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Start by checking whether the failure affects several devices, then check your provider’s outage page before repeatedly resetting equipment. Confirm power and cables, follow the restart sequence for your exact modem, router or fiber equipment, test again, and report the fault even when no outage is listed. Keep a timeline, tell support about work, healthcare, alarm or vulnerable-person impacts, and use a mobile hotspot only as a conditional backup.
This checklist applies to home broadband and Wi-Fi. Menus, equipment and remedies vary by provider, connection technology and country, so use your provider’s current instructions for the final diagnosis.
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1. Establish what is actually offline
Test more than one device
Check a phone, laptop, television or another device. If only one device cannot connect while others work, the shared internet connection may be operating; concentrate on that device’s Wi-Fi, airplane-mode, network-selection or network-settings problem. If several devices fail at the same time, a shared router, modem, fiber connection or provider fault becomes more likely. These are useful diagnostic clues, not proof: a status page can lag an emerging outage, and router-light meanings are not universal.
Separate Wi-Fi from the internet connection
A device can show that it is connected to the home Wi-Fi network while still having no internet access. Test more than one website or online service after each repair step. If every device reaches the router but none reaches the internet, continue with the provider and equipment checks below rather than repeatedly changing one device’s settings.
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Check whether the failure is complete or intermittent
Note whether pages fail continuously, load slowly, or drop for short periods. An intermittent fault can be missed by a single test. Record the approximate start time, each interruption’s duration, and which services were running. This pattern helps support distinguish a continuing outage from a local wireless problem.
2. Check the provider before resetting anything
Use the official status page, app or support line
Look for a service-status notice in the provider’s app or website, or call its support number. A declared local outage explains why changing Wi-Fi settings will not help. However, an empty status page does not establish that the network is healthy: Ofcom advises customers to report a fault because the provider may not know about it yet. Ofcom’s broadband and Wi-Fi guidance is UK consumer advice; providers in other countries use different processes.
Record the status result
Write down the time you checked, the exact message shown, any incident number and any restoration estimate. Take a screenshot if the notice may disappear. This gives support a precise starting point and prevents you from repeating the same checks during a long incident.
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Do not assume a posted estimate is a guarantee
Restoration times can change as crews identify the cause or gain access to damaged equipment. Ask how updates will arrive—text, email, app notification or a call—and when the next update is expected. If the estimate passes, contact support again with your case number rather than opening multiple unrelated cases.
3. Check power, connections and the fiber box
Inspect every powered component
- Confirm that the modem or gateway and router have power.
- If you use separate equipment, check both power adapters and the cable between them.
- For fiber service, check that the optical network terminal (ONT), sometimes called the fiber connection box, is powered.
- Check that Ethernet, coaxial, DSL or fiber cables are fully seated and have not been bent, crushed or pulled loose.
- If you use mesh nodes or Wi-Fi boosters, confirm that the primary unit is online before troubleshooting satellite units.
Ofcom includes routers, mesh or booster equipment and the ONT in its initial checks. Do not infer a universal fault from a particular indicator color; manufacturers and providers use different light schemes.
Consider a simultaneous power failure
If the house or neighborhood also lost electricity, internet-dependent voice and connected services may be unavailable. A battery backup can keep equipment powered only if the equipment and local network still have service. Check your provider’s arrangements before assuming that a home battery guarantees calling or telecare access.
Keep the inspection safe
Do not open a modem, ONT or other powered equipment, handle damaged cables, or move hardware in a wet area. If a cable or power adapter looks scorched or broken, disconnect it only if safe and tell the provider. A provider may need to replace equipment or send a technician, and forcing a connector can create a separate chargeable damage issue.
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4. Restart equipment safely
Restarting removes temporary state; it is not the same as a factory reset. A factory reset can erase Wi-Fi names, passwords and provider configuration, so do not perform one unless your provider specifically instructs you.
Use the sequence for your equipment
Provider instructions differ, particularly between cable, DSL and fiber installations. Follow the support page for your model instead of combining steps from different companies.
| Example guidance | What it says | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T gateway restart instructions | Unplug power, wait 20 seconds, reconnect, then allow up to five minutes for the restart. | The restart interrupts services that use the gateway, including internet-dependent phone and TV service. |
| Spectrum outage and troubleshooting guidance | Check outage status first and use its instructions for separate modem and router equipment. | It warns customers not to manually troubleshoot fiber equipment. |
General restart procedure when your provider permits it
- Stop downloads, video calls and other sessions that could be interrupted.
- Use the provider’s specified power control. Do not press a recessed reset button unless instructed.
- Wait the full interval in the provider’s instructions; for the AT&T example, that is 20 seconds unplugged.
- Reconnect power and wait for the complete startup period. Some services can take several minutes; the AT&T instructions allow up to five.
- If you have separate modem and router units, follow the provider’s stated order and wait until the first unit is ready before starting the next.
- Test two websites and more than one device.
