Short answer
Connect a laptop directly to the modem with a network cable and test. If it then stays stable, it is your wifi or your own network. If it also drops out on the cable, it is the modem or the provider. Note the date and time of every outage; with a list, a provider takes it seriously.
Who this article is for Anyone with a flaky connection who does not know who to call.
The test that tells you everything
Connect a laptop directly to the modem with a network cable. Turn off the wifi on that laptop. Use it for a while as you normally would.
Stable? Then it is your wifi or your own network, and there is no point calling the provider.
Does it drop out too? Then it is the modem, the connection or the provider. Now calling does make sense.
What to note down before you call
- the date and time of every outage, even if it is only brief
- whether it affects all devices or just one
- whether anything changes when you restart the modem
- the lights on the modem: which are on, which are flashing
With five lines on paper, a provider takes a report considerably more seriously than when you just say it sometimes does not work.
If it is the wifi
The usual causes:
You solve the first three with settings, the fourth with an extra point.
A busy channel. In a terraced house there are easily fifteen networks on top of each other. In the 2.4 gigahertz band it is at its worst. Choosing a fixed channel or switching to 5 gigahertz helps.
Devices hanging on to the wrong point. Your phone holds on to the point downstairs while you are upstairs. That is a setting in the system.
Interference from equipment. Microwaves, wireless cameras and old DECT phones use the same band.
Too far away. Then it is not interference but a coverage problem, see wifi does not reach everywhere.
If it is the cabling
In an older installation or after a renovation a network cable may be damaged. You notice it from a connection that gets stuck at 100 megabit when it should be 1 gigabit, or from a port that drops out now and then.
I test that with a cable tester that shows per core what is going on. Usually it is a connector that needs to be redone.
From my own work
A customer in Nuth had flaky internet every evening and the provider found nothing. Over a cable it was stable, on wifi it was not, and always around eight o'clock. It turned out to be the neighbours' wifi on the same channel, plus a microwave that sits right in the 2.4 gigahertz band. Channel fixed, devices moved to 5 gigahertz, and it stopped.
When to call an electrician
- It is stable over a cable but wifi keeps dropping
- You want to know whether your cabling is still good
- An access point or a switch needs adding
I test the cabling and look at the channels in the area. Request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether it is my provider?
Connect a laptop directly to the modem with a network cable and turn wifi off. If it stays stable, it is not the provider.
What should I note down before I call?
The date and time of every outage, whether it affects all devices, what a restart does and which lights are on.
Can a microwave interfere with my wifi?
Yes, in the 2.4 gigahertz band. Old DECT phones and wireless cameras are there too.
Further reading
Access point or mesh: which to choose
Mesh is quick to set up and works reasonably well. Wired access points work better and last longer.
Fibre at home: what happens and what you need to arrange yourself
The provider brings the fibre into the meter cupboard. From there it is your network, and that is where there is most to gain.
A camera by the door or on the front of the house: what is allowed and what works
A camera on your wall may film your own property. The neighbours and the pavement are another matter.
Questions and comments
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