How To Tell If My Modem Is Bad Or If It's A Service Problem

With the proliferation of smart home devices, online gaming platforms, and video-streaming services, maintaining a stiff internet connection is more than of import than e'er. If you're experiencing lag while playing League of Legends, or it takes forever to download music, there's a proficient adventure the trouble is on your end and not an issue with your net service provider (ISP). Earlier you schedule a service call with your cable visitor, check out our tips for troubleshooting your internet connection.

ane. Try Another Device or Website

Commencement with the obvious: is the problem but happening on one device or all your devices? If your computer's having problems, see if your tablet or someone else's laptop tin connect to the internet. If the problem merely happens on one device, you can safely narrow the problem downwardly to that detail machine.

If a specific website won't load, try another site. If you tin can visit other websites merely fine, information technology's likely that the problem is with the website yous're trying to visit, and yous'll accept to await for them to fix things on their end. Effort typing the website's address into downforeveryoneorjustme.com or downdetector.com to see if there'southward a known service outage.

If in that location is no known outage, it could be an result with your browser's cache. You may want to try visiting the site in a individual browsing window or from a different browser to run across if that fixes the connection problem. And clear your browser's cache and cookies.

two. Bank check the Wi-Fi Settings

Check the Wi-Fi signal icon in the bottom-correct corner of Windows and summit-right corner in macOS. Click the icon and make certain you are connected to the proper SSID using the correct password. If not, you lot may exist connecting to the wrong network by default. Windows users tin can change the connexion priority or right-click a network and select Forget. On a Mac, open Arrangement Preferences > Network > Advanced and uncheck whatever unwanted networks under the Car-Join column.

If y'all're continued to the right network and still have a trouble, Windows tin aid yous diagnose the trouble. Right-click on the network icon in your system tray and select Troubleshoot problems to run the Windows Network Diagnostic routine. This can sometimes correct common issues past resetting the adapter.

Yous can too check your network adapter settings under Network and Sharing Heart in the Control Panel to brand certain the adapter is using the correct gateway address and other settings.

three. Check Your Internet Package

If your internet is working, only is working slower than expected, caput to a site like Speedtest.internet and run a speed test. Y'all'll get a number in megabits per second denoting the speed your figurer is actually experiencing. From at that place, caput to your ISP'south website and cheque your bill.

If the number on your pecker is the aforementioned every bit your speed test, and then you're getting the correct speeds yous pay for. If that feels as well deadening, yous'll need to upgrade to something faster. If your speed test is significantly slower than the speed you pay for, and then y'all are indeed having problems, and should continue with troubleshooting.

4. Scan for Viruses

AVG AntiVirus for Mac

Sometimes your internet connection can be affected by malicious code on your reckoner. Do a scan for spyware, viruses, and malware, all of which tin have a meaning impact on your spider web-surfing speed and overall system functioning. Windows comes with Windows Defender built in, which tin exercise the job nicely, but at that place are plenty of gratis and paid utilities available also.

v. Featherbed Your DNS Server

When you lot type a website into your browser, your computer looks up the IP accost of that website using a Domain Name Organisation (DNS) server. Occasionally, these servers tin can have problems, making it hard to visit websites using their friendly domain names (like PCMag.com). It's like having a working phone with no contact list—you lot technically have the ability to call people, merely you lot don't know anyone's number.

Try bypassing your DNS server past typing an IP address into your browser, like 216.58.197.78 (which is one of Google's IP addresses). If the page loads properly, you'll need to change your DNS server, or mayhap flush your DNS cache to ready your problems.

vi. Decode the Blinking Lights

If you tin can't connect to the internet at all, take a look at your modem and router. Both should have a few LED status indicators—if none of them are lit upwards, then the modem or router is probably unplugged or powered downwardly. Disconnect the ability cord—if you take both a modem and a router, disconnect both—then reconnect the modem afterward a minute or two.

Make certain that the power switch is in the On position, if there is one. Once its lights are on, plug in your router (if applicable) and expect for information technology to boot up likewise. If yous still don't encounter lights afterward plugging them in, yous may have a failed ability adapter, a faulty ability strip, or a fried router.

Ifsome of the lights are on, just some aren't—or they're flashing repeatedly—yous'll want to look more closely at what they're telling you. For example, if your modem's lights are flashing rather than solid, it may be unable to find an internet connection, necessitating a new modem (or a call to your Internet service provider).

