your router, you are told to unplug it anywhere from 10-60 seconds. The reason why this is important is that your router has capacitors onboard. Capacitors can store energy that can still power some of the hardware, even if only for a few seconds. If you pull the plug and plug it back in without waiting, you haven't truly rebooted.
Different people suggest different times. Nowadays, the reality is the 10-30 seconds should be sufficient. I'm old school and always wait 60 seconds out of habit.
Troubleshooting Router Problems
Another thing to consider is how often you need to reboot it. There's no perfect answer, but I would guess, on average, I restart my router every 1-3 months. If you're restarting every few days or every week, you may have other issues to address.
If you find you're rebooting your router more frequently as the cause of your internet problems, you might want to update the router firmware if you bought a router. Most Internet Service Providers (Spectrum, Xfinity, AT&T) update your router automatically.
Another possibility is overheating. Your router should be placed up high and be well ventilated. Like your computer, it needs to breathe, and it doesn't hurt to have it higher up away from pet hair, for example.
Some people might use a standard outlet to reboot automatically, but let's face it - if you're rebooting daily or even weekly, you have other problems.
This is where your router is more like a printer in that if it works, it works. If it doesn't, you might need to replace it.
Luckily, most ISP's don't ask questions when you bring in your router for a new one. You might also find that they will replace your router with a newer model if it's been over a year. The same applies to routers you purchase. The technology continues to improve, but so does the cost.
Again, much like your computer, a 5-year old router is an antique in the technology age.
Hopefully, we made rebooting your router simple to understand.
Similar:
How to Update Your Router Firmware
How to Reset and Renew Your Internet Connection With a Batch File
How to Reset Network Settings in Windows 10
How to Improve Your Wireless Network Performance
How to Fix Slow Internet on Windows 10
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Your Router is a Computer
Think of your router differently - Your router is actually a small computer with an operating system, motherboard, CPU, memory, and storage.
Much like rebooting your computer, rebooting your router can give you a clean start clearing up memory, CPU, and more. Rebooting your router eliminates one possible area of diagnosing internet problems. If your router boots back up, and all the lights are on that should be on, you have eliminated the router as the problem.
Of course, you don't have a Graphical User Interface (GUI), keyboard, or mouse, so unlike Windows, rebooting a router requires you to pull the plug, then plug it back in to reboot or restart.
Why Wait 10 or More Seconds?
When restarting your router, you are told to unplug it anywhere from 10-60 seconds. The reason why this is important is that your router has capacitors onboard. Capacitors can store energy that can still power some of the hardware, even if only for a few seconds. If you pull the plug and plug it back in without waiting, you haven't truly rebooted.
Different people suggest different times. Nowadays, the reality is the 10-30 seconds should be sufficient. I'm old school and always wait 60 seconds out of habit.
Troubleshooting Router Problems
Another thing to consider is how often you need to reboot it. There's no perfect answer, but I would guess, on average, I restart my router every 1-3 months. If you're restarting every few days or every week, you may have other issues to address.
If you find you're rebooting your router more frequently as the cause of your internet problems, you might want to update the router firmware if you bought a router. Most Internet Service Providers (Spectrum, Xfinity, AT&T) update your router automatically.
Another possibility is overheating. Your router should be placed up high and be well ventilated. Like your computer, it needs to breathe, and it doesn't hurt to have it higher up away from pet hair, for example.
Some people might use a standard outlet to reboot automatically, but let's face it - if you're rebooting daily or even weekly, you have other problems.
This is where your router is more like a printer in that if it works, it works. If it doesn't, you might need to replace it.
Luckily, most ISP's don't ask questions when you bring in your router for a new one. You might also find that they will replace your router with a newer model if it's been over a year. The same applies to routers you purchase. The technology continues to improve, but so does the cost.
Again, much like your computer, a 5-year old router is an antique in the technology age.
Hopefully, we made rebooting your router simple to understand.
Similar:
comments powered by Disqus
