No Panic Tech Guide

Wi-Fi Not Working? Try These Fixes First

If your Wi-Fi suddenly stopped working, is painfully slow, or keeps disconnecting, start with these simple checks before changing advanced settings or buying new equipment.

1. Find Out What Is Actually Broken

Before changing anything, check whether the problem is affecting one device or everything in the house.

• If only one phone, laptop, or tablet is having trouble, the problem is probably on that device.
• If every device is offline, the problem is more likely your router, modem, internet connection, or service provider.
• If devices connect to Wi-Fi but websites will not load, your Wi-Fi may be working even though the internet connection is down.

2. Restart the Device

It sounds basic, but a full restart clears temporary network problems surprisingly often.

Shut the device down completely, wait a few seconds, turn it back on, and try connecting again.

3. Restart the Modem and Router

If multiple devices are having problems, reboot the networking equipment.

1. Unplug the modem and router from power.
2. Wait about 30 seconds.
3. Plug the modem back in first.
4. Wait until its lights settle down.
5. Plug the router back in.
6. Give the network a few minutes to come back online.

If your modem and router are one combined device, just unplug that unit, wait, and reconnect it.

4. Forget the Wi-Fi Network and Reconnect

Have the Wi-Fi password ready before forgetting the network. You will need it to reconnect.

On the problem device, choose the Wi-Fi network, select Forget or Forget This Network, then reconnect using the Wi-Fi password.

5. Check Whether the Internet Provider Is Down

If every device suddenly lost internet access at the same time, there may be nothing wrong with your equipment.

Check your internet provider’s app, website, text alerts, or outage page. If possible, turn off Wi-Fi on your phone and use cellular data to check.

6. Move Closer to the Router

Weak signal can look like a broken internet connection. Try the device close to the router.

If it works properly near the router but becomes slow or unreliable farther away, you are probably dealing with a coverage problem rather than an internet problem.

7. Check the Router Lights

Router and modem lights can give you useful clues. Exact colors vary by manufacturer, but look for anything labeled:

• Internet
• Online
• WAN
• Broadband
• Wi-Fi

A red, orange, or blinking warning light may indicate an internet or equipment problem. Check the manufacturer’s documentation before assuming a particular color means failure.

8. Make Sure Airplane Mode Is Off

On phones and laptops, confirm that Airplane Mode is turned off and Wi-Fi is actually enabled.

On a laptop, also check for a physical wireless switch or keyboard shortcut that may have disabled Wi-Fi.

9. Try Another Website or App

Sometimes Wi-Fi is fine and the problem is only one website, streaming service, or app.

Open several unrelated websites. If everything works except one service, the issue may be with that service rather than your network.

10. When to Reset the Router

A factory reset should be one of the last things you try, not the first.

Resetting the router can erase your Wi-Fi name, password, internet settings, parental controls, port forwarding, and other custom settings.

Still Not Working?

If the problem continues after these steps, the next things to check are usually the modem connection, router settings, DNS, cabling, wireless interference, firmware, or the internet provider’s line.

The most useful clue is whether the problem affects one device, all devices, or only devices in one part of the house.