Internet cuts out every hour? – Here’s what to do

Your internet cutting out can be extremely frustrating. It can be more than just your internet speed fluctuating too – it can go off completely. If it goes off, many of us are felt feeling a little bit lost (as embarrassing as that is to admit!).

If you are someone who regularly suffers from internet outages then we would like to assure you that this isn’t normal and you have every right to feel aggrieved.

If you would like to try and then you’ve come to the right place, because in this article we are going to look at couple of things which you can do which may help you to stabilise your connection.

What to do when your internet keeps dropping out

Your first port of call if you are suffering regular outages with your internet connection should be your router.

If you’re using a Wi-Fi connection, it could be to do with interfering devices. So, make sure that other devices aren’t stopping your from connecting to the internet.

However, if you’re using an ethernet connection, you may want to take a look at your cable network to see where the issue lies.

Firstly, make sure all the wires that go in and out of the router are secured in place and untangled. Once you have sorted the wires out, your next step should be to reboot your router.

In order to do this, locate the on/off switch on the back of your router and switch it off. Wait 30 seconds and then switch it back on again and wait for it to reboot.

Alternatively, you can simply just do this at the mains with the plug socket that your router is plugged into.

Reset your router

If a reboot doesn’t resolve the issue of your internet cutting out every hour then you aren’t quite done with the router yet.

Now, it may well be time for a hard reset of the router which will restore it to its factory settings.

Although this is quite a big step to make, if it solves the issue then it’s probably worth it. In order to perform a router reset, please follow these instructions:

  1. Make a note of your router’s SSID and all bespoke security and/or network settings that you would like to reinstate post-reset.
  2. Locate the small reset button on the back of your router. It will be tiny and will require you to use a paperclip/drawing pin in order for you to press it.
  3. Press down on the reset button for at least 10 seconds and then wait for the router to reset.
  4. Wait for the router to get back up and running, this can take up to 15 minutes so don’t worry when it is flashing relentlessly for a long period of time.
  5. Once it has stopped flashing, you are free to input all of the network and security data that you jotted down prior to the reset.

You may also want to update your router firmware – this needs to be done regularly, as outdated firmware can result in it now working properly.

If this doesn’t work, then it clearly isn’t an issue with the router itself but rather something else. Here is something else which you can try before contacting your provider directly:

Update your network adapter drivers

One thing that is worth doing when you are facing constant internet outages is to update your network adaptor drivers.

Just like other modern tech that uses the internet, such as smart phones, games consoles and streaming services, your network adaptor drivers run regular updates to optimise your experience.

If your internet connection is relying on out of date network adaptor driver then it is no wonder that you are regularly losing internet access.

In order to update these drivers, please follow these instructions:

  1. Log on to a desktop computer or laptop.
  2. Load up the device manager on your computer/laptop and select the ‘network adapters’ tab.
  3. Right click on your Wi-Fi network and select ‘update driver’.
  4. Now, select the option which will ensure that these updates are searched for and performed automatically in the future.

While this won’t necessarily fix the issue across the board, it will at least mean that your computer/laptop is up to date with its network configurations.

device-manager

This could be the most important thing if you are working from home like so many of us are at this moment in time.

Get in touch with your internet service provider

If you find that you cannot resolve the issue yourself, then you may want to consider contacting your internet provider to see if they have any idea why your internet disconnects. A stable internet connection is something that every internet service provider should offer.

There’s also the potential chance that it’s caused by a faulty router. It may start to have problems when you add too many devices to the network, and as mentioned about, resetting your router should be the first thing you do.

If this doesn’t fix the issue, then you can ask your internet service provider for a new wireless router to replace it.

Conclusion

If after performing these checks and troubleshooting tasks you are still facing regular outages then you will have no other choice but to get in touch directly with your network provider.

A slow internet connection could now result in a loss of work and therefore a loss of earnings, so for many of us, it’s important that we get it fixed.

They will be able to send someone out to look at the issue in more depth and perhaps provide you with an updated Wi-Fi router. If they don’t, then it’s probably time to look elsewhere for a better service provider.

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Author

Andy

Andy is a Professional Content Editor with expertise in a whole host of areas (or so he tells us anyway). His main interests are sports, tv/film and social media. He has reviewed over 100 apps so far for Apps UK.

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