forgot my router password

[Raoul]

I have an RT-AC86U which I set up at home about a year ago. I have been logging into the router control panel from the App on my phone which remembered the password - which I have now completely forgotten.
I have been trying to guess it for the past week many times with no luck.
There seems to be flow/method to reset the password without resetting the router.
I will just mention that I have the Merlin FW installed on it.

what should I do?
should I do a factory reset? is it enough to simply press the reset button when I power up the unit or do I have to go through the whole process of FW installation as described here:
https://www.asus.com/my/support/FAQ/1000814/

 

[OzarkEdge]

I have an RT-AC86U which I set up at home about a year ago. I have been logging into the router control panel from the App on my phone which remembered the password - which I have now completely forgotten.
I have been trying to guess it for the past week many times with no luck.
There seems to be flow/method to reset the password without resetting the router.
I will just mention that I have the Merlin FW installed on it.

what should I do?
should I do a factory reset? is it enough to simply press the reset button when I power up the unit or do I have to go through the whole process of FW installation as described here:
https://www.asus.com/my/support/FAQ/1000814/

Hold the reset button until the power LED begins to flash. Then wait for it to settle. Then browse to router.asus.com (192.168.1.1 or 192.168.50.1 on 86U) and login to the router webUI. Once into the webUI, you could perform Restore w/Initialize to reset again and clear logged data, for a fresh start.

OE

 

[Raoul]

must I hold the reset button while router is on and running?
will this delete all my previous configurations?

 

[ColinTaylor]

must I hold the reset button while router is on and running?
will this delete all my previous configurations?

Yes and Yes.

 

[bluzfanmr1]

I have an RT-AC86U which I set up at home about a year ago. I have been logging into the router control panel from the App on my phone which remembered the password - which I have now completely forgotten.
I have been trying to guess it for the past week many times with no luck.
There seems to be flow/method to reset the password without resetting the router.
I will just mention that I have the Merlin FW installed on it.

what should I do?
should I do a factory reset? is it enough to simply press the reset button when I power up the unit or do I have to go through the whole process of FW installation as described here:
https://www.asus.com/my/support/FAQ/1000814/

Do you have an iPhone? If so, you should be able to find the stored password in the saved passwords on the iPhone. Not sure if others do the same.

 

[Ronald Schwerer]

If you can still get in via your phone, go to Administration/System and click "show password". Not sure if the phone app supports this - but it is in the webGUI.

If you saved (or can still save) your router's settings to a backup file, it has the password. But the settings are not in clear text. I believe there is a utility somewhere that unpacks and displays the settings.

Update: I found a windows app called wrtsettings120.exe that will display the settings file. Then look for "http password".

 

[Raoul]

my problem is that my phone died (underwater...) so there is no way to use it to gain access.

 

[Raoul]

Yes and Yes.

so if I loose all my previous configurations I might aswell go ahead and do the whole process of FW installation with the Asus Firmware restoration utility - correct?

 

[ColinTaylor]

so if I loose all my previous configurations I might aswell go ahead and do the whole process of FW installation with the Asus Firmware restoration utility - correct?

Why? The firmware restoration process is more involved and time consuming. You can just press the reset button on the router for 5 seconds and that's it! Both procedures will lead you to the same initial setup screen.

 

[OzarkEdge]

so if I loose all my previous configurations I might aswell go ahead and do the whole process of FW installation with the Asus Firmware restoration utility - correct?

Incorrect.

Reset the router as previously explained and configure it from scratch. If you want to upgrade the existing firmware, go to the Firmware tab in the router webUI and do it... then reset it again and configure from scratch.

OE

 

[Raoul]

I reset the router as recommended and it worked perfectly. Then installed the Merlin latest Firmware.
Thank.

Now, is there a guide/video explaining all the configurations I should be doing on the Router?

 

[OzarkEdge]

I reset the router as recommended and it worked perfectly. Then installed the Merlin latest Firmware.
Thank.

Now, is there a guide/video explaining all the configurations I should be doing on the Router?

My install notes will setup the basic settings.

OE

 

[dosborne]

I have been trying to guess it for the past week many times with no luck.

All these replies and noone has replied with the obligatory "Ask your dad"?