Why Does My Internet Keep Going Out? Find Where It Fails

Before restarting anything, check a second device and look at the modem or router’s lights. Recurring disconnects can come from weak Wi-Fi, interference, a device problem, loose cables, equipment losing power or an internet-provider fault. First establish whether one device, the wireless connection or the whole home loses service.

If the problem started with a blackout, use the checks for no internet during or after a power outage. The checks below focus on service that repeatedly drops and returns.

Find what actually drops

During the next interruption, try two unrelated websites or apps on two devices. Keep the test devices connected to your home Wi-Fi; a phone switching to cellular can hide the failure. Xfinity recommends testing multiple devices and services to separate a device or website problem from a network problem.

What you observe	What to check next
Only one device loses access	Restart that device and check its network settings before changing the router.
Only one app or website fails	Check that service; this alone does not establish a home-internet outage.
Wi-Fi drops, but a wired connection keeps working	Investigate wireless coverage or interference.
Both wired and wireless devices lose access	Check modem/router power, connecting cables and provider outage status.
Equipment lights go dark or repeat their startup sequence	Record it; this can indicate lost power or an equipment restart, rather than weak Wi-Fi.

Compare Ethernet and Wi-Fi during the same interruption. If possible, connect a computer to a LAN port on your router—not its Internet/WAN port—and turn off that computer’s Wi-Fi. A working wired connection narrows the search toward the wireless side; a failed wired connection does not, by itself, prove the provider is responsible. Microsoft’s Ethernet troubleshooting supports checking cables and comparing devices and connection methods.

If the problem is Wi-Fi

Test close to the router. If the connection stays reliable there but fails elsewhere, try a more open router location and check the placement of any mesh points.

Walls, distance, neighboring networks, microwaves and baby monitors can affect wireless performance, according to Google’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting guidance.

If service becomes unusably slow only when several people stream, download or make video calls, pause large transfers and test again. Bandwidth congestion can cause slow performance; it should not automatically be labeled a complete outage. The same Google guidance distinguishes congestion from other connection problems.

If the whole home loses internet

1. Check the provider’s outage page or app using cellular data, if available. A reported outage makes repeated home restarts unnecessary. AT&T’s troubleshooting page links to its outage checker and equipment-light guides.
2. Inspect accessible connections. Make sure power and Ethernet plugs are secure. For cable internet, check that the coax connection is secure; Xfinity includes loose connections in its troubleshooting checks. Do not disturb fiber connectors or open provider equipment.
3. Restart once, following your provider’s instructions. For separate modem and router units, Microsoft’s general sequence is to disconnect their power, wait at least 30 seconds, reconnect the modem and let it finish starting, then reconnect the router. A combined gateway is one unit. Follow model-specific instructions for equipment with a backup battery. This is a power restart, not a factory reset.

If restarting restores service only briefly, document the fault rather than repeating the same step indefinitely.

If drops coincide with power problems

Your modem, router and any separate fiber optical network terminal (ONT) need power. Home backup power cannot fix an outage in the provider’s network. AT&T explains these power dependencies.

Do not assume an installed backup battery supports internet: Verizon’s Fios Battery Backup Unit supports voice, not Internet or TV, during an outage. For confirmed power-related drops, see how to size backup power for internet equipment. If disconnects coincide with dimming lights or partial power, follow the brownout and partial-power checks.

What to tell your provider

Keep a short log: interruption time, duration, affected devices, whether Ethernet also failed, equipment-light changes and whether a restart helped. Photograph the lights before restarting, and identify the exact equipment model—light meanings vary.

After recurring whole-home failures despite secure connections and a proper restart, ask the provider to check the connection and equipment and whether a technician visit is needed. Give them the pattern, not just “the internet went out again.”