Internet keeps dropping? How to find the cause

Is it everything, or one device?

• Only one device drops: forget the Wi-Fi network on it and reconnect, install updates, and restart it.
• Everything drops: the problem is the modem, the router, or the line coming into your home.

When it drops, look at the modem

Note which lights change. A blinking or red internet/online light usually means the signal from your provider is being lost. That's their problem to fix, and it helps to tell them exactly what the light did and when.

Check the basics

1. Cables: push every cable in firmly, especially the coax or fibre cable into the modem.
2. Heat: modems and routers in closed cabinets overheat and reboot. Give them air.
3. Power: plug them straight into the wall or a good surge protector, not a crowded power bar.
4. Updates: log in to the router and install any firmware updates.

Keep a log

Write down when it drops for a few days. Patterns (every evening, during storms, when the microwave runs) point straight to the cause, and providers take detailed reports more seriously.