What to do when your home internet drops out

This short guide is a reference tool to help refresh your knowledge or practise what you have learned in the What to do when your home internet drops out online video course, including how to:

check and restart your router
troubleshoot your internet and Wi-Fi connection
check for internet outages in your area.

Step by step

If your home internet stops working, devices may show a Wi-Fi symbol with an exclamation mark or say Not connected to the internet. This example uses a home router and NBN (National Broadband Network) setup, and the steps are similar for ADSL and fibre connections.

Check your router

Look at the lights on your router:

if the lights are off, check if the router is plugged in and powered on.
if the lights are flashing or red, there may be an issue with your connection and you should restart your router.

Restart your router

A restart is also called a power cycle. To restart:

Unplug the power cable from the back of your router.
Wait 30 seconds to 1 minute before plugging it back in.
Wait for the lights to turn back on, then check your internet connection.

Check your Wi-Fi connection

Check that your device is still connected to your home Wi-Fi network.
If it’s connected to Wi-Fi, but there’s no internet, try disconnecting and reconnecting to Wi-Fi.
If you still can’t connect to Wi-Fi, restart your router and try again.

Test with a wired connection

If your home Wi-Fi is not working, connect your computer directly to the router using a cable.
If the internet works with a wired connection, the issue is with your Wi-Fi signal.
You may need to move your router closer to your devices or use a Wi-Fi extender.

Check for outages in your area

Maintenance or technical issues outside your home may cause the internet to drop out.

Go to your internet provider’s website or use their app to check for service outages.
Enter your address to see if there are maintenance or technical issues in your area.
If there’s an outage, your provider will usually give an estimated time for service restoration.

Contact your provider

If your internet still isn’t working, call or chat online with your internet provider’s customer support.