@Ralf11 

Yes and no.

Hard reset will reset ALL the settings to DEFAULT.

However, once you get into the router you can reset the SSID's and Passwords and any other changes you used before.

Sometimes it actually PAYS to back up the settings. So you can restore ALL later if you should have to do that.

You didn't mention the router you have but most of the times you can find it under ADVANCED -> SYSTEM TOOLS -> Backup and Restore. Otherwise, check your router manual.

@Ralf11 if I restore it from the backup, then I won't know how to login anymore, will I?

Ralf11 wrote

@Ralf11 if I restore it from the backup, then I won't know how to login anymore, will I?

@Ralf11 

If you can RESTORE your Backup, then you are IN the GUI of the router, hence you know your Login info!

Did I misunderstand your original question?

Either that or your meant something else, like the WIRELESS PASSWORD? If so, there are utilities that can discover that for you I recall.

@Ralf11 I do the following steps:

1. Hard reset using the manual button the router

2. router now has default u/name * pword

3. I then restore the backup file

How would I then know the Original (not default) password and username??

or is step 3 possible after 1 & 2??

Ralf11 wrote

 

How would I then know the Original (not default) password and username??

 

@Ralf11 

That is on the label on the bottom of the router, the one you used for INITIAL setup. I'll assume you did that, not that this is a used router from someone else?

@Ralf11 my Original (not default) password???

Ralf11 wrote

@Ralf11 my Original (not default) password???

@Ralf11 

It should be the ORIGINAL one on the LABEL... you should see the USERID and PASSWORD on it but those are for the SSID's. The link to access the router will use your TP-LINK USERID. Lost that, then you'll probably need to contact Support.