How to Restart Your AT&T Router or Wi-Fi Gateway
Updated
When AT&T internet slows down or stops working, restarting your Wi-Fi gateway is the first fix to try. It takes a few minutes, doesn't change your settings, and often clears up dropped connections, sluggish speeds, and devices that won't connect. Here are three ways to do it, depending on your equipment.
First, check for an outage
Sign in to your AT&T account or app to see whether there's a known issue at your address, or read our guide: Is there an AT&T outage in my area? If there is an outage, a restart won't help. You'll need to wait for AT&T to fix it.
Method 1: Restart with Smart Home Manager
AT&T's Smart Home Manager app, also available on the web, can restart most AT&T fiber and internet gateways remotely:
- Sign in to Smart Home Manager and select Network.
- Scroll to and select Home Network Hardware.
- Select Wi-Fi Gateway, then Restart.
- Select Restart again to confirm.
AT&T lists these gateways as compatible with Smart Home Manager: BGW320, BGW210, NVG589, NVG599, Pace 5031NV, 5168 and 5268AC, and 2Wire 3600HGV, 3801HGV and 3800HGV-B. The model number is on the label on your gateway.
Method 2: Restart the gateway manually
- Unplug the power cord from the back of the gateway or modem.
- If your gateway has an internal battery backup, remove the battery. If you have DSL, unplug the phone cord too.
- Wait 20 seconds.
- Put the battery back in, if you removed it.
- Plug the power cord back in, and reconnect the phone cord for DSL.
- Wait for the Broadband light to turn solid green. AT&T says this can take up to 10 minutes.
Still fighting your connection?
If restarts aren't fixing it, compare other internet plans and providers available at your address.
Method 3: Restart AT&T Internet Air
AT&T Internet Air uses a 5G gateway instead of a fiber or DSL line. To restart it, unplug the power cord from the back of the gateway for about five seconds, plug it back in, and give it a few minutes to boot and reconnect. AT&T's Internet Air support also describes a restart option in the gateway's web admin portal, under System Settings, then Backup/Restore, then Reboot. If speeds are still poor after a restart, try moving the gateway closer to a window. See our Internet Air explainer for more.
Restart vs factory reset
A restart turns the gateway off and on and keeps your Wi-Fi name, password, and settings. A factory reset, done by holding the recessed Reset button, erases all of that and returns the gateway to its original settings. Save a reset for when AT&T support recommends it or a restart doesn't solve the problem.
Still not working?
- Check the lights. A Broadband light that isn't solid green after 10 minutes usually points to a line or service problem, not your Wi-Fi.
- Check the connections. Make sure the fiber or Ethernet cable from the wall is firmly connected, and don't bend fiber cables sharply.
- Test with a wired device. If a laptop on Ethernet works fine, the issue is Wi-Fi coverage. Our AT&T slow internet fixes can help.
- Ask about new equipment. Older gateways can struggle with today's speeds. Here's how to get a new router from AT&T.
Looking for a more reliable connection?
See fiber, cable and 5G options where you live and compare plans side by side.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take an AT&T gateway to restart?
AT&T says it can take up to 10 minutes for the gateway to restart and for the Broadband light to turn solid green.
Does restarting my AT&T router reset my Wi-Fi password?
No. A restart keeps your network name, password, and settings. Only a factory reset with the Reset button erases them.
Can I restart my AT&T gateway from my phone?
Yes, for compatible gateways. In Smart Home Manager, go to Network, then Home Network Hardware, select Wi-Fi Gateway, and choose Restart.