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How to Tell Whether Your Internet Is Down or a Website Is Unavailable

Compare other websites, browsers, devices, and networks to narrow down whether a failed page points to your connection or a problem with one service.
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Try a few unrelated websites, then compare another browser, device, or network. If several sites fail on several devices using the same home connection, check your router, modem, and internet provider. If only one site fails, check its official status information and try it from another network. These tests narrow down the likely cause; no single check proves that a website or the internet is down everywhere.

Start by checking what is failing

A device showing that it is connected to Wi-Fi does not necessarily have working internet access. It may be connected to the router while the router has lost its connection to the provider, or the problem may affect only a particular website, browser, app, device, or route to the site.

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Work from the simplest checks toward the wider network. Confirm the address, try other sites, and compare browsers, devices, and networks. Change one thing at a time where possible, so each result tells you something. A failed page is a symptom, not a diagnosis.

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Use the pattern, not one failed page

Pay attention to scope: one site or several unrelated sites; one device or several; one browser or multiple; home Wi-Fi only or another connection too. These comparisons help separate a site-specific problem from a local device or shared network problem. They do not establish with certainty that a service is globally unavailable, because results can vary by location, provider, DNS resolver, or network policy.

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Follow this troubleshooting sequence

1. Verify the URL and retry once

  1. Check the spelling of the address, including the domain ending and any path after the domain.
  2. Reload the page once. If you reached it through a link, try entering the site’s main address directly.

This can rule out a mistyped address or a temporary loading failure before you change settings. If the same page still fails, continue rather than repeatedly reloading it.

2. Try at least two unrelated websites

Open two or more familiar sites that are unrelated to the one that failed. Google Chrome Help gives the same basic distinction: “Check if the issue only affects one website or multiple websites. If the issue affects multiple websites, check your internet connection.”

  • Other sites load: Your general internet path is working at least partly. The original site, app, a browser setting, a network rule, or the route used to reach that service may be involved.
  • Several unrelated sites fail: The cause may be on your device, local network, router or modem, or provider connection. Continue with the comparisons below.

A working site does not prove that every online service is reachable, and several failures do not prove that your provider is at fault. The result is a useful first division, not a final verdict.

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3. Compare another browser, then another device

  1. On the same device and network, open the affected site in a different browser, if one is available.
  2. If it still fails, try another device connected to the same Wi-Fi or wired network.
  • It works in another browser: Focus on the first browser’s settings, extensions, cookies, or security software. Avoid changing the router or provider settings until you have checked the browser-specific difference.
  • It fails in every browser on one device, but works on another device: Focus on the affected device. Check that Wi-Fi is enabled, airplane mode is off, and any VPN, firewall, antivirus, or network configuration is not interfering.
  • It fails on several devices on the same network: A shared cause—such as the router, modem, network configuration, or provider connection—becomes more plausible.

When possible, test the same address in each comparison. If you test different pages or apps, the results may not distinguish a network problem from a service-specific one.

4. Compare Wi-Fi with a wired connection

If you have a compatible device and an Ethernet cable, connect it to the router and test the same site. This is an optional diagnostic comparison, not a required purchase.

  • Ethernet works but Wi-Fi does not: The wireless part of the connection is implicated. The comparison does not identify the exact wireless cause.
  • Neither Ethernet nor Wi-Fi works: Continue checking the upstream connection, equipment, and provider; a Wi-Fi-only explanation is less likely.

A wired test cannot tell you whether a particular website is down, and it will not fix a provider outage. Do not replace a router or modem based only on one failed webpage.

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5. Test from an independent network

If available, turn off Wi-Fi on a phone and try the site using mobile data, or use another genuinely separate connection. Confirm that the device is actually using that network before drawing conclusions.

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  • The site works on the other network: Your home network, provider path, or DNS resolver becomes more plausible as part of the problem.
  • The site fails on more than one network: A site-side issue becomes more plausible, particularly if other sites work on both connections.

Neither outcome proves the cause. Different networks can share dependencies, and a site may be unavailable only in a region or on part of its infrastructure. A result from one phone or one outside connection is evidence about that route, not proof of a universal outage.

