Every device is offline
Two or more devices fail in different rooms, whether or not they still show Wi‑Fi bars.
Investigate first
Check the provider outage status and the modem, gateway, or fiber terminal before changing individual devices.
All guides
Wi‑Fi & Networking
Internet or router not working: what to check before replacing gear
Start with scope: does one app fail, one device fail, Wi‑Fi disappear, or every device lose service? A Wi‑Fi icon only proves a local wireless link—it does not prove the router can reach the provider. These checks help you isolate the failed layer without erasing settings or buying random hardware.
Guide updated
Start with simple checks. Get expert help when the fix needs more.
Start with scope, not settings
“The internet is down” can describe six different failures.
First find out whether the problem affects one app, one device, Wi‑Fi only, or every device. That single comparison prevents an ISP outage from becoming a router replacement—and prevents one laptop problem from taking the whole home offline.
The Wi‑Fi name disappeared
Several nearby devices cannot see the expected network, but they can see neighbors’ networks.
Investigate first
Focus on router, access-point, or mesh power and status—not DNS or the internet plan.
Wi‑Fi connects, but says no internet
The device reached the local wireless network; that does not prove the router reached the provider.
Investigate first
Compare another device, then check the router’s internet/WAN status and the provider handoff.
Only one device fails
Other phones or computers work on the same network in the same location.
Investigate first
Focus on that device’s saved network, VPN, proxy, adapter, software, or account state. Do not reset the whole router.
Only one app or site fails
Other websites or services load normally on the same device.
Investigate first
Check that service’s status, browser/app state, filtering, or VPN before touching network equipment.
Wired works; Wi‑Fi does not
A device on an existing router LAN connection works, while wireless devices fail or drop.
Investigate first
The provider path is probably alive. Focus on Wi‑Fi radios, mesh backhaul, placement, or wireless settings.
Safe first pass
Six checks before resets, firmware changes, new DNS, or replacement hardware.
1. Record the scope
Note when it started, whether one or every device fails, which rooms are affected, and the exact labels and light patterns shown by the equipment. Router light colors are not universal, so use the model’s manual or provider app to interpret them.
2. Check the provider separately
Using cellular data or another working connection, check the ISP’s official app, outage page, text alerts, or support line. A neighborhood outage cannot be repaired by changing the home router.
3. Compare two devices
Test a second trusted device near the primary router or access point. If it works, keep the investigation on the first device. If both fail, continue toward the shared network path.
4. Inspect without dismantling
Confirm power and ordinary patch cables are visibly seated and that a switched power strip was not turned off. Do not open provider enclosures, force a connector, disconnect fiber, or move wiring you cannot identify.
5. Restart only the affected scope
Save work and restart one failing phone or computer first when the issue is device-only. For a whole-site outage, use the ISP or manufacturer’s restart instructions once, then allow several minutes for full resynchronization.
6. Make one controlled comparison
If an existing, known-good Ethernet connection to a router or gateway LAN port is already available, compare it with Wi‑Fi. Do not connect a customer device directly to an unknown modem, ONT, uplink, or building network port.
Restart is not reset. A normal restart preserves configuration; a factory reset returns equipment to defaults. Do not press a recessed Reset button just because power-cycling did not restore service.
Follow the connection
Wi‑Fi bars prove only one link in the chain.
A phone can be connected to the router while the router has no usable internet connection. Work outward one layer at a time instead of changing every layer at once.
- Layer 1
Device
Does the problem follow one phone, computer, TV, printer, or camera?
- Layer 2
Wi‑Fi / LAN
Can the device reach the expected local network, and do other nearby devices behave the same way?
- Layer 3
Router / mesh
Does the owner-controlled app or status page report an internet/WAN connection?
- Layer 4
Modem / ONT
Does the provider equipment show its documented online state, or an upstream/optical fault?
- Layer 5
ISP / service
Is there a provider outage, account/provisioning issue, or upstream line problem?
Match evidence to the owner
ISP, router, Wi‑Fi, device, and app failures need different next steps.
What the evidence saysLikely sourceSafer next step
Evidence: Provider reports an outage, or every device fails and the modem/ONT is not in its documented online state
Internet provider
Next: Keep the provider case number and estimated restoration time. Avoid resets or equipment purchases while the upstream service is down.
Evidence: Provider equipment appears online, but the router or mesh reports no internet
Router WAN path
Next: Check the identified WAN cable, router app/status, recent equipment changes, and provider compatibility. Preserve current settings.
Evidence: An existing wired LAN device works, but wireless devices do not
Wi‑Fi / mesh
Next: Review access-point power, mesh backhaul, radio settings, placement, and whether the expected network name is broadcasting.
Evidence: Other devices work normally on the same network
One device
Next: Check its Wi‑Fi state, saved network, VPN/proxy, date/time, updates, and adapter guidance. Leave the router alone.
Evidence: Only one app, website, work service, or streaming platform fails
App / service / policy
Next: Check the service status and test another browser or device. Business filtering, VPN, DNS, or firewall changes require owner approval and documentation.
