Spectrum is an American company, based in Stamford, Connecticut. It provides telephone, internet, and television services. It was founded in 1999 (under the name Charter Communications, and since 2014 it bears its current name). This company currently has more than 30 million customers and almost 100,000 employees.
If you are a user of the services provided by Spectrum or intend to become one in the future, this article will be of great use to you. We will show you how to reset the modem. Also, we will explain the difference between reset and reboot. Although these two terms are often thought to refer to the same thing and used interchangeably, they are not the same things. You will find all the explanations in the article below.
CONTENTS
What is a Modem Reset?
When resetting, the modem returns to its default settings. This means that all the existing settings entered by the user (Wi-Fi password, network name, static IP address…) will be deleted and returned to the factory default settings. Resetting is also called “hard reset”.
The modem needs to be reset in the following situations:
- When you notice that your internet connection is not working properly.
- When you forget your password or some other settings you entered.
Note: If you have custom settings, it is useful to know that you can back them up before you begin the reset process, and then you can restore them after the reset.
What is a Modem Restart?
Restart (The terms reboot, power cycle, soft reset, and restart are the same thing) is a very simple procedure and involves disconnecting the modem from the power source (or just turning it off and back on). It also applies to other devices: routers, desktop computers, laptops, telephones.
Recommended reading:
- Spectrum Router Blinking Blue: What is it and How to Fix it?
- What Modems Are Compatible With Spectrum?
- Spectrum Router Red Light: What Does It Mean and a Solution
Restarting does not affect any custom settings – it will not reset the modem to factory settings, nor will it reset the credentials you set, such as network name, password, or anything else. It is done when the internet is not working at full speed or when you have any other connection problem.
Even when everything is working properly, it is advisable to perform this procedure once a month.
The Difference Between Resetting and Restarting a Modem
As you saw in the previous section, reset and restart are not the same things and should not be mixed. Let’s summarize:
- A reset deletes all the existing settings and returns all values to the defaults – it is most often used when the password is forgotten (We can say that the reset returns the modem to the same state as when it was new).
- Restart only involves disconnecting from the power source and reconnecting – it does not delete or change the settings to factory defaults.
How to Reset Spectrum Modem?
At the very beginning, find the button located on the back of the modem.
When you find it, press and hold it for at least 15 seconds. (The button is very small and you will need to use a paper clip or a pencil tip to press it).
The device will restart itself.
That’s the whole process, all the settings on your modem have been deleted and reset to default.
Conclusion
Finally, we can conclude that it is very important to know how to reset Spectrum modem, especially when you forget the password (for this reason we suggest that passwords be something important to you, something you cannot forget). It is also important to know the difference between resetting and restarting so that you know when one of these two procedures can help you.
Hey, I’m Jeremy Clifford. I hold a bachelor’s degree in information systems, and I’m a certified network specialist. I worked for several internet providers in LA, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle over the past 21 years.
I worked as a customer service operator, field technician, network engineer, and network specialist. During my career in networking, I’ve come across numerous modems, gateways, routers, and other networking hardware. I’ve installed network equipment, fixed it, designed and administrated networks, etc.
Networking is my passion, and I’m eager to share everything I know with you. On this website, you can read my modem and router reviews, as well as various how-to guides designed to help you solve your network problems. I want to liberate you from the fear that most users feel when they have to deal with modem and router settings.
My favorite free-time activities are gaming, movie-watching, and cooking. I also enjoy fishing, although I’m not good at it. What I’m good at is annoying David when we are fishing together. Apparently, you’re not supposed to talk or laugh while fishing – it scares the fishes.