Internet keeps dropping: find the cause and fix it

Updated 23 September 2026

A connection that drops several times a day is more frustrating than a slow one. The good news: two simple tests are enough to tell whether the problem is in your home or with your provider.

First, describe the dropout

Before changing anything, write down for two or three days:

the time of each dropout and how long it lasts;
which devices are affected: just one, all Wi-Fi devices, or everything including wired devices;
what the router lights show during the dropout.

Those three details steer the whole diagnosis.

What you see	Main lead
A single device loses its connection	The device: Wi-Fi card, driver, power saving
All Wi-Fi devices, but not wired ones	Wi-Fi: interference, distance, channel
Every device, including wired ones	The router or the line
The router's internet light goes off or blinks	The line or the provider
Dropouts always at the same times	Congestion, interference or a scheduled task

The test that pinpoints the fault

On a computer, run two continuous pings in two windows:

to the router, often 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1: on Windows, ping -t 192.168.1.1;
to the internet: ping -t 8.8.8.8.

On macOS and Linux, just leave out -t. Let them run until the next dropout, then look:

both fail: the link between your device and the router is down. The problem is in your home (Wi-Fi, cable, device).
the router answers, the internet does not: the router works but can no longer reach the network. The problem is the line or the provider.
everything answers but websites won't load: often a DNS problem, not a lost connection.

When the problem is in your home

The Wi-Fi drops

Move closer, or put the router up high and in the open.
Switch bands: use 5 GHz near the router, keep 2.4 GHz for distant rooms.
Change channel if you live in a block of flats: on 2.4 GHz, pick 1, 6 or 11.
Move interference sources away: microwave ovens, baby monitors, some cordless phones.

Only one device drops

Turn off Wi-Fi power saving: on laptops it sometimes switches the card off to save battery.
Update the network driver on the computer.
Forget the network and reconnect to start from a clean configuration.

Everything drops, even over a cable

Swap the Ethernet cable and try another router port.
Check the heat: a router shut in a cabinet can overheat and restart. Give it air.
Update the router: most do it automatically, and a restart often triggers a pending update.
Remove the middlemen: power strips, phone extension leads, old DSL filters, powerline adapters.

When the problem is on the line

Typical signs: the router's "internet" light goes off, the router reports a resync, or dropouts hit every device at the same moment.

On ADSL or VDSL, a damaged phone socket, an extension lead or a damp cable is enough to make the line drop. Plug the router into the first socket in the home, without an extension.
On fibre, check that the thin optical cable between the wall socket and the router is not bent or pinched: fibre copes very badly with tight bends.
On 4G or 5G, the connection follows signal quality: a mast change or the weather can be enough. See our guide on placing the router.

Many routers show an event log in their interface: repeated "loss of sync" entries confirm a line problem.

Contacting your provider effectively

Call with concrete evidence:

the list of dropouts (dates, times, durations);
the ping test result: "the router answers, the internet does not";
the lights you saw and the lines from the router's log;
what you have already tried.

Ask explicitly for a line diagnostic and, if the dropouts continue, an engineer visit. Your provider owes you a continuous service: repeated, documented dropouts justify an intervention.

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Frequently asked questions

Why does my connection always drop at the same time?

Look at what happens at that time: a device starting a backup, a neighbour using a microwave, evening network congestion, or a scheduled router update. Regularity is a valuable clue.

Restarting the router fixes it, then it comes back. What now?

A restart that only helps for a while often points to overheating, full memory or a hardware fault. Give the router air, check for updates and, if it continues, ask your provider for a replacement.

How do I know if the dropout is in my home or with my provider?

Run one continuous ping to the router and another to the internet. If the router answers during the dropout but the internet does not, the problem is outside your home: the line or the provider.