Why is my internet not working? 4 reasons why your internet is not working and how to fix it!
If your internet is slow or not working correctly, make sure to first check your router, and make sure the cables are connected properly and haven’t come loose. If everything seems okay, a reset or unplugging it and plugging it back in usually fixes most router issues.
If your issue persists after following the steps above then let’s take a look at other reasons your internet may not be working. The main causes of your internet not working could include:
- Hacking the network or network issues
- Physical distance from the router
- Your ISP has an outage
- Network congestion
Let’s take a look at hacking and network issues.
This one is the most unlikely out of all the issues but the one you really should avoid! Someone who’s hacked your router can:
- Use your bandwidth: This one’s more annoying than harmful, but still if you’ve got someone piggybacking off your Wi-Fi and using it to stream games etc you’ll have a lot less bandwidth left for your own activities.
- Spy on your internet traffic: Someone who’s tapped into your Wi-Fi can spy from any device that’s connected to it. That includes your computer, your phone, your family’s computers and phones, your video game console, your smart home devices, and more. Hackers can also monitor your internet traffic in real-time and capture the data flowing in and out.
- Collect your personal data: A hacker can collect anything you enter into a website with an unencrypted connection! (Meaning a website that uses only HTTP.) Never enter sensitive data, such as a password, into a website that only uses HTTP.
- Install malware on it: Yep you heard it correctly, there’s router malware. A hacker with access to your router can initiate a router firmware hack, filling your router with malware which can lead to additional attacks and spying in the future.
- Change your DNS settings: A common goal of a Wi-Fi router hack is to access your router’s DNS settings, which determine where it sends your internet traffic. A hacker can alter this so that your internet traffic gets rerouted to websites of your choice. (Usually leading to a pharming website, used to trick you into giving over personal information or malicious websites that download malware onto your devices.)
Preventing a Wi-Fi hack is cheaper and easier than dealing with a hacked router. Trust us! Plus staying ahead of an attack means your infrastructure constantly stays secure. Here is a quick fix to this issue which you can implement pretty easily:
When receiving a new router, (or if you have not done this yet) Immediately change your username and password. Hackers will most likely know the default admin credentials of the most popular routers. Not changing the password makes you an easy target for a password hack! (Remember when setting up a new password it needs to be 12 characters long unless otherwise stated, and needs to include an uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.)
For other ways to keep your router secure consult with your IT Department they can set up encryption methods and antivirus software if needed.
Physical distance from your router.
If your device is too far from your router, your internet speed can also be impacted. So consider moving closer to your router or using a Wi-Fi extender device to improve the range of your connection. Also, try to minimize the number of walls between yourself and the internet device. Most routers will reach 150 feet indoors and about 300 feet outdoors.
If you are looking to extend the reach of your router here are a few ways to do this:
Adding external antennas can increase the range of a Wi-Fi router. Walls, floors, and metal objects can interfere and weaken your router’s wireless signals. Make sure your router is kept away from these where possible. Add a Wireless repeater! These devices rebroadcast a wireless signal, strengthening the signal from your router to other floors of your building.
Internet service provider.
Your ISP internet service provider can go down usually due to maintenance but the best way to see if you have an ISP outage is to First make sure that it is an ISP outage and has nothing to do with your router. Make sure that you check your router connections and connection to a power source. Also, make sure it’s connecting to the correct Wi-Fi network.
If your issue is not due to connectivity you should contact your ISP. When you speak to your provider or check the website for outages, see if the problem is isolated to just your connection or if it’s part of a wider network issue before giving them a call. Another less common issue with ISPs is something called ISP throttling which means they have slowed your speed on purpose.
Network congestion.
Network congestion is very similar to normal traffic congestion, cars bumper to bumper, beeping horns and slamming breaks! Much like the traffic jam your network could be congested if there is too much traffic for your network to handle.
congestion can occur for a few reasons the main ones being bandwidth Issues, Outdated or Non-Compatible Hardware or Misconfigured Traffic. The first step in preventing network congestion is usually monitoring network traffic. finding a way to monitor and manage traffic flowing through your network, you’ll be able to analyse it and take steps to reduce network congestion. (This may be a good convocation to have with your MSP.)
A simple one we know but rebooting your router is a good way to increase bandwidth and internet speeds. Run a speed test! Speedtest by Ookla – The Global Broadband Speed Test
Make sure that your device’s software is up to date and that you have closed all background apps.
Hopefully your wifi issue has now been resolved but if this is not the case plase contact your MSP (managed service provider) or contact your ISP and ask them: “Why is my Wi-Fi not working?” they may ask you fort details such as your account number, email address, and a description of the problem. We hope you found this blog useful. If you are in need of business IT support services don’t hesitate to contact a member of our wonderful team and one of our directors will be happy to speak with you!