The Ultimate Guide to Troubleshooting Home WiFi and Router Issues
Ninety-nine percent of home Wi-Fi issues can be fixed by unplugging the router, waiting five seconds, then plugging it back in. This resets the device and frequently improves the speed. But if that doesn’t fix your problem, this guide will provide you a to-the-point reference for dealing with some of the most common home Wi-Fi issues, such as the Wi-Fi not working, slowing down, disappearing, or not connecting with devices.
Keep reading to find out what to do if your connection is running slower than usual, as well as how to troubleshoot a network that won’t connect at all. We’ll also take a look at several tools you can use to help troubleshoot your connection no matter what problems crop up.
Table of Contents
- Home Wi-Fi Quick Fix
- Understanding Your Router’s Icons
- How to Troubleshoot Wi-Fi
- Tools for Wi-Fi Troubleshooting
- Ways to Boost Your Speeds or Wi-Fi Reach
- Why Does My Computer Keep Disconnecting From Wi-Fi?
- Tips for Fixing Your Smartphone Connection
- If All Else Fails, Contact Your Service Provider
Home Wi-Fi Quick Fix
If your wireless connection suddenly stops working, restart your router before trying anything else. Here’s the process:
- Unplug or power off your router.
- Wait two to five minutes before plugging it back in.
- Wait five more minutes and retry the connection.
In most cases, this should fix your issue and allow you to get back online. If you go through these steps and something still isn’t working, you may need to contact your internet service provider for assistance.
Understanding Your Router’s Icons
Most routers have a series of icons that illuminate to convey different status messages at a glance. Though these can vary from brand to brand, most manufacturer’s include at least three primary status indicators:
| Globe icon: solid when modem is connected to the internet. | |
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Wi-Fi icon: solid when Wi-Fi is being broadcast with no issues. |
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The ethernet icon will light without blinking when ethernet cables are connected and working properly. This icon can also look like an empty square or a box with a line striking through, depending on the ethernet connection you’re using. |
Interpreting the Colors of Your Router’s Lights
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When everything is working properly, the icons are a solid or blinking green or blue light. This signals that a device is plugged in and functioning normally. |
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An orange or amber light may indicate a problem or limited connectivity. |
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A red or unlit icon may signal that there is no current connection. |
Important note: In order to be clear on what your specific device is communicating to you, refer to the user manual for a more detailed explanation.
Pro tip: You can usually find a digital copy of your router’s manual by typing your device model number followed by “user manual” into Google.
How to Troubleshoot Wi-Fi
If you’ve tried the quick fix above to no success, there are still several other ways you may be able to troubleshoot your Wi-Fi connection. In order to identify the technique most likely to actually help you, let’s break down some common issues:
1. “I’m experiencing slower-than-normal network speeds.”
Try this: Plug an ethernet cable directly into your router and test your internet speeds using our speed test tool. Next, test your speeds on the Wi-Fi connection. If they’re both slow, the issue is likely with your service provider and not your equipment. Give them a call.
If the hardwired connection is much faster than the wireless one, however, there may be more you can do to optimize your network. Wired connections will usually always be faster than wireless in some capacity, but the difference shouldn’t be so vast that your Wi-Fi is unusable. First, try moving your router to a more central location in your home. If that’s not an option, it may be worth exploring how to extend your Wi-Fi connection to all areas of your home.
Also, you might be encountering interference from networks adjacent to yours. If you think this may be the case, you can try changing the channel your router is broadcasting on. For starters, you’ll want to use the 5 GHz band whenever possible, if your router supports it. These tend to be less congested and therefore better performing than their 2.4 GHz counterparts.
2. “I have no internet connection at all.”
Try this: Plug an ethernet cable into your router and see if you’re able to get a signal on a desktop or laptop. If you can’t, your access has been cut and you should contact your ISP.
If you’re able to load web pages through a hardwired connection, there’s definitely something wrong with your Wi-Fi network. If restarting the router didn’t fix the issue, you may need to set it up again completely. Most routers have a small “reset” button that needs to be held down with a paperclip or other small object. Doing this will restore the device to factory settings and you’ll be able to go through the first-time setup once again.
If you’ve been through this process and still can’t get connected, you’ll likely need to contact your ISP for help. You could have an unpaid balance that has caused the company to suspend your account, or there might simply be an outage in your area.
3. “My Wi-Fi network disappeared completely.”
Try this: Check to see where your router is positioned. If it’s somewhere cramped, such as behind a couch or crammed into a storage closet, it might’ve overheated and shut down automatically to prevent any damage.
If you’re able to move your router to a place with more airflow, you should be able to solve the overheating issue. If you feel that your router is positioned in a good location and that overheating isn’t the problem, there are a few other things that could be happening.
For one, your network may have reset itself due to an update. Take a look at the default network name (usually printed somewhere on the router itself) and see if you recognize that network when looking for a connection.
4. “My phone/laptop/tablet won’t connect even though my other devices are fine.”
Try this: Turn off the offending device and turn it back on. You can also try turning the Wi-Fi off and on again in the settings of your device, just to be thorough.
If this doesn’t help, you may need to delete your network from the device entirely. On an iOS or Android device, you can simply click on the network name and hit “Forget This Network.” This means you’ll have to find the network again and put the password in like you did the first time you set it up, but it should solve any remaining connection issues in the process.
Tools for Wi-Fi Troubleshooting
Speed Test
Our speed test tool allows you to see how your current network is performing in terms of both upload and download speeds. You can use this at any time to test the quality of your connection, and if you’re having any issues, you can use it to gauge your progress on getting them resolved. You can also use Speed Test periodically to see if you’re really getting the speeds that you’re paying for (look at your bill for payment info). Just remember that using Wi-Fi will always slow things down a little bit.
