Why regularly restarting your router matters
Experts recommend rebooting your home router about once a month to improve internet speed and guard against security threats. The process takes only a couple of minutes but can noticeably improve connection quality.
Home routers run around the clock, managing network traffic for dozens of devices — from phones and laptops to smart TVs and other connected gadgets. Yet most people rarely think about their router until something goes wrong.
A router is essentially a small computer with a processor and memory, and over time that memory fills up with accumulated data, which can degrade performance. Restarting it regularly — ideally once a month — clears the memory, refreshes the connection with the internet provider, and lets the router pick less congested Wi-Fi channels. The result is fewer dropped connections, less buffering while streaming, and more consistent speeds.
A security measure too
Rebooting also matters for security. Both the US National Security Agency (NSA) and the FBI recommend regular router restarts as a baseline security practice, since it can disrupt certain types of malware and clear out suspicious temporary connections. The NSA suggests weekly reboots for routers, smartphones and computers, while the FBI recommends doing so whenever something suspicious is noticed.
It's worth noting that a reboot is not the same as a factory reset. A reboot simply turns the device off and on while keeping all settings intact, whereas a factory reset wipes everything, including the network name and password, back to default.
How to do it
The process is simple: unplug the router, wait 30 seconds to a minute for the memory to fully clear, then plug it back in. If there's a separate modem, it's worth rebooting that as well. Many modern routers allow scheduling automatic reboots through their settings app, and it's also recommended to enable automatic firmware updates to patch security flaws.
Signs that a router needs a reboot include slower-than-usual internet speed, spotty Wi-Fi that keeps dropping, and devices repeatedly falling off the network.
