Genuine question - Why is the recommended ‘reset to factory settings’ so complicated?

[XIII]

I see a lot of blame for Apple devices in this topic.

What else then SSID and password do Apple devices store about a network (and which might break connectivity)?

 

[Sumsurfguy]

I see a lot of blame for Apple devices in this topic.

What else then SSID and password do Apple devices store about a network (and which might break connectivity)?

I've wondered about that too and never been able to find anything, would be interesting to hear if someone knows.

 

[bluzfanmr1]

I see a lot of blame for Apple devices in this topic.

What else then SSID and password do Apple devices store about a network (and which might break connectivity)?

#3 from Apple themselves listed under "Before changing the settings on your router". They don't say why.

3. On each device that previously joined the network, you might need to forget the network to ensure that the device uses the router's new settings when rejoining the network.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202068

 

[RMerlin]

#3 from Apple themselves listed under "Before changing the settings on your router". They don't say why.

3. On each device that previously joined the network, you might need to forget the network to ensure that the device uses the router's new settings when rejoining the network.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202068

I remember having to do that with a Windows laptop as well many years ago (so this may have changed with Windows 10). There was a bug in the RT-N66U wireless driver, and after Asus updated it on the router, the laptop needed the network to be forgotten for it to pick up the change.

 

[neil0311]

Absolutely confirmed. One of my Apple devices would not connect to my reflashed AX86u with SSID I was using for the last 15 years, and it connected to the same AP as soon as introduced a new SSID.
Since then I learned my lesson and after recent "nuke and pave" FW update on my routers, I created new SSIDs - while used my old impossible to retype password - and that worked, no issues of connecting any of 20+ devices (no, not all of them are iPhones )

Maybe just my mix of devices and configuration, but I’ve had the same SSIDs for 20 years and never changed.

We have a mix of iOS, Android, Windows, and IOT devices and never had a problem with any reconnecting to the same network name.

 

[bluepoint]

I see a lot of blame for Apple devices in this topic.

What else then SSID and password do Apple devices store about a network (and which might break connectivity)?

Not only Apple devices it will happen to any devices if you retain the old SSID/password to a different AP/hardware, not always but it happens.

 

[thecheapseats]

Genuine question here, not trying to be snarky, but why is the process of resetting ASUS router to factory defaults often recommended on this forum so weirdly complicated? <snip>

It isn't complicated... and most of that absurd, lengthy and complicated 'dance' that is often repeated here is 90% inane unnecessary nonsense... additionally, it gives the impression that ongoing admin of an asus router is complex... it isn't...

There are a few necessary steps when doing the wax-on, wax-off initializing of these routers to a virgin state (if required) before jumping to new and/or old firmware, but they are minimal at best, and that's the additional price you pay using these inexpensive devices... do 'only' what's necessary and ignore the OCD verbose guides...

As to devices retaining SSID info - that's a client side device problem - not a router problem... therefore whether you have 5 devices or 50 - find the offending client and fix it instead of laboriously reconfiguring a 'new' SSID on each and every device on the network...

 

[HallStevenson]

Apple saves network details in your iCloud keychain in addition to just on the device. When you "Forget this network", it removes it from both locations.

 

[HallStevenson]

I used DD-WRT firmware years ago and they have an infamous 30-30-30 reset procedure. If you had anything beyond a simple issue and asked for help in their support forums, you were almost required to do their reset procedure (or fib and say you did ).

With Merlin's firmware, I've never done anything beyond the built-in factory reset and never had any issues.

 

[thecheapseats]

Apple saves network details in your iCloud keychain in addition to just on the device. When you "Forget this network", it removes it from both locations.

exactly the correct approach - fix the device...

however I've encountered older legacy offending devices that behave incorrectly due to loss of firmware support, as well as a few new iot devices with poorly implemented network behavior... the only way to reset them properly is to beat them to death with a hammer and trash 'em...

 

[L&LD]

Verbose, for beginners, isn't a terrible thing, for them.

Genuine question - Why is the recommended ‘reset to factory settings’ so complicated?

Genuine question here, not trying to be snarky, but why is the process of resetting ASUS router to factory defaults often recommended on this forum so weirdly complicated? I often see recommendations of clearing the JFFS partition, unplugging everything for 15 minutes, resetting to factory...

www.snbforums.com

The posts I have aggregated and people started calling guides (and eventually, me too) are repeated for a reason. They work.

If your level of router-fi is better, more power to you.

But for those that come looking for step-by-steps (as I once did many years ago) and the helpful members back then posted their best practices and I found them to work, I kept repeating them for others.

For those that are here for other reasons, they can safely ignore these basic best practices and be glad their routers haven't needed it, yet.

I'm not here to help the ones with more experience than me. I thought that was obvious.

 

[vaynardx]

I understand the need for factory resets but I am confused as to which method to use
Should I use the reset button on the router or browser? Or do I have to do a hard factory reset every time?

 

[thiggins]

@thecheapseats Personal attacks are not tolerated on SNBForums and result in temporary bans for repeat offenses.

I think this thread has served its purpose. Closed.