Internet outages might not be common but they cannot be eliminated. Even if you have a reliable internet connection, there can always be a situation where you might face an internet disruption issue that can leave you frustrated if you were in the middle of something important. Though if you have subscribed to Time Warner internet, you can minimize the risk of getting into this trouble, but let’s be honest here, you can never be completely immune to any sudden internet outage crisis. The catch here is that subscribing to a reliable internet service provider does ensure an effective customer support service to help you through and fix any connectivity problems as early as possible. Especially during this global pandemic that has had a deep impact on our lives and confined us completely to our homes, we are relying on the internet for carrying out all sorts of activities, be they mundane or complicated. Businesses have gone entirely online and so have our jobs or education. Thus, it has become almost impossible to imagine our lives without a sound internet connection. So, without further ado, let us first begin by looking into the reasons why internet outages happen, and what are the ways to overcome them. Dive in!
Local Problems
There can be certain issues with the local internet infrastructure like wear and tear on cable lines or some kind of hardware failure that might become the cause of an internet outage. Similarly, software upgrades might be required by the network provider to prevent any virus or malware intrusion. Well, localized issues mainly related to equipment malfunctioning can cause internet disruption. Local issues are usually fixed quickly.
Regional Problems
The issue might not be in your local area but somewhere nearby, within your region. Such regional problems might also be beyond your control at times. For instance, physical damages to the buildings, a severe weather condition like a thunderstorm, electric supply disruptions, or any sort of damage to the infrastructure can lead to an internet outage. Such issues may take a while to be resolved.
Service Provider Issues
Whenever we face an internet outage, the first thing we do is blame our internet service provider and we are often right about it. Usually, the problems that cause internet disconnection are some kind of system failure, hardware failure, or overloaded system, etc. There can be many reasons for connectivity failure at the service provider’s end that can make us suffer an internet outage. Experiencing speed fluctuations is common, especially during rush hours. Though we pay for a specific internet speed, we receive a slower speed because of service interruptions.
Coping with an Internet Outage
Some of the best ways to deal with an internet outage are as under:
Patience
First thing’s first. You have to be patient. It is a normal occurrence that any small errors can become the reason for an internet outage and these are usually resolved within minutes. If you feel your internet is slowing down, pages are not loading and finally, you have lost connectivity, try restarting the router. After a short while, your internet connection will usually be restored. This is also common during peak hours when there can be congestion issues and you might face connectivity drop for a while.
Check Your Cables
Though we always end up blaming the ISP, chances are that there can be an issue at our end. Therefore, it is better to check all the cables and connectors. Unplug and plug them again to see if the internet connectivity is restored. Sometimes, loosened cables attached to the computer or router can cause connectivity issues.
Restarting the System
There are times when your router or modem might need a restart for processing repair configurations or firmware updates. It is better to saves all your files, and restart the system. This means that you should unplug the device, wait for a while, plug it again and let it reboot to overcome internet slowdown issues.
Contacting the ISP
If the internet disruption persists and none of the aforementioned tips are working, then it is about time that you call your internet service provider and report the issue. Ask your ISP for assistance and you will be able to find out how long it will take for the internet outage to be fixed.
The Bottom Line
In case you are confronting an internet outage, it is important to check if your bill is paid and if all your cables are plugged in properly. Try rebooting the modem and wait for a while after restarting your system. If it does not work and your internet is still not, it is about time that you call your ISP, report the problem and get the updates.
