January 3, 2025
Innovations in internet technology have fundamentally changed how we work, where we work, and the tools we use. That’s great — when everything works. But when your internet connection isn’t functioning as it should, that can have a massive ripple effect.
So whether you’re working from home or your IT folks are busy with other things — and you’ve tried to get a signal on multiple smart devices and failed — here’s what you can do to troubleshoot this issue on your own.
If You’re Connected to Wi-Fi But There’s No Internet, Try These Steps
There are fewer things more frustrating than a technology failure that prevents you from accomplishing the simplest task. But a cryptic error message that results in a troubleshooting rabbit hole is even worse. So we’ve listed these steps in order to try to save you as much time as possible.
1. Make Sure the Problem Is on Your End
If your Wi-Fi indicator shows you’re connected but your devices still don’t have internet access, the issue might not be with your provider — but it’s worth checking.
To quickly rule out a service outage:
- Use cellular data on a smartphone to visit your internet provider’s website. Most providers have a status page or outage map showing issues in your area.
- Check third-party outage detection sites like ThousandEyes or DownDetector for real-time updates.
If your provider is experiencing an outage, there’s not much you can do until they resolve the issue. While it’s frustrating, confirming the problem isn’t on your end can save you time and effort troubleshooting a problem you can’t control.
Pro tip: If your provider isn’t giving you the reliability you’re paying for, and these disruptions are draining your business’s productivity, it’s worth researching a better solution. At Marco, we provide this service for free — no strings attached.
If there’s no known outage, proceed to troubleshooting step #2.
2. Check for Loose or Damaged Wires
Cables can degrade over time, leading to connectivity issues. Before troubleshooting your equipment, inspect the wires and cables connected to your modem and router. Ensure everything is securely plugged in and look for signs of wear and tear.
Signs Your Cables May Need Replacing:
- Intermittent Connection Drops: Your internet connection frequently cuts out momentarily or experiences fluctuating speeds.
- Flickering Router Lights: When you move a cable slightly, the router’s indicator lights flicker.
If your cables appear intact and tightly connected, move on to the next step.
- Your internet connection often drops out momentarily or you notice that your speed fluctuates
- You see flickering lights on your router when you move the cable slightly
If your cables don’t seem to be causing your issue, proceed to step #3.
3. Reboot Your Modem and Router
Have a modem and router in one device? Here’s what you need to do:
- Turn it off
- Unplug it
- Wait at least a minute
- Plug it back in
- Turn it on
- Wait to see if your signal is restored (this may take 5-10 minutes)
Have a separate modem and router? Do this:
- Turn both off
- Unplug both
- Wait at least a minute
- Plug in your modem
- Wait at least a minute
- Plug in your router
- Wait to see if your signal is restored (this may take 5-10 minutes)
This task — often called power cycling — can be annoying, but it helps reset your device and can clear any temporary glitches, so when it re-establishes a connection, it will properly configure your settings and alleviate any congestion that is impacting performance.
Pro tip: If this fixes your problem, but you still experience some slow speeds or intermittent connectivity issues, you might try performing this task every few weeks at a time that isn’t as disruptive. If your equipment is a few years old, you might want to try doing this weekly.
If power cycling doesn’t fix your issue, proceed to step #4.
4. Check Your Router’s Settings
It’s possible that your Wi-Fi network has started blocking certain devices from accessing the signal. Yes, this can be frustrating, but it’s probably more pleasant to double-check this first before you have to go into deeper troubleshooting mode with your provider.
If you’re using a Windows operating system, here are your steps:
- Press the Windows key, and type “cmd” in the search bar
- Right-click on Command Prompt and then select “run as administrator”
- Right-click again, and in the new window, type “ipconfig” and then hit Enter
- The number that comes up is your default gateway IP address. Copy it.
- Open a web browser, type that IP address into the search bar, and press Enter to go to your router’s management dashboard
- Enter the login credentials found on the back of your router (hint: your password — if you haven’t changed it — may be “admin”)
- Once you’re logged into the settings panel, search for something called MAC address filtering or something similar
- Make sure that setting is NOT enabled, and if it is, disable it
If your settings weren’t causing the issue, proceed to troubleshooting step #5.
5. Reset Your Network
There’s still one more thing to try before you have to seek outside help.
On a Windows computer, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Go to Settings
- Click on Network and Internet
- Click on Status
- Click Network Troubleshooter
- Select Network Reset, and follow the list of instructions
Once you’re finished with these steps, try to connect to your network again.
If this doesn’t work, you’ll probably need outside help!
Still Connected Without Internet? It’s Probably Not a “You” Thing
If you’ve read this far, then we’re guessing you’re not one of the lucky ones that got a quick issue resolution. Sorry! That’s frustrating!
At this stage, the most likely reasons you’re not getting a signal include:
- Faulty equipment
- A problem on your provider’s end that they haven’t identified yet — including a possible problem with the cable going into your home or office building
At this point, it’s probably worth calling your provider to get them involved in finding a solution to the problem. Just keep in mind that if your equipment is over 5 years old, it doesn’t owe you anything anymore, and it might need to be replaced.
Another Common Business Internet Issue Worth Mentioning
Small to midsized businesses will often experience frequent internet problems like lag and poor app performance after adopting more cloud tools.
In that case, once you get a signal again, you might want to start researching other connectivity options like SD-WAN. It’s better suited to handling heavier network traffic, which is why it’s an important upgrade to consider for any business that’s considering migrating to the cloud.
If you’ve adopted multiple cloud computing and collaboration tools and then gotten frustrated with poor audio quality, dropped connections, and inconsistent performance, it’s time to rethink your connectivity.
Our offer for a free carrier assessment still stands, but you’re also welcome to browse our additional connectivity solutions below!