Do not open, unplug or manually reconfigure fiber hardware when the provider tells customers not to troubleshoot it. Arrange support instead.
5. Decide whether the fault is provider-side, home-network or device-specific
| What you observe | Most useful next action | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Several devices fail at once and the provider lists an incident | Report or confirm the outage, request an update method and wait for the stated restoration process. | It does not tell you how long repair will take. |
| Several devices fail, but no incident is listed | Check power and cables, perform the approved restart, then report the fault with the start time. | A blank status page does not rule out a new or unlisted provider fault. |
| Only one device fails while others work | Restart that device’s Wi-Fi connection, check airplane mode and test another network if available. | It does not establish that the device itself is defective. |
| Wi-Fi remains visible but websites fail on every device | Check the modem, gateway or ONT and contact the provider after the approved restart. | The Wi-Fi radio can remain active even when the internet link is down. |
This table is a triage aid, not a substitute for provider diagnostics. The network can have partial failures, and a local equipment problem can happen at the same time as a wider incident.
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Use wired testing only when practical
If your provider supports Ethernet testing and you have a suitable cable, testing one computer directly at the router can help separate a wireless coverage issue from a broader connection problem. Do not bypass or reconfigure an ONT, managed gateway or provider-installed hardware unless the provider’s instructions specifically allow it. A wired success does not prove that the provider is fault-free; it can indicate that the remaining problem is Wi-Fi coverage, mesh placement or device settings.
6. Report the outage with a useful evidence record
Tell support exactly what happened
Give the provider:
- The date and time the problem began.
- Whether the loss is constant or intermittent, and interruption times and durations when you can record them.
- Which devices and services are affected.
- Whether the status page showed an incident.
- Power, cable and restart checks already completed.
- Your account, service address and any case number requested through the provider’s normal support channel.
Ofcom specifically recommends reporting when the fault began, whether it is intermittent and what checks you tried. Save chat transcripts, emails, outage alerts and promised restoration times.
Explain safety and priority impacts
Tell the provider if the outage stops work, study or essential online tasks, or affects a healthcare device, alarm, telecare equipment or a vulnerable household member. Priority repair or additional support may be available depending on the provider and circumstances; do not assume eligibility without asking.
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Ask about charges before accepting work
If support proposes a replacement, home visit or other intervention, ask whether it could be chargeable and under what conditions. Record the answer before agreeing. A provider’s terms and responsibility for inside wiring or customer equipment differ by service.
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Useful questions include: Is there a known incident for my address? Is the fault in the access network, the drop line, the ONT, the gateway or my inside wiring? What is the case number? When is the next update? Will a technician, replacement or missed appointment carry a fee? Which services, including voice or television, may remain unavailable while the repair is underway?
7. Keep working with a temporary connection
Use phone tethering or a mobile hotspot
A hotspot-enabled phone or dedicated mobile hotspot can share a cellular data connection with several devices. It helps only when mobile coverage, your plan’s data and hotspot allowance, device compatibility and battery capacity are sufficient. It does not repair the fixed broadband line, and a mobile network can be affected by the same regional emergency.
For a short interruption, reduce video quality, pause cloud backups and connect only essential devices to conserve data and battery. Keep the phone or hotspot charged and avoid placing it where cellular reception is poor. Check whether your plan treats tethering differently from ordinary phone data, and stop large updates that could exhaust the allowance.
Evaluate a separate home-backup service
Some providers describe a second, cellular-based home connection for customers whose primary service fails. For example, the T-Mobile Home Internet FAQ describes a Home Internet Backup option and notes that its gateway needs backup power to remain connected during a power outage. Eligibility, coverage, pricing and current terms can change, so verify them for your address before relying on the service.
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- Cellular coverage at the exact home location, including indoor reception.
- Up-front device cost and recurring service cost.
- Data allowance, throttling rules and hotspot limits.
- How many devices you need to connect and whether your workload involves video meetings, large files or streaming.
- Battery runtime, charging options and whether the backup works when the home router or utility power is down.
There is no neutral, current price or performance comparison established here across backup providers. Confirm the current terms directly before purchasing. A second service on the same local network or power supply may not protect you from the same event, so ask what network and power path it uses.
8. Protect voice, alarms and emergency access
Understand internet-dependent phone service
Internet-based landline or VoIP service may stop during a broadband failure or power cut. UK government resilience guidance recommends checking provider backup arrangements for people who rely on landline or telecare equipment. Read the advice at the UK government’s communications-resilience guidance.
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Emergency-calling arrangements depend on your service, equipment and jurisdiction. A home internet connection is not a guaranteed emergency path. For immediate danger, use a functioning mobile or landline phone, or another local emergency communication method.
Plan for a power cut separately
A UPS or battery may keep a modem, router or ONT running, but it cannot restore a failed provider network or a disabled mobile site. Ask your provider what backup power and emergency-calling arrangements apply to your specific service. Test any backup phone or battery before an emergency, while service is working, so you know what it can and cannot power.
