When your internet goes down
What to do? You were going to waste time on youtube, I mean, get some important work done and all of a sudden there's nothing coming back from the internet? How infuriating. Okay, things to do:
- Check it on another device. Is that working? If so, turn your non-functioning device off, wait for 5 minutes, then turn it back on and wait 1 minute. Also make sure there's not some other device in the house hogging all the bandwidth: if two of the kids are watching different netflix shows, and you're trying to watch TVNZ, depending on your connection you could be hitting your peak bandwidth. Still no luck?
- Turn it all off then back on again: specifically, turn off all devices connected to the internet, then the modem, then (if you have one) the Fibre 'ONT' unit. Then, allowing 1 minutes time between each device, turn them all back on - ONT first (if present), followed by the modem, followed by the devices you're trying to connect to the internet. Wait for 5 minutes. Still no luck?
- Is your internet connection a 4G (cell network) one? Use your phone to find the best spots for reception in the house (typically next to windows) and relocate the modem to there. Still no luck?
- Call your internet service provider: eg. Spark or One or Starlink, etcetera. Check if there's a problem in your local area, and failing that, get them to run a line test to your house. Failing that, check that your bills to them are all paid. Still no luck?
- Call me: it could be related to a faulty piece of wifi hardware (sometimes these can go haywire and spread static over the wifi channel), some OS corruption, bad drivers (rarely) or a modem going south. Luckily I have replacements for all or most of those things, so I can narrow it down. Can't reach me?
- Wait till the next day: it's pretty common for these things to be temporary, and sometimes an overnight fault with your service provider doesn't get recognised or acknowledged till later on. If you still can't reach me, call someone else.
Final note: at certain times of the day (typically when most people are using it) the internet does tend to slow down. Peak times tend to be around 8-9am and 6-8pm respectively - when people are starting up for the day and checking emails, and when they're watching TV at night.
- written by Matt Bentley