6. Check official status information and equipment

For a one-site problem, look for that service’s official status information. For a problem affecting several devices and unrelated sites on your home connection, check your provider’s official outage page or app from a working connection, such as mobile data.

Also check that the router and modem have power and that their physical connections are secure. Note what their indicator lights are doing, but do not treat one light—or the absence of an obvious warning—as proof. Microsoft Support notes that when a device can reach the router but not the internet, the modem or internet provider may be involved. Mozilla Support also cautions that a provider problem can exist even when modem or router indicators do not show an error.

If multiple devices and sites are affected and the provider reports no incident, contact provider support. Give them the time the problem began, the devices affected, the exact error text, whether Ethernet works, and the checks you have already tried. That information helps distinguish a device issue from a shared connection problem.

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Make each comparison informative

Keep the test as consistent as practical: use the same URL, note the browser or app, and record which device and network you used. Then change one variable. For example, if the site fails in one browser, try the same page in another browser before switching networks. If it fails on several devices connected to the same Wi-Fi, compare with mobile data or Ethernet if available. This makes it easier to see whether the difference follows the browser, device, or network.

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Do not treat a successful test as proof that every part of the connection is healthy. A familiar site may load while another site cannot be reached, and an app may fail while its website works. That points to partial connectivity or a service-specific difference, not necessarily a complete internet outage. Likewise, a test on mobile data says something about the mobile route, not the home provider’s entire network.

Results can disagree without any test being wrong. A site can have a regional or partial problem; networks can use different providers or DNS resolvers; and network policies can affect which destinations are reachable. If you can, repeat a comparison once with the same address and carefully check which connection is active. If results remain mixed, report the pattern to the site or provider rather than forcing a certain diagnosis.

What browser errors can—and cannot—tell you

Error wording can point to the next useful check, but it rarely identifies the responsible party by itself. Chrome’s documented messages illustrate why: similar symptoms can arise at different points between your device and the site.

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Message What it suggests Useful next comparison
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED The hostname could not be resolved; Chrome documents that the hostname may not exist or may have a different IP address. Check the spelling of the address, try other sites, and compare another browser or network. The message alone does not identify which DNS layer is responsible.
ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED The device is not connected to the internet. Check the device’s connection and whether other sites work. Compare another device on the same network to see whether the symptom is local or shared.
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT The connection took too long. Chrome notes this can happen when the connection is too slow or the page is too busy. Try other sites and compare another network. A timeout does not, on its own, show whether the site or your connection is responsible.
ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Something interrupted the connection. Chrome lists possibilities including an unstable connection, VPN, outdated browser, or security software. Compare browsers and devices; if the failure is limited to one device, check its VPN and security settings.

Use the wording as a clue for your next test, not as proof that the website is down for everyone. A hostname error points toward name resolution, for example, but does not establish whether the issue lies with the address, a resolver, a network, or the service.

How to interpret the overall results

Observed pattern More plausible areas to investigate Next move
One site fails; unrelated sites load on the same device. The site, its route, the browser or app, or a network rule. Verify the address, compare browsers, check the site’s official status, and test another network.
Several sites fail in one browser; another browser works. Settings, extensions, cookies, or security software in the first browser. Investigate the browser-specific differences before changing network equipment.
Several sites fail on one device; other devices on the same network work. The affected device’s connection or configuration. Check its Wi-Fi state, airplane mode, VPN, firewall, antivirus, and network settings.
Several unrelated sites fail on multiple devices using the same home network. A shared network, router or modem, or provider connection. Check provider status and equipment; compare Ethernet with Wi-Fi if possible.
Wi-Fi fails but Ethernet works. The wireless segment of the connection. Focus on the Wi-Fi connection rather than treating the result as evidence of a site outage.
The site fails from multiple independent networks, while other sites load. A site-side or regional/partial issue becomes more plausible. Check the service’s official status information; the test still does not establish a global outage.

These are troubleshooting directions, not certain diagnoses. Local symptoms can look alike even when the cause differs, which is why the comparison between sites, devices, browsers, and networks matters more than any single error or indicator.

