The router is one of the few devices that we always have on at home, along with the refrigerator. His power consumption is very low, but having it always on makes us not worry about restarting it as it happens with other devices in the home. However, how often is it recommended to restart it? Restarting the router has many advantages, and we are going to collect them.
IP change
One of the main reasons why we restart the router is to change IP address. Normally, after having the router turned off for about 10 or more seconds, and turning it back on, our IP address will change. This is useful if, for example, our IP is identified as foreign by some service, or if we have any concerns about our privacy instead.
RAM cleanup and bug fix
This is one of the most important reasons why we may need to reset the router. As the weeks, and even months, pass, the router RAM memory is filled with data that has not been deleted correctly, and even that there is a memory leak. In that case, we may have performance or temperature problems, and the best way to solve it is to restart the router.
Installing patches and expelling hackers
routers are usually install the updates at dawn so as not to disturb. However, some may require a reboot to ensure everything runs smoothly, and you may even need to manually install the patches.
Another security-related reason may be the presence of hackers. Routers, not being among the most updated devices, can have vulnerabilities that allow a hacker to take control of the router. Some of those vulnerabilities may not have achieved router persistence, so restarting it can kick them off your network. However, make sure you install the latest patch, as they may be able to exploit the previous vulnerability again.
How do I reset it?
Reboot the router it is better to do it as close to the software as possible, that is, from the router’s administration panel. Suddenly cutting off the current to a device is not good, and for this reason it is necessary to avoid, for example, resetting a computer from the button if it is not essential.
Therefore, if you are looking to restart the router and you do not mind that the IP is not changed, do it from the router web admin panel It is the best. If not, the next best option is to use some physical button that the router has. It is important not to confuse the power button with the reset button. The latter requires a paper clip to press, and that will completely erase all router settings and leave it as it came from the factory.
If you don’t, the only option left is disconnect and reconnect the cable. If you want to schedule the power on or off, you can do it with a smart plug every so often.
Conclusion: the more you restart it, the better
Restart the router frequently it is a recommended practice. Restarting it once a month will always ensure the best performance, or at most every two months. It is not recommended to go more than two months without restarting it, since files can accumulate in the temporary memory of the device, so with a weekly restart we will ensure that we do not have performance problems.