Reset Password for Alcatel SpeedTouch Pro

How to reset a forgotten password on your Alcatel SpeedTouch Home/Pro ADSL modem?

This document describes how you can reset a forgotten password on an Alcatel SpeedTouch Home/Pro ADSL modem.
Note: This is NOT the EXPERT password! This is the password you can configure (if you want) through the web interface of the modem, and that protects that interface from un-wanted intruders. The EXPERT password never changes and is depended on the MAC address of the modem. To get the EXPERT password follow Step #1 in the Upgrade from Alcatel SpeedTouch Home to Pro article.

Disclaimer & Warning

Messing with the software settings of your modem and/or messing with the registry or internal settings of your operating system can render your modem or operating system useless. Read the whole article and manual before you do any changes. Following these steps might work for you. It did for me and for many others, but that does not necessarily mean they will! I take no responsibility for anything bad that might happen to your OS or modem, and since you’re on your own – Do not ask me for help! It’s your modem!
Applying this hack will definitely VOID WARRANTY! If you are not experienced with tricks like these STOP NOW! Besides, some ISPs might stop supporting you if they find out that you messed up with your modem.

Setting the password

To configure the modem’s password in the first place, connect to the modem via the web interface on http://10.0.0.138.
You’ll get a screen like this one:
 
Go to the System Setup menu where you can set the password. Remember that the user’s name does not matter.
Apply and Save the changes.
Never use an obvious system password to protect the modem as your name, birth date, or phone number. Moreover, you are advised to change the system password regularly.
From now on you’ll need to enter this password whenever you want to connect to the modem’s web, telnet of FTP interface.

Resetting the forgotten password

You’ll have to disconnect from the ADSL service to configure the following settings, so maybe now’s a good time to print this screen.
In case you forgot the system password you are no longer able to access the web interface or the CLI and you will be no longer able to re-configure the modem settings.
If you want to reset the password and you still are in the web interface window (i.e. you didn’t disconnect from the web interface and you want to reset the password because you think you might not remember it), you can always go to the place where you’ve configured the password in the first place, erase the password, and apply and Save the changes.
But most of the time that’s not the case. Usually you’ll have a modem that has a password that you do not remember (or know), and here is where this guide will help you.
There are 3 ways in which you can reset the modem’s settings (along with the password):

  • Two local software methods: Browse-to-Defaults – Which sets all parameters to original defaults, but keeps the system password and IP address and Ping-to-Defaults – Which sets all parameters to original defaults, including the system password and IP address.
  • One hardware method: Switch-to-Defaults.

Note: Be careful when using the Browse-to-Defaults, Ping-to-Defaults, or the Switch-to-Defaults procedures as these destroy changes you previously made to the modem internal settings. A reset to defaults via a Ping-to-Defaults, or via a Switch-to-Defaults, also implies the modem’s IP address is reset to 10.0.0.138.


Also note that if you’re using a Pro modem that was converted from a Home model, resetting the modem will NOT revert the modem back to Home! To revert back to Home you’ll need to follow the instructions in the last paragraph of the Upgrade from Alcatel SpeedTouch Pro to 510 article.

Method #1 – Browse-to-Defaults

If you’re already logged onto the web interface, click the System Setup button and then click the Defaults button to reset the modem.
A warning will appear. Click Ok if you’re sure about resetting the modem.
 
Click Save All to save the changes. The modem will reset itself. After reset, all original configurations of the modem are restored, except the modem’s Ethernet IP address.

Method #2 – Ping-to-Defaults

A second software method to reset all settings to the original defaults is the Ping-to-Defaults.
Proceed as follows:

  1. Turn off the modem.
  2. Open a command-prompt (CMD.EXE in NT, W2K and XP, COMMAND.COM in Win98) window.
  3. First, clean the computer’s ARP cache:
​C:\WINDOWS>arp -d
  1. Add a static entry to the ARP cache, according to following syntax:
​C:\WINDOWS>arp -s  01-90-d0-80-01-ff

<any IP address> can be any address within your subnet as long as it is not used by any other member of your local network.
the MAC address must be identical to the one written here. Copy and paste if you can’t get it right.

  1. To verify whether this step was successful execute arp –a
​C:\WINDOWS>arp -a
Interface: 10.0.0.1 --- 0x4
Internet Address Physical Address Type
10.0.0.138 01-90-d0-80-01-ff static

(10.0.0.138 is used as an example).

  1. Initiate a continuous pinging, by executing following command:
​C:\WINDOWS>ping 10.0.0.138 -t
Pinging 10.0.0.138 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

… and so on …

  1. Turn on the modem.
  2. After the modem finished its POST, it will perform a reset to default settings.
  3. You can now stop the continuous ping by pressing CTRL-C.
  4. You must clear the entry in the ARP cache by issuing the following command:
​C:'WINDOWS>arp -d

If needed, reconfigure the mode’s IP address, e.g. via a Ping-of-Life – Set the Ethernet Port IP Address on Alcatel SpeedTouch Home/Pro.
Note: The used <any IP address> to perform a Ping-to-Defaults is not assimilated by your modem. The modem will restart with the original defaults, including the default IP address 10.0.0.38.

Method #3 – Switch-to-Defaults

At the back of the modem there is a small push button labeled “Defaults”. Via this button a hardware reset of the modem, the Switch-to-Defaults, is possible.
 
Proceed as follows:

  1. Make sure your modem is turned on.
  2. Use a pencil to press the push button at the back of the modem.
  3. Release the button. Via the flashing front panel LEDs, you will notice that the modem will reboot. Wait to allow the POST to end. The modem will come online with manufacturing defaults.

After a reset to original defaults a reconfiguration of modem’s IP address might be necessary. This because the reset to defaults also resets your modem’s IP address to its default value 10.0.0.138.