What to Do When the Internet Stops Working: A Simple Guide
When the internet drops out, it is easy to assume something is broken or that you have done something wrong. Usually neither is true. The internet stops for all sorts of small, fixable reasons, and most of the time you can get it back yourself in a few minutes without calling anyone.
This guide gives you a calm order to work through when the internet stops working. Try each step in turn, and stop as soon as you are back online. Nothing here can make things worse, so there is no need to worry about pressing the wrong thing. If you are helping an older parent get online, see our wider guide to helping a parent go online.
Quick answer
Start by switching the router off at the wall, waiting ten seconds, and switching it back on. Give it a few minutes for the lights to settle. This brings the internet back most of the time. While you wait, check whether it is just one device or everything in the house, and look at the router lights against the setup card. If everything is down and a restart does not help, it may be an outage in your area, which your provider can confirm. Keep their phone number somewhere handy, written on paper, so you can call even when you are offline.
Work through these steps in order
1. Check whether it is one device or all of them
Before anything else, see if the trouble is just one device or the whole house. If your tablet is offline but the television still streams, the problem is the tablet, not the internet. Turn that one device off and on again and try once more. If everything in the house is offline, move on to the router.
2. Restart the router
This is the fix that works most often. Switch the router off at the wall, count slowly to ten, and switch it back on. Then leave it alone for a few minutes while it starts up. The lights will blink and change as it gets going. It is tempting to keep pressing buttons, but the best thing you can do is wait and let it finish.
3. Look at the router lights
Once it has settled, look at the lights on the router. When all is well they usually glow steady, often green or blue. A red light, or a light that keeps flashing and never settles, is the router telling you it cannot find the connection. The setup card that came with it explains what each light means. If a light points to a line fault, that is useful to mention when you call your provider.
4. Check the cables are firm
A cable can work loose without anyone touching it, especially after a vacuum around the shelf. Gently check that the power cable and the cable into the wall socket are pushed in firmly at both ends. Do not pull anything out to inspect it, just press each plug to make sure it is seated. A loose cable is a common and easily fixed cause.
5. Wait a little while
If the restart and the cable check have not done it, give it fifteen minutes. Short outages often sort themselves out, particularly after a storm or a power cut in the area. Make a cup of tea, then try again. Patience genuinely fixes a fair share of these.
Is it just you, or is it an area outage?
Sometimes the problem is not in your house at all. Providers have outages now and then, often after bad weather, where the internet goes down for a whole street or suburb. If your phone still has a mobile signal, you can check your provider’s website or social media page for a notice, or ring them. A neighbour on the same provider is another quick check. If it is an area outage, there is nothing to fix at your end. It will come back when the provider sorts it.
When to call your provider
If you have restarted the router, checked the cables and waited, and the internet is still down with no sign of an area outage, it is time to call your provider. They can test the line from their end and either fix it remotely or arrange a technician. Have your account details and a note of the router lights ready. Keep their phone number written on paper near the phone, since looking it up is hard when you are offline. Our roundup of free tech help in Australia also lists places that can lend a hand.
A handy backup for next time
If your mobile phone has data, it can stand in for the home internet in a pinch. A feature called a personal hotspot lets your phone share its mobile data with a laptop or tablet, enough to check email or look something up while the home connection is down. It is worth asking a family member to show you how once, so it is there if you ever need it. Keeping your provider’s number on paper is the other simple bit of preparation that saves a lot of bother.
If the internet stops, checklist
- Check whether it is one device or the whole house.
- Restart the router, then wait a few minutes for it to settle.
- Look at the router lights against the setup card.
- Press the cables to make sure they are firm at both ends.
- Wait fifteen minutes in case it is a short outage.
- Check for an area outage on your phone or with a neighbour.
- Call your provider if it is still down. Keep their number on paper.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
Where to go next
If the internet works but runs slowly rather than dropping out, see how to improve slow Wi-Fi at home. And if you are setting up a new connection, our step-by-step on setting up home Wi-Fi for the first time covers it from the start.
FAQ: When the internet stops working
What is the first thing to do when the internet stops?
Restart the router. Switch it off at the wall, wait ten seconds, switch it on, and give it a few minutes to settle. This brings the internet back most of the time.
How do I know if it is my fault or an outage?
If your phone still has a mobile signal, check your provider’s website or ask a neighbour on the same provider. If a whole street is affected, it is an area outage and nothing to fix at your end.
What do the router lights mean?
Steady green or blue lights usually mean all is well. A red light, or one that keeps flashing, means the router cannot find the connection. The setup card explains each light for your model.
Could a loose cable be the problem?
Yes, and it is common. Gently press the power cable and the cable into the wall socket to make sure they are firm at both ends. A cable can work loose after cleaning around the shelf.
How can I get online while it is down?
If your mobile phone has data, a personal hotspot lets it share that data with a laptop or tablet for the basics. Ask a family member to show you how once, so it is ready when you need it.
Researched and checked against Australia sources in June 2026.
