How to fix internet outages

You flip open your laptop, ready for a productive day. Or, you power on your smart TV to watch Criminal Minds with your CBS All Access free trial. But instead, you’re met with an ugly error message telling you there is no internet connection. 

Whether the internet at your home goes out once a month, or once a week, it’s never a good time to have your online plans derailed. No matter when a Wi-Fi interruption strikes, we’ll show you what might be causing an internet outage in your area and how to troubleshoot it.

Common reasons your internet is down

If the internet or Wi-Fi isn’t working at your home, check these typical offenders off your list before deep-diving into more complicated solutions. Remember that Occam’s razor states “of two competing theories, the simpler explanation of an entity is to be preferred,” or in other words, the most simple solution is typically the correct one. 

Here are the four most likely reasons your internet isn’t working:

• There’s an issue with your internet equipment: Your equipment may have loose connections, be placed in a blocked area or need a firmware update.
• Your Wi-Fi signal is compromised: A hacker may have gained access to your equipment if it slows down considerably, strange software is loading on your system or your browser goes to the same page whenever you try to change it.
• The website you are visiting is down: You may simply be trying to visit a site with issues. Try another site to see if this is a consistent issue before resetting your own equipment.
• Your internet service provider (ISP) is experiencing an outage: Your internet may be out because your ISP is actually having an outage, meaning the service is cut off until they sort out the issue. Most ISPs have a text or app alert system you can sign up for to keep alerted to any issues.

Troubleshoot your internet outage

Keep in mind that each of the issues above may be caused by multiple factors, so you might have to try more than one fix before finding the issue with your internet connection. Here are our suggestions for how to fix several different types of internet outages.

• Internet equipment issues: Equipment is the most common cause for an internet outage. Solving an issue with your internet equipment may be as simple as rebooting your modem or checking to make sure your power cords are securely plugged in. To reboot your modem, simply unplug the modem, wait a few seconds and then plug it back in. You’ll see the lights on your modem switch on to green after a few minutes to indicate your modem is correctly connected to the internet again. Also, check the connections between your modem to your router and equipment to the power outlet. Updating your firmware and scanning for viruses is another way to solve equipment issues.
• Poor Wi-Fi connection: A poor Wi-Fi connection might be solved by disconnecting extra devices overloading your home internet bandwidth or by moving your Wi-Fi router to a new physical location. For instance, if you aren’t using your smartphone or tablet, you can just switch your Wi-Fi off on those devices to help boost your Wi-Fi connection for those devices you are currently using. 
• The website you are visiting is down: Your internet is working, but the website you want to visit is having technical difficulties, such as a 500 Internal Server Error or a 504 gateway timeout error.  If this happens, try refreshing the page or re-visiting the page in a couple of hours. 
• Your ISP is experiencing an outage: If you have tried all the steps above and you still have no internet access, then the issue might be with your ISP. It is worth calling your provider’s customer support team to find out what the issue is and how long it will take to get you back online.
• Ethernet cables: Try connecting your router and computer via an Ethernet cable to improve your performance.
• Overheating: Ensure your router is in a clear space, free of obstacles that may cause it to overheat, which will slow down performance.
• Distance from router: If your router is against a brick wall or in a corner, it could impede performance. Place your router in an open, central part of your home.

Why is my internet service provider down?

An internet outage at your home may be a direct result of an issue with your ISP. Though rare, here are the most common problems that can affect your internet supplier.

The top five reasons your ISP might be experiencing an internet outage:

1. Standard maintenance or ISP equipment malfunction
2. Bad weather/natural disasters
3. Network congestion
4. Regional power outage
5. Human error/cyber attacks (hacking)

Most ISPs have a way to notify you if the internet is out in your area. Of course, you may only be able to access that info through your smartphone’s data plan, so it’s a good idea to download your ISP’s app ahead of time. 

It may also be helpful to check local message boards, such as Nextdoor, to see if your neighbors are also experiencing internet issues. Or, you can type in your provider at downdetector.com for real-time updates on reported outages. 

And if you are having frequent outages in your area, it may be time to shop around for a more reliable internet provider in your area. 

Life hacks for when your internet is down

Have a report that is due ASAP and don’t have time to troubleshoot? We’ve all been there. If you need internet access like yesterday, here are a couple of speedy solutions to get you connected again instantly. 

• Use your smartphone — Connect to your mobile network using your data plan (rather than a Wi-Fi signal). Most websites are mobile-friendly nowadays. So, just switch off your phone’s Wi-Fi and start getting things done on your mini-computer, aka your cellphone. 
• Turn your smartphone into a mobile hotspot — If it’s necessary to use your laptop to complete your online activities, your cellphone can still be your saving grace. Many cellphone plans include a mobile hotspot option already.
• Find a public hotspot — Save the troubleshooting for later and get to another location where you can connect to Wi-Fi. Check with your internet provider to see where your ISP offers free hotspots, plus other public spots that typically offer Wi-Fi access.

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