Why Does the Internet Cut Out? (And Why Turning the Router Off and On Often Fixes It)

"Have you tried turning the device off and on again?" This recommendation from technical support at any connectivity provider is irritating to the bone, but they make it for a reason: it works in 8 or 9 out of 10 cases. Routers, whether standalone or hybrid, are far more delicate than they look. Overloads, errors in dynamic IP assignment, temperature issues, and even a poor-quality firmware can bring the toughest router to its knees.

My local ISP handed me a