A quick search in your browser can turn into a spike of frustration for something as simple as losing connectivity. Our dependence on the network of networks is almost absolute, and the vast majority of modern services don't work without it. But besides shaking your fist in the air and letting out your anger with a cry of I don't have Internet!, we can also determine the cause. In many cases, it's an external event beyond our control; however, sometimes we can do something…
I Don't Have Internet, and the Return to the Middle Ages
There was a time when we could live without the Internet. A time of floppy disks, cassette tapes, phone modems and BBS. A time of credit cards processed with a 'guillotine', of analog television, VCRs and cartridge games. Today, the world revolves around streaming and IPTV, digital stores, payment processors and cloud storage. We are going through the 'app era', in which doing without a mobile device tends to be a problem rather than an alternative. And guess what? None of that works without the Internet.
For all these reasons (and many more that I'm forgetting), the loss of connectivity borders on the desperate. Personally, not having Internet turns me into a cork floating in the water. It sets me back at work, I can't get information, any purchase goes on pause, and let's not forget the 27 thousand messages asking if I'm dead. I imagine something similar must happen to you, and if you're reading these lines from your mobile because the main Internet connection decided to vanish, I invite you to go over some details that could bring it back from the darkness…
And How Does Your Modem Feel Today…?
That's right: the damn device. The first thing any tech support agent will ask you is to turn your modem off and on, and the reason is simple: it usually works. Modems are not robust creatures. In fact, they are a constant example of cost cutting and technical compromises that hurt the user at all levels. Add to that absurd designs that turn the inside of the modem into an oven, and certain users who insist on hiding the device inside a cabinet when it needs ventilation, well…
So, first step: check the state of the modem, its synchronization and temperature. Turn it off, wait one or two minutes (absolute minimum, 10 seconds), reconnect it, and repeat the pause. Shouting at it won't make it connect faster; I've tried, it doesn't work. If after several minutes synchronization remains down, it's time to talk to support. Are you still on ADSL with a landline and copper connection? Pick up the phone and check if you have a dial tone. If the line seems dead, there's another underlying problem.
The Existential Crisis of DNS
Another possibility is that the modem reports a stable connection, but the browsers on your devices refuse to 'resolve' addresses. Like many other things in computing, DNS servers are not immortal, and they can go down from time to time (especially if you use the ones assigned by your provider), or perform far below normal. A valid shortcut is to replace them entirely with alternate DNS servers, either at the modem/router level (disabling automatic configuration and entering values manually) or on the network card in each device.
The procedure to do this in Windows is the same one that lets you change your computer's IP. While nothing stops you from choosing the fastest DNS for your region, we recommend prioritizing stability. On this side I use a combination of OpenDNS (208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220), Google (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) and CloudFlare (1.1.1.1). Once the change is made, open the system console with elevated privileges, and run "ipconfig /flushdns" to purge the entire DNS cache. As a final step, restart the computer.
Blessed, Cursed Wi-Fi
Ah, Wi-Fi. Internet 'through the air', without cables, and with total freedom. Sounds wonderful, right? And if it works, it definitely is. The problem is when it refuses to cooperate, which happens far more often than we think. A classic is that Wi-Fi doesn't 'come back' from hibernation or suspend. Usually associated with conflicts between power management, the Wi-Fi drivers themselves (board, module or dongle) and the operating system, the first suggestion is to prevent the computer from turning off that hardware to save electricity. The second is to update the driver (although we know well that certain chips depend exclusively on what Windows Update offers, and there are no alternatives).
Nor should we forget channel problems, courtesy of multiple routers occupying the same frequency. Channels 1, 6 and 11 are supposed to avoid 'overlap' with other frequencies, but if everyone configures their routers the same way, the Wi-Fi performance may leave much to be desired. Modifying the channel, moving the router to a different position, or making the leap to 5 GHz can help improve the situation.
The Ghost of Saturation
Who are we kidding? We consume data. Lots of data. The simple act of reading this article consumes data. And all family members squeezing Netflix HD on their devices consume data too. Of course, the greater the bandwidth, the lower the chance of saturating the connection, but if you have 10 or 20 megabits at your disposal, these days it's not very hard to put it in a bind.
Obviously, this issue is not exclusive to streaming. If I let BitTorrent do what it wants, free and unrestricted, the connection would beg for mercy within seconds. At the same time, not all modems/routers can tolerate the opening of many simultaneous connections that a normal BitTorrent session makes. The provider might not fail, but if your router falls to its knees, you'll be without Internet just the same…
And Much, Much More
Overzealous firewalls, low-quality Wi-Fi dongles with unstable drivers, Windows Update downloading its bricks in the background, programs that interfere with Windows' network structure (e.g., virtual adapters)... saying "no Internet" may give an accurate description at first, but once we scratch the surface, its generic profile is evident. I hope some of what we've mentioned here helps you. There's a lot of ground to cover, be patient, don't lose your head, and good luck!
