How Often Should You Reboot Your Router?

Routers usually just whir along in the background without being noticed. But, like most parts of our house, they can benefit from a bit of attention and maintenance from time to time. In this case, that means rebooting your router.

“While many people are happy running their router until they encounter a problem, restarting your router once a month or so is a good idea,” says Seth Geftic, vice president of product marketing at Huntress. “It can depend on the quality of your router and its software, but memory leaks and stalled processes alongside various bugs can slow things down.

Here’s what to know about your router, and why it’s a good idea to schedule a regular restart.

Benefits of Regularly Restarting Your Router

Rebooting your router on a regular basis can bring a lot of advantages, says Jacob Kalvo, co-founder and CEO at Live Proxies. Here are the major ones.

It Updates Software and Security

Rebooting your router ensures it receives periodic software and firmware updates and patches from the manufacturer, which are important to keep the device functioning smoothly and secure it from potential hackers.

“It’s really important to keep an eye on your device’s security patches and make sure it’s up to date,” says Marcello Barros, global director at Hacker Rangers. “If a hacker gets into your network device, they could intercept your data or keep track of what you’re doing online.”

It Can Fix Connection Problems

A router reboot can also help with problems like slow speeds and lost connections. “It’s simply a means of rebooting the entire network to get rid of those minor glitches that might build up in it over time,” says Kalvo.

It Cleans the Cache

Rebooting your router will clean the cache, a collection of temporary files in the router’s memory. This will generally help enhance your internet connection’s performance and seed.

Dangers of Not Restarting Your Router

Slow Internet Connection

Over time, a router’s memory cache becomes cluttered with temporary data, which can cause an unstable internet connection. “That degraded performance could cause frustration due to slower internet speeds and poor connectivity,” says Geftic.

Compromised Security

Some older routers don’t automatically update firmware without a reboot, which leaves you vulnerable to hackers.

Shorter Device Lifespan

Periodic reboots can also help prolong the life of your router. “Minor issues with your router, such as overheating or congestion, may result in more significant connectivity failures or hardware wear over time if the router is not restarted,” says Kalvo.

How Often Should You Reboot Your Router?

You should reboot your router every month or so to maintain performance and security or when you notice a speed drop or have other connectivity issues.

“However, the frequency can depend on your usage habits and the reliability of your router,” says Kalvo. “For businesses or users with high internet demands, more frequent reboots may help maintain a consistently smooth network experience.”

How to Reboot Your Router

• Unplug the power cable from the router, or turn off the power button if your router has one;
• Wait 30 seconds to a minute;
• Plug it back in. “This brief pause will completely clear the memory of the router,” says Kalvo.
• Wait for the router to fully restart, which may take a few minutes.

Some routers have a reset button, which you can press to reboot them. However, says Kalvo, avoid confusing this with the factory reset option, which erases all of your settings.

Some routers also have apps where you can navigate through the settings to reset them, says Geftic. “This is helpful if your router’s power source is inconvenient to reach,” he says.

Should I Change My Router Password?

Probably. Routers usually come with a default password that’s well-known and easy to find online. “That’s why it’s super important to change it to something stronger and harder to guess,” says Barros.

Even if your internet provider sets up a strong default password, it’s still a good idea to change it, he says. It’s also a good idea to change your router setting from WPS to WPA.

“WPS makes it easier for devices to connect to the network without needing a security password, but that makes it less secure and more prone to attacks, so a lot of experts recommend turning off WPS,” he says. “WPA, on the other hand, is a security protocol that keeps your Wi-Fi safe, only letting authorized devices connect, so it’s a much safer option.”

If you do set your router to WPA, Barros recommends using the third version (WPA3), which has the fewest security issues.

About the Experts

• Jacob Kalvo is a tech and cybersecurity expert and co-founder and CEO at Live Proxies, a proxy and web intelligence company.
• Seth Geftic is vice president of product marketing at Huntress, and has almost two decades of cybersecurity experience working across endpoint, MDR, phishing and identity issues.
• Marcello Barros is an expert in cybersecurity with more than three decades of IT experience, and is the global director at Hacker Rangers, a company that fosters cybersecurity practices within businesses by using gaming techniques.

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