When WiFi Fails: Troubleshooting Tips for Getting Back Online

In this day and age, one would be hard pressed to find a modern home that isn’t outfitted with WiFi capabilities, allowing for the comfort of accessing the Internet anywhere in the house. However, what do you do when that wireless connection suddenly breaks down without rhyme or reason? 

Thanks to George Otte (CEO and Founder of Geeks on Site, the premium computer repair and tech support company), he has put together the following five tips to help you get that signal up-and-running again as painlessly as possible. 

Troubleshooting Tips for When Wi-Fi Fails at Home

1. Make sure your modem and router is plugged in correctly and has power.

Start out by making sure the modem/router is plugged in correctly and powered on. Although it may seem that this could not be the problem, you may consider pets/children accidentally brushing up against a power cord, stepping on a fuse breaker, or even an unexpected surge that caused a partial power outage in your home. Test different power sockets to verify socket failure.

2. Make sure your router’s wireless feature is working and if not restart it (don’t reset it).

The next reason for Wi-Fi failure may be losing the wireless signal. You should try to diagnose if the router is emitting a signal by checking the router’s light indicators first. If the lights indicate the connection is lost, restart the device by unplugging it from the wall. There’s a huge difference between restarting a device and resetting a device. Don’t reset the device. If you reset the modem/router, you will restore its factory settings and in so doing, delete its configurations. Restarting the device by either unplugging its cord or pressing the restart button will only reboot the device in a manner similar to that of shutting off your computer and turning it back on. If you reset your device you will lose your internet connection for sure.

3. Check to see if your wireless feature got disabled.

To see if the problem lies from the source of the connection, you should proceed by plugging the Ethernet cable into the router and the router to your computer. If you can access the internet then it’s likely your router has lost its configuration but the modem is fine. You can attempt to fix this by typing the standard IP address “192.168.1.1” in your internet browser’s address box. This address should open the router’s setup page. This page will likely ask for a user name and password which you can find printed on a label on your modem/router, or a text somewhere in the modem’s box. Once you entered the page you should make sure that the wireless feature is marked as active or on. If it doesn’t you should consult with your network administrator or your ISP.

4. Verify there are no devices that may interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. Move potential interfering devices away.

If your wireless feature is marked as active or on and your Wi-Fi still doesn’t work correctly, then perhaps the loss of signal can be attributed to a signal interruption. Most routers and modems emit a 2.4GHZ frequency radio signal. Other devices such as a cordless phone or a microwave oven can cause interference if they have a similar or identical frequency. In these cases its best that you move these items away from your modem/router.

5. Make sure your PC is not the problem by using another device to access the wireless connection.

Sometimes, your computer may be the cause of the problem. To verify this, try accessing your Wi-Fi network with another computer, tablet or Smartphone. If one of these can connect to the network, then your computer is definitely the problem. Try rebooting your PC and if that doesn’t work you may need to update and/or reinstall your computer’s wireless adaptor’s drivers.


Disclosure: I did not receive any products nor was paid for this post. I was provided info from the PR firm to share. Any expressed opinions are my own and personal thoughts. No other compensation was given.