Internet keeps dropping? Find the pattern, then fix it.

Before changing any settings, check whether the problem is one device or your whole network.

• Test a second device. When the internet drops, check another phone or computer.
• Only one device drops: the problem is that device, for example an outdated driver or a weak Wi-Fi antenna. Go to step 6.
• Every device drops at the same time: the problem is your modem, router or internet provider. Carry on to step 2.
• Rule out mobile data. Make sure the test phone hasn't switched to mobile data when the Wi-Fi dropped.
• Run a speed test at speedtest.net, once near the router and once further away, to find weak signal areas.

Speedtest is made and managed by its vendor, not Call IT Mate. We can't take responsibility for any changes it makes to your system.

Your internet provider supplied the modem: contact them before you reset it. They will help you reset it and get you back online.

You bought the modem yourself: most internet providers will say it is out of scope, so you will need to reset it yourself. Before you start:

• Download the user guide for your modem, so you know how to set it back up.
• Find the modem's login details. Most modems have them on a sticker underneath.

After the reset, wait a full 60 seconds for the modem to settle. In most cases it sets itself back up automatically. If it doesn't, follow the user guide.

Once the internet is back online, check your connection. If it still drops out or feels unstable:

• Log in to your router and run a constant ping to google.com. It is usually under Diagnostics or Tools.
• Look for dropped packets, which show as replies that time out.
• Check your speed against your plan. Run a speed test, then check the speed of the internet plan you are on. It will never match exactly, but it should be close. For example, on a 100 Mbps plan, about 5 Mbps less is fine, but 10 Mbps less is not.

What it means:

• Dropped packets, or speed well below your plan: there is an issue with the line. Let your internet provider know and tell them what you see (step 7).
• No dropped packets, and you are on Wi-Fi: go to step 5.
• No dropped packets, and you are on a cable: the line is fine, so it is most likely the computer. Go to step 6.

After the reset, set up the Wi-Fi again. The modem goes back to its default Wi-Fi name and password.

• You were using your own Wi-Fi name and password: enter them again in the modem, so your devices reconnect.
• You were using the default: carry on.

Then improve it:

• Switch bands. Most routers broadcast on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and newer routers add 6 GHz. 5 GHz and 6 GHz are faster and less crowded but have a shorter range, so use them when you are close to the router. 2.4 GHz is slower but reaches further and goes through walls better.
  • Most routers have band steering turned on, which joins both bands under one Wi-Fi name. We have noticed it can slow the speed down, although it doesn't cause dropouts. If your problem is speed, turn it off. You will then see a separate Wi-Fi name for each band, such as one for 5 GHz and one for 2.4 GHz. Set a password for each, and connect to the one you want.
• Check the bandwidth if your problem is speed. Someone gaming or streaming could be taking up all the bandwidth on the Wi-Fi. Look at the bandwidth or usage page in your router to see who is using the most, and turn on Quality of Service (QoS) to put important devices first.
• Move the router. Put it in a central, open spot off the floor. Keep it away from thick walls, such as concrete, and from microwaves, baby monitors and Bluetooth speakers.

If your computer is still struggling to connect but all the other devices are fine now, reset its network settings:

1. Open Settings, then Network & internet, then Advanced network settings.
2. Select Network reset, then Reset now.
3. The computer restarts and forgets saved Wi-Fi networks, so have your Wi-Fi password ready to reconnect.

If a computer plugged straight into the modem with a cable still drops out now and then, the problem is most likely outside your home.

Before you contact them, note down:

• When the connection dropped, and for how long.
• What the lights on the modem were doing.
• Anything in the modem's logs showing the connection dropped.

When you raise a ticket, tell them you have intermittent internet dropouts and give them what you found, so they can investigate.