You can also run speed tests on different devices and from different locations. If the speed is sluggish on one device or in one location but not the others, that indicates an issue specific to the device or location.
Wireless Diagnostics (Mac)
The network diagnostics tool is a robust program that allows you to get a clear picture of your network health, as well as troubleshoot any issues you may be experiencing. You can find this program by hitting “command” plus “spacebar” and typing “Wireless Diagnostics” into the search bar.
When you first open the program, it will scan your immediate area for any available Wi-Fi networks. Once this is done, you’ll be presented with two options: monitor my Wi-Fi connection and continue to summary. Choose neither of these. Instead, at the top of your screen, select “Scan” from the Window drop-down menu. You will see a list of networks. Select “Scan Now.”
The service will then show you a full list of connections around you, including what channel they are operating on. The program will also show you the best channels for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands based on network congestion. In order to actually change the channels your router is operating on, you’ll need to Google search the brand of the device followed by “IP address.” You will then type this in just like you would any regular website.
NirSoft (Windows)
NirSoft functions very similarly to the wireless diagnostics tools for Mac, scanning your Wi-Fi environment and displaying all available networks, as well as a number of useful statistics for each. You’ll still need to log into your router’s control panel to actually change its configuration.
NetSpot (Mac & Windows)![]()
NetSpot is a fantastic alternative to both options above and even features some additional tools that intermediate users may find valuable. Above and beyond being able to view detailed information about your network, NetSpot also allows you to visualize its footprint in your home, showing you any dead zones and weak points that need to be patched up. Available as a free download, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more feature-complete troubleshooting program.
Ways to Boost Your Speeds or Wi-Fi Reach
A little more speed or reach makes a big difference. To inject more oomph into your internet, try boosting your Wi-Fi signal and speeds with the following methods:
- Move your router to an open, central spot in the home.
- Check how many devices are connected to your Wi-Fi, and offload any devices you don’t need (or reallocate devices from one band to the other).
- Try Wi-Fi extenders midway between the router and dead zone.
- Upgrade your router.
- Use a mesh router.
- Agree on internet usage with members of your household.
- Try a Wi-Fi adapter if you live in a dorm.
- Change your router’s channel setting.
- Choose a different internet plan.
Once you’ve resolved the issue by following one of the above steps, make sure to secure your wireless home network to prevent hackers or neighbors from accessing your Wi-Fi.
Why Does My Computer Keep Disconnecting From Wi-Fi?
If you find that you are consistently getting booted from your Wi-Fi network, there are a few things that could be happening. We recommend looking for any patterns in the service disruptions. Do they only happen at a certain time of the evening? Maybe it even drops when you pop something into the microwave? Believe it or not, there are many signals from Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, and smart lights constantly flowing through your home that can disrupt your internet connection.
If you’ve ruled out network interference using the tools listed above, you may need to try updating your router’s firmware. This is essentially the device’s “operating system,” and like any other piece of software, it needs to be updated from time to time to keep functioning properly.
If you’ve updated your firmware and are still getting disconnects, you may need to consider replacing the router outright, especially if it’s more than a few years old. Routers are computers, and computers unfortunately do tend to fail after a few years. If you’ve been renting a modem and router from your ISP, it might be better to invest in your own equipment since ISPs tend to rent out old hardware.
>> Related: The Best Wi-Fi Routers, Tested and Reviewed
Firmware Updates by Brand
How to Log Into Your Router’s Control Panel
Click on your router’s brand below to see in-depth instructions on how to log in to its configuration area, where you can adjust network passwords and names, as well as change the channels they are operating on.
Tips for Fixing Your Smartphone Wi-Fi Connection
If your phone won’t connect to the Wi-Fi, won’t download files, or load webpages, here are a few troubleshooting suggestions:
- Restart the phone. This step could be enough by itself to resolve connection issues.
- Move the phone closer to your router to see if the Wi-Fi connection improves.
- Verify that the phone is not in airplane mode.
- Check for differences between Wi-Fi and mobile data just to make sure Wi-Fi really is the issue. For instance, if you turn Wi-Fi off on the phone and the internet functions normally using cell data, the problem is likely Wi-Fi.
- Restart the Wi-Fi router (wait at least 30 seconds to plug it back in after unplugging).
We also recommend checking for smartphone updates and trying again after these changes are made. If the above steps do not work, you may need to contact your ISP or the group/organization running the Wi-Fi network. Here are a few more tips to try:
- Ensure you’re trying to connect to the right network. Your neighbors may have similar network names.
- “Forget” the network. Then find it again and try connecting to it.
- Change your Wi-Fi network password if the problem is password-related and persists despite you constantly typing the right password in your smartphone.
- Reset the network settings in your phone settings. If that fails, try resetting all settings, which will erase your ringtone and custom settings. Your content is safe, though, unless you choose to erase it, too. A factory data reset may work too, returning your phone to a state as if you had never used it, but erases everything.
- Check the MAC address filtering. Allow your phone to be connected, or switch MAC address filtering off.
- Change your router’s channel setting (more common if you experience frequent smartphone Wi-Fi disconnects or out of range or weak Wi-Fi signals).
- Choose “Add network” or “Add Wi-Fi network” in the list of Wi-Fi networks if the one you want to hop on is hidden. It won’t show up in the list of available networks. Each piece of information you enter for the hidden network, such as the password and SSID, must match exactly as it’s case-sensitive.
If All Else Fails, Contact Your Service Provider.
Though technical support from many companies can be a hit or miss experience, if you’ve tried everything above and nothing seems to be working, it might be best to simply reach out to request a tech to come to your home and sort the issue out directly. This may entail a service fee of some kind, but if it gets you back online, it’ll be worthwhile in the end.