Wi-Fi & internet not working

When the internet goes out or Wi-Fi keeps dropping, a handful of steps fixes most of it — and tells you whether the problem is your own equipment or your provider.

Restart your equipment (fixes most outages)

1. Unplug both the modem and the router (or the single box, if they're combined).
2. Wait 60 seconds.
3. Plug the modem back in first and let its lights settle (about 2 minutes), then the router.
4. Test again.

Is it one device or all of them?

If only one device is offline, the problem is that device: turn its Wi-Fi off and back on, "forget" the network and reconnect with the password, and restart it. If everything is offline, it's the router or your provider.

Weak or dropping Wi-Fi

• Move closer to the router or reduce what's in the way (thick walls, metal, a microwave in use).
• Many devices do better on the 2.4 GHz network for range and 5 GHz for speed up close.
• If it fades over days, rebooting the router on a schedule can help.

Check for a provider outage

On your phone using cellular data (not Wi-Fi), check your internet provider's outage page or app. If they report an outage in your area, no home fix will help — it's on them.

Still stuck

Slow speeds that never recover, a router that's due for replacement, or coverage gaps that need a mesh setup are all worth a hands-on look. Get in line and I'll sort it out.

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