My Internet Connection is Down – What Can I Do ?

If your internet connection is "down" then it means that you cannot connect to the internet at all. You won't be able to see webpages or receive email until this is resolved.

There’s a limit to what the average user can do when such a fault occurs in your internet connection but it’s useful to follow these steps in the order below –

1. Switch off the router, wait around 10 seconds, then switch it back on. This action will “reset” the router.

If your router does not have an on/off switch then simply unplug it from the mains. Do NOT use the “reset” button on the rear of the router for a simple reset.

2. Once reset, check the lights on the router. In particular check that the “DSL” and “Internet” lights are lit or flashing. If these are NOT lit, then there is likely to be fault with the telephone line or internet service – call your service provider.

3. If the lights are ok, connect your computer to one of the LAN ports on the router using a cable. This bypasses the WiFi connection and determines if it is the WiFi part at fault.

If your connection comes up when connected via a cable then the internet connection is ok but you may have an issue with your WiFi setup.

This is about as much fault finding as the average user can perform. Beyond this you will need some knowledge of router setup to proceed.