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Use the FCC informal complaint process
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission accepts internet complaints involving availability, speed, equipment and billing. Review the categories in the FCC Internet Form descriptions, then submit the requested account and issue details.
For a service complaint, the FCC may provide educational information or send the complaint to the provider. A provider that receives it must respond in writing within 30 days, according to the FCC complaint questions and answers. The FCC explains in How the FCC Handles Your Complaint that not every complaint is served on a provider and that the agency is not your lawyer, court or legal adviser.
This is an escalation and written-response channel, not an instant repair dispatch or a guarantee of compensation or a particular outcome. Keep your provider case number, outage timeline and copies of all correspondence with the submission.
Use the applicable process elsewhere
Outside the US, contact the telecommunications regulator and consumer-protection process for your country. Ofcom’s guidance applies to UK consumers and states: “Your provider is responsible for fixing faults, even if another company like Openreach owns the network.” That statement is UK guidance, not a universal rule of US law or every contract.
10. After service returns
Verify that recovery is complete
- Test several websites and services on at least two devices.
- Check calling, television or other services that share the gateway.
- Confirm that mesh nodes and boosters have rejoined the network.
- Record the restoration time and any remaining intermittent failures.
- Recheck any alarm, telecare or work connection that was disrupted.
Keep the incident record
Retain the outage notice, case number, chat transcript, interruption log and any charge or credit discussion. If the problem returns, this record lets support see a pattern instead of starting from a blank report. Do not factory-reset equipment merely because a previous outage occurred; reserve configuration changes for a specific provider instruction or a diagnosed home-network problem.
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11. Prepare before the next outage
Save your provider’s support number, account details and outage-page address somewhere accessible offline. Keep a charged phone, a suitable charging cable and any approved backup battery available. If someone in the household depends on internet-based calling, telecare, alarms or remote work, write down an alternative contact method and ask the provider about priority-support arrangements in advance. Review your mobile plan’s data and hotspot limits before you need them. These steps do not prevent an outage, but they reduce delay and help you explain the impact accurately.
12. Common mistakes to avoid
- Resetting the router repeatedly before checking the provider’s status page.
- Pressing a factory-reset button and losing saved configuration.
- Applying cable, DSL and fiber instructions interchangeably.
- Assuming a blank status page means there is no provider fault.
- Relying on one website or one device as the only test.
- Buying a backup service without checking coverage, data limits, power needs and total cost.
- Assuming a battery makes internet-based emergency calling available during every power or network failure.
- Accepting a visit or replacement without asking whether a charge may apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell whether my ISP is having an outage?
Check the provider’s official status page or app, then call support if needed. Test several devices and record the time. A missing status notice does not rule out a new or unlisted fault, so report the problem anyway.
Why does Wi-Fi say connected when there is no internet?
Your device may still be connected to the router’s local Wi-Fi radio while the router has lost its connection to the provider. Check another device and website, then inspect the modem, gateway or ONT and follow the provider’s approved restart steps.
Should I unplug my router during an outage?
Only when the provider’s instructions call for a restart. Steps vary by equipment. AT&T’s example is to unplug power for 20 seconds, reconnect and allow up to five minutes; Spectrum warns customers not to manually troubleshoot fiber equipment. Never factory-reset unless instructed.
What information should I give technical support?
Provide the start time, whether the fault is constant or intermittent, affected devices and services, status-page results, power and cable checks, restart steps, your case number and any interruption log. Mention impacts on work, study, healthcare devices, alarms or vulnerable household members.
Can a phone hotspot replace home broadband during an outage?
It can provide temporary access if mobile coverage, your plan’s data and hotspot allowance, device compatibility and battery are adequate. It does not repair the fixed line. Reduce video quality and connect only essential devices to conserve data.
Will a UPS keep my internet working during a power cut?
A UPS may power a modem, router or ONT, but it cannot restore a failed provider network or a disabled mobile site. Internet-based voice and telecare may still fail, so check your provider’s backup-power and emergency-calling arrangements.
What can I do if my provider does not fix the problem in the US?
After documenting the fault and your provider case, use the FCC informal complaint process for internet availability, speed, equipment or billing issues. The FCC may send the complaint to the provider, which must respond in writing within 30 days if it receives the complaint. This is not a guaranteed repair or compensation route.
Could an outage visit or replacement cost me money?
Possibly, depending on the provider’s terms and whether the issue involves customer equipment or inside wiring. Ask what could be chargeable and under what conditions before accepting a visit, replacement or other intervention.
The Bottom Line
Check the scope, provider status and power before changing settings. Follow the exact restart instructions for your equipment, report even an unlisted fault with a written timeline, protect voice and safety services, and use a hotspot only after checking coverage, data and battery limits. Escalate with the applicable regulator when the provider’s normal process leaves the fault unresolved.
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