When to contact the site or your provider

Contact the site’s support when the evidence is site-specific

If unrelated sites work, the affected site fails in more than one browser, and the issue appears on more than one network, check the site’s official status channel and contact its support if needed. Include the exact address, error text, time of the failure, and the networks or devices you tested. A failure on multiple networks makes a site-side issue more plausible, but it does not establish that the site is unavailable to everyone.

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Contact your provider when the shared connection is affected

If several unrelated sites fail across devices on your home network, check the provider’s current status channel using a connection that still works. If no incident is reported and the problem persists, contact provider support with the start time, affected devices, wired-versus-Wi-Fi result, exact error, equipment observations, and checks completed. A status page can be useful, but its result is not a substitute for reporting a persistent connection problem.

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DNS checks are diagnostic, not a universal fix

DNS translates website names into IP addresses. If a DNS server or another part of the name-resolution path has a problem, a site name may fail to load even when the device appears connected. Mozilla Support describes DNS as a possible cause when names cannot be loaded, but a name-resolution error does not prove that changing DNS settings is appropriate. First compare the address, other sites, browsers, devices, and networks; those tests help show whether the symptom is isolated or shared.

Likewise, a VPN or security tool is worth checking when the failure is limited to one device or when the error points to an interrupted connection. Do not disable protections broadly or make multiple configuration changes at once. If a targeted comparison changes the result, restore settings you do not intend to change and seek help from the relevant service or provider.

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What a quick check can establish

  • If several unrelated websites work, the internet connection is functioning at least partly; the original site or one route to it may still be failing.
  • If only one browser or device fails, investigate that browser or device before changing shared network equipment.
  • If several devices and sites fail on one home connection, investigate the shared network and provider connection.
  • If a site works on a separate network, the home network path becomes more plausible; if it fails across separate networks, a site-side issue becomes more plausible.
  • Official site and provider status channels are the appropriate places to check for current incidents; general browser and operating-system guidance is not live outage reporting.

Guidance in Google Chrome Help, “Fix connection and loading errors in Chrome,” Microsoft Support, and Mozilla Support, checked October 13, 2026, is general troubleshooting guidance, not live status for a particular website or internet provider. Check the relevant organization’s current official status information for an active incident.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my internet is down or just one website?

Try at least two unrelated websites. If they load, your internet path is working at least partly and the original site, app, browser, network rule, or route may be involved. If several sites fail, compare another browser and device on the same network, then check an independent connection if available. These tests narrow the cause but do not prove a global outage.

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Why does Wi-Fi say connected when websites will not load?

Wi-Fi connection indicates that your device is connected to the router; it does not guarantee that the router can reach the internet through your provider. Try other sites and another device on the same network. If several devices and unrelated sites fail, check the router, modem, and provider status.

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What does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED mean?

Chrome uses this message when a hostname cannot be resolved; its documented possibilities include a hostname that does not exist or has a different IP address. Check the URL spelling and compare other sites, browsers, or networks. The message does not identify which part of name resolution is responsible.

If a website fails on mobile data too, is the site definitely down?

No. Failure on more than one independent network makes a site-side problem more plausible, especially if other sites work, but it is not definitive. The service could have a regional or partial failure, and networks may share dependencies. Check the site’s official status information.

Should I change my DNS settings when one website will not load?

Not as a universal first step. DNS translates website names into IP addresses, and a name-resolution issue is one possible cause, but the error alone does not show that changing resolvers is appropriate. First verify the address and compare other sites, browsers, devices, and networks.

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When should I contact my internet provider?

Contact your provider if several unrelated sites fail on multiple devices using the same home connection, particularly after checking equipment and the provider’s official status information. Share when the issue began, affected devices, exact error text, whether Ethernet works, equipment observations, and tests already performed.

The Bottom Line

Compare sites first, then browsers, devices, and networks. Several failures across devices on one home connection point toward a shared network or provider issue; one-site failures call for a URL check, another network, and the service’s status channel. Treat every result as evidence, not proof, and use the exact pattern and error when asking the site or provider for help.

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