3com ADSL Modem Router Reset

I am using a 3com ADSL modem router model 3CRWE754G72-A and WINXP SP2 as the
OS. Occasionally I have need to reset the device by disconnecting the power
(hardware reset) when it fails to connect. Recently I lost connection to my
ISP but the device did not reset by disconnecting and reconnecting the power
supply as usual. I did manage to reset the device and reconnect to the ISP
by resetting through the router setup program (a software reset). Note:
hardware and software reset is my terminology

Can anyone advise the difference between resetting by powering down and
resetting through the setup program?

"Edward W. Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:O%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am using a 3com ADSL modem router model 3CRWE754G72-A and WINXP SP2 as
>the OS. Occasionally I have need to reset the device by disconnecting the
>power (hardware reset) when it fails to connect. Recently I lost connection
>to my ISP but the device did not reset by disconnecting and reconnecting
>the power supply as usual. I did manage to reset the device and reconnect
>to the ISP by resetting through the router setup program (a software
>reset). Note: hardware and software reset is my terminology
>
> Can anyone advise the difference between resetting by powering down and
> resetting through the setup program?
resetting by powering down does a hardware reset. reset through the setup
program does a software reset (probably, unless it can force a power down
and restart).

hardware resets clear any settings or data not saved in non-volatile memory.
software resets may or may not clear everything in non-volatile memory, it
depends on how good the software and hardware designers were.

I have the same router and the same problem although in my case it is much
more than occasional! Hardware resets are much faster however software
resets can be performed wirelessly which is the only advantage that I can
see. As far as I am concerned this router is absolute trash (as was their
wireless USB adaptor) and I will soon be replacing it. Under no
circumstances will I buy anything branded 3Com again.
"Edward W. Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:O%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am using a 3com ADSL modem router model 3CRWE754G72-A and WINXP SP2 as
>the OS. Occasionally I have need to reset the device by disconnecting the
>power (hardware reset) when it fails to connect. Recently I lost connection
>to my ISP but the device did not reset by disconnecting and reconnecting
>the power supply as usual. I did manage to reset the device and reconnect
>to the ISP by resetting through the router setup program (a software
>reset). Note: hardware and software reset is my terminology
>
> Can anyone advise the difference between resetting by powering down and
> resetting through the setup program?
>

"M" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have the same router and the same problem although in my case it is much
>more than occasional! Hardware resets are much faster however software
>resets can be performed wirelessly which is the only advantage that I can
>see. As far as I am concerned this router is absolute trash (as was their
>wireless USB adaptor) and I will soon be replacing it. Under no
>circumstances will I buy anything branded 3Com again.
> "Edward W. Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:O%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am using a 3com ADSL modem router model 3CRWE754G72-A and WINXP SP2 as
>>the OS. Occasionally I have need to reset the device by disconnecting the
>>power (hardware reset) when it fails to connect. Recently I lost
>>connection to my ISP but the device did not reset by disconnecting and
>>reconnecting the power supply as usual. I did manage to reset the device
>>and reconnect to the ISP by resetting through the router setup program (a
>>software reset). Note: hardware and software reset is my terminology
>>
>> Can anyone advise the difference between resetting by powering down and
>> resetting through the setup program?
>>
I wouldn't know whether the router is 'trash' or not as this is the first
router I have owned. I think I have reset by powering down at intervals not
less than every couple of months which is not a great inconvenience. I have
no way of knowing whether other manufacurers' devices would be any better in
this respect. Other than that minor inconvenience and the more recent
problem when a hardware reset did not re-eneble the device, it has worked as
designed, perhaps more correctly it has done all I require of it.

With respect to my original post, I assume there must be some difference
between resetting by powering down and resetting by means of the setup
program (software reset), other than powering down is quicker, as the
software reset 'fixed' the problem whereas powering down (countless times
plus cold rebooting) did not.