When the internet goes down, the fastest fix is not guessing. Work through a short order of checks so you can tell whether the problem is one device, Wi-Fi, router hardware, the modem or ONT, or the provider.
Does this affect you?
Use this for any home internet connection when pages stop loading, Wi-Fi says connected but nothing works, router lights look wrong, or every device suddenly loses access.
Work through the checklist in order
Each step rules out a different cause.
- Try another device. If one phone or laptop fails but everything else works, troubleshoot that device instead of the internet service.
- Check modem, ONT, and router lights. A red or off Internet, WAN, Online, Cable, DSL, Fiber, or PON light usually points to provider signal or line trouble.
- Restart the equipment properly. Unplug modem/ONT and router power, wait 60 seconds, plug the modem or ONT back in first, wait for its lights to stabilize, then plug the router back in.
- Reseat the physical cables. Tighten coax, fiber handoff, Ethernet, and power connections at the wall and equipment.
- Use mobile data to check your provider outage map or status page. If there is a known outage, waiting for restoration is the only real fix.
- Ask a nearby neighbor using the same provider if their service is down too. A shared outage points away from your equipment.
- If possible, connect a computer directly to the modem with Ethernet, bypassing the router. If that works, focus on the router or Wi-Fi.
- Call the provider if none of the steps restores service, and tell support you already restarted equipment, checked cables, and checked for outages.
Read the pattern
The symptom can shorten the search next time.
- Internet/WAN light red or off: restart once, then escalate if it stays wrong. This often means provider or line trouble.
- All equipment lights normal but no websites load: try another device, DNS settings, and direct Ethernet to isolate router versus device trouble.
- Ethernet works but Wi-Fi does not: the internet connection is alive; troubleshoot wireless settings, router placement, or Wi-Fi hardware.
- Slow only during evenings: this is more likely congestion or plan capacity than a true outage.
More control
Do not factory reset too early
A factory reset erases custom Wi-Fi names, passwords, port forwards, and provider settings on some gateways. Use normal power cycling and cable checks before resetting.
Take photos of lights before calling
Support can often diagnose faster if you can describe which light is red, blinking, or off. A quick photo helps if the pattern changes while waiting.
Sources
- FCC Consumer Guide – Wireless Network Troubleshooting (2024)
- Federal Trade Commission – Understanding Internet Speeds (2024)
- Netgear Support – Router Troubleshooting Basics (2025)