If your router'south network light is on but the Wi-Fi lights aren't, you may need to press the Wi-Fi button on the side, or re-enable Wi-Fi from its configuration carte du jour. Bank check the documentation for your modem and/or router to diagnose what these lights are telling you.

7. Who Else Is Using the Net?

It'due south possible that everything is working properly, simply a programme on your PC—or someone else in the house—is using up all your bandwidth. On Windows, open up the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc and click on the Network column to sort by network usage. On a Mac, press Command + Space to open Spotlight, blazon "Activity Monitor," and head to Action Monitor'southward Network tab.

If a sure app is using a lot of bandwidth—like if you're downloading a big file—you may but need to wait until that process is finished, or cancel information technology to become your internet snappy again. If you don't see any obvious culprits, meet if someone else in the firm is downloading a large file on their motorcar, and tell them to knock it off. If someone is using a game streaming service, don't allow them sus scrofa all the bandwidth on the network.

In that location'south as well always the chance that a neighbor is stealing your Wi-Fi. We have instructions on how to encounter who is on your network and how to kicking them off.

8. Get a Amend Betoken

Google Nest Wi-Fi

If you're using Wi-Fi, at that place are plenty of bug that can slow downward your connection. Try connecting your computer directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. If that solves the problem, then your Wi-Fi signal is poor enough to degrade your internet speed. Bank check the Wi-Fi icon on your computer: how many confined do you have?

If you lot're low on confined, you may need to move your router to a more central location in your house, or purchase a Wi-Fi extender. (If you already have a Wi-Fi extender, it may just be poor quality—a mesh arrangement volition probably do a better job).

If you take full bars but there are a lot of Wi-Fi networks in your edifice, it may only be also congested, and changing the channel or using the 5GHz band may help solve the problem. Bank check out our guide to boosting your Wi-Fi signal for more tricks to improving reception.

9. Update Your Firmware

Firmware is the low-level embedded software that runs your modem, router, and other network hardware. Most vendors provide downloadable firmware updates that can resolve performance issues, add new features, and increase speed. Look for the firmware update tool in the Arrangement section of your router's settings and follow the instructions carefully to ensure that y'all're installing the correct firmware version. Do non download firmware from a third-political party site.

x. Wipe Your Settings Clean

If rebooting your router doesn't do the play tricks, information technology's possible a certain setting is causing your problem. Try resetting your router to its factory default configuration. For most routers, this involves pressing a very small-scale reset push button on the rear panel and property information technology downward for several seconds until the LED lights begin flashing. In one case reset, y'all can log into the spider web interface and set it up from scratch. Just be careful non to enable the aforementioned setting that caused the problem in the starting time place.

xi. Upgrade to a Faster Router

If you're using an older 802.11b or 802.11g router, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer, more powerful one, especially if you have multiple computers, smartphones, and other devices vying for bandwidth. A dual-band router gives you two radio bands to choose from and allows you to dedicate a ring to clients that require lots of bandwidth, like streaming video devices and gaming consoles.

Moreover, newer routers employ the latest technologies to evangelize speedy throughput, with enhanced Wi-Fi range. The latest router standard is 802.11ax, also known as Wi-Fi 6, and it's enhanced version Wi-Fi 6E. Check out our listing of the best wireless routers when you're ready to accept the plunge.

12. Head to the Source

A coaxial cable splitter

If troubleshooting your modem and router doesn't aid, the problem may come up from farther downwardly the line. Inspect the connection coming into your dwelling house. This is unremarkably located on the side of your house, and may or may non be housed in an enclosure. Make sure that the main cable hasn't been chewed upward by squirrels or knocked loose by a storm.

If you run into a cablevision splitter, make certain each connection is tight and the connectors are properly crimped. If the splitter looks suspect (i.e., rusty or dirty), try replacing it. Cheap splitters can too dethrone signal strength, so if you don't need to dissever the signal, try getting rid of it altogether.

13. Last Resort: Punch Up Your ISP

If you've tried everything and are even so experiencing internet connection woes, information technology'south time to call your service provider. The trouble could be on their stop, and may crave a new connection at the pole coming into your house or new equipment, such equally a better modem or an amplifier.

If you're experiencing slowdowns at certain times of the twenty-four hours (think afterwards-schoolhouse hours), it's possible that your ISP is only unable to handle the increased user load, in which instance you may desire to find a new service provider. Lucky for you, nosotros've tested them to notice the fastest ISPs in the state.

Disclosure: Downdetector and Speedtest.net are owned past Ookla, a subsidiary of PCMag'due south parent visitor Ziff Davis.

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