Evidence: The failure is intermittent, room-specific, or starts under load
Coverage / capacity / hardware
Next: Record location, time, and affected devices; then evaluate placement, interference, overheating, cabling, mesh design, and equipment capacity.
Factory reset boundary
Do not trade a known outage for an undocumented network.
- A factory reset can erase the Wi‑Fi name and password, ISP or WAN settings, mesh membership, guest networks, port forwards, parental controls, reservations, and other documented configuration.
- Cameras, printers, smart-home devices, business phones, point-of-sale devices, and remote-work systems may stay offline after the internet itself returns.
- Do not reset, update firmware, swap a gateway, change DNS, disable a firewall, or rename a network without owner approval, a settings inventory, and a recovery path.
- On a business network, identify who manages the equipment and schedule an outage window before rebooting shared routers, switches, access points, phones, cameras, or payment systems.
Owner-controlled access
Troubleshoot the network without collecting its secrets.
- Keep Wi‑Fi passwords, router or ISP logins, MFA codes, recovery details, public IP addresses, device identifiers, and private screenshots out of booking forms, texts, and AI chats.
- If an account or router sign-in is actually needed, the owner enters it directly and keeps control of password managers and MFA prompts.
- Do not enable remote administration, open ports, expose a router page to the public internet, disable security, or install an unknown support tool to solve an outage.
- Useful notes can record equipment make/model, non-sensitive status lights, test locations, timestamps, affected device categories, and approved changes without collecting personal traffic or content.
Stop and use the right specialist
Some network symptoms are electrical, optical, structural, managed, or business-critical.
- Sparking, smoke, a burning smell, liquid exposure, a damaged power supply, unusual heat, or a swollen UPS battery. Disconnect power only if it is safe to do so, keep people away, and use the appropriate electrical or emergency help.
- A fiber connector, optical terminal, coax demarcation, utility enclosure, ceiling/attic cable, ladder, or wall penetration needs handling. Do not look into, disconnect, or attempt to clean a fiber connector.
- The network supports life-safety equipment, medical systems, access control, alarms, payment processing, or another critical business workflow. Use the responsible vendor and an approved change window.
- The equipment belongs to an ISP, landlord, employer, managed-service provider, or building network. Confirm authority and ownership before changing it.
Useful local handoff
End with evidence: what failed, what was checked, and who owns the next action.
Tech Genie can test the approved home or small-business network path, separate ISP handoff from router, mesh, Wi‑Fi, cabling, and device symptoms, and document the next step. Provider line repair, unsafe electrical work, fiber handling, and systems managed by another vendor remain with the responsible provider.
Official guidance
Use the current instructions for the exact device, provider, and operating system.
Facts checked July 15, 2026. Router light meanings, restart order, app menus, supported security, and operating-system steps vary and can change. Confirm the ISP or manufacturer’s current documentation before changing configuration.
How Tech Genie helps
Solve the problem and make it easier next time.
Tech Genie identifies the cause, handles the agreed work, and explains what changed and what to do next.
Test the approved path from device to Wi‑Fi/LAN, router or mesh, provider equipment, and ISP handoff without collecting passwords or private traffic.
Separate a provider outage from router, Wi‑Fi, DNS, cabling, coverage, capacity, and one-device symptoms before recommending hardware.
Document test results, approved changes, vendor ownership, and whether repair, placement, mesh, access points, wiring, or replacement is the recommended next step.
FAQ
Quick answers before booking.
Why does my device say it is connected to Wi‑Fi but has no internet?
Wi‑Fi is the local link between your device and the router or access point. The router still needs a working modem or fiber handoff and active provider service. Compare another device and check the router’s internet/WAN and provider status before changing the phone or computer.
Should I restart the modem or router first?
Use the current instructions for the exact provider and equipment. If separate equipment is documented to restart in sequence, the provider side normally must return to its online state before the router or mesh can reconnect. Restart once, wait for full synchronization, and do not rapidly repeat the cycle.
Should I factory-reset my router if the internet is down?
Not as a first move. A reset can erase Wi‑Fi, ISP, mesh, guest-network, device, and business configuration. It should happen only with the owner’s approval, a settings inventory, current vendor instructions, and a tested recovery path.
Can Tech Genie fix an internet provider outage?
No local technician can fix the provider’s outside network. Tech Genie can help prove whether the issue is ISP-side or inside the home/office, then explain the next step clearly.
Does one outage mean I need a new router?
Usually not. Replacement makes sense after the failed layer is identified and there is evidence of hardware failure, unsupported security or firmware, provider incompatibility, insufficient capacity, or a coverage design that the existing equipment cannot meet.
Keep troubleshooting
Related guides for the next part of the problem.
Wi‑Fi dead zones
Find out whether placement, building materials, mesh backhaul, or the router is causing the weak room before buying another extender.
Read guide 7 min
New router Wi‑Fi migration
Decide when to reuse the old Wi‑Fi name, when to start fresh, and how to migrate printers, cameras, Sonos, and smart-home devices safely.
Read guide 10 min
UniFi adoption & offline
Trace ownership, controller, PoE, cabling, uplink, VLAN, and topology evidence before resetting an offline or unadopted UniFi device.
Read guide 9 min