Why Does My Internet Keep Dropping Out, and How Do I Fix It?

Internet that cuts out for a few seconds every so often is harder to fix than internet that is simply down, because by the time you look, it is working again. The way through is to work out where the connection breaks: between your provider and the modem, between the modem and the router, over Wi-Fi, or on one device. Each points to a different fix. This guide takes you through that in order.

First: Is It the Internet or the Wi-Fi?

Answer two questions the next time it drops:

1. Does it drop on every device at once — phones, laptops, TV — or only on one?
2. Does a device on an Ethernet cable drop too, or only devices on Wi-Fi?

If every device loses the internet at the same moment, including a wired one, the problem is upstream: the modem, the line, or the provider. If wired devices stay online while Wi-Fi devices drop, it is your wireless network. If only one device drops, it is that device. TP-Link’s guide to unstable connections uses the same logic: test the internet straight from the modem, then through the router over Ethernet, and only then look at Wi-Fi.

A useful trick while you wait for the next drop: run a continuous ping in a terminal on a wired computer — ping -t 8.8.8.8 on Windows, ping 8.8.8.8 on Mac — and a second one to your router, such as ping -t 192.168.1.1. When the internet drops, see which one stops answering. If both stop, the problem is between the computer and the router; if only 8.8.8.8 stops, it is beyond the router. See how to use traceroute for a closer look.

If It Drops on Every Device

When the whole house loses the internet, start with the equipment on the provider’s side of your router.

Restart the modem and router in order. Unplug both for 30 seconds, plug in the modem first, wait until its lights are steady, then the router. An overloaded or overheating modem is a common cause of short drops; see how often you should reboot your router.

Watch the modem lights during a drop. On a cable modem, the online or internet light blinking means the modem lost its connection to the provider. On fiber, a red or blinking alarm or LOS light on the ONT means no signal on the fiber — see what is an ONT. See router lights meaning for common patterns.

Check every cable and connector. A loose coax connector, a cracked splitter or a damaged phone cord causes exactly this kind of drop, often worse in heat or when something is moved. Tighten coax connectors by hand, and if there is a splitter you do not need, take it out of the line. Replace the Ethernet cable between the modem and the router; see router not connecting to modem.

Check for outages. Your provider’s app or status page shows local outages and planned maintenance. Drops at the same time every day often line up with congestion or maintenance in the area.

Old or rented equipment. A modem that is several years old, or one the provider no longer supports, may struggle with the current network. On cable, see DOCSIS 3.1 vs 3.0.

If It Drops Only on Wi-Fi

If wired devices stay connected, focus on the wireless network. TP-Link’s recommended steps, in order:

• Move the router away from interference — microwaves, refrigerators, ovens and Bluetooth devices — and limit walls between the router and the devices that drop. See Wi-Fi interference.
• Place it high and in the open, and angle the antennas; avoid putting devices right at the base of the router, where the signal is weakest.
• Use the 5 GHz network if the signal is strong but the connection still drops; it has fewer interference sources. See 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz.
• Change the channel and set the channel width to 20 MHz to reduce overlap with neighbors. See best Wi-Fi channel.
• Update the router firmware; see how to update router firmware.
• Turn off Smart Connect (one network name for both bands) if drops continue — TP-Link notes it can cause compatibility problems with some devices.

If drops happen only in certain rooms, the cause is coverage rather than the router; see Wi-Fi dead zones.

If It Drops on One Device

When only one laptop, phone or console keeps dropping, the router is usually fine. Forget the network on that device and reconnect, update its system and Wi-Fi driver, and turn off power saving for the network adapter. On Windows, Microsoft’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide ends with Network reset (Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings → Network reset), which reinstalls network adapters with default settings — you will need to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords and VPN settings afterwards. For more device-specific fixes, see Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting and Wi-Fi adapter not working.

Read the Modem and Router Logs

Most modems and routers keep a log, and it tells you what happened at the moment of a drop. Open the router’s admin page — usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 — and look for System Log, Event Log or Status. Cable modems often have their own page at 192.168.100.1 with an event log and signal levels; see 192.168.100.1.

What to look for: repeated lines about the WAN or internet connection going down and up, DHCP lease renewals that fail, PPPoE reconnects, or on cable modems, messages about lost synchronization or ranging. Note the exact times. A pattern of upstream errors in the modem log is strong evidence when you call the provider.

When to Call Your Provider

Call when the drops happen on every device, including over a cable plugged directly into the modem, and restarting and checking cables did not help. Give them the times of the drops and any errors from the modem log, and ask them to check the line and signal levels at your address. If the modem or gateway is theirs, ask for a replacement if it is old.

If the internet drops every time the power flickers, see router not working after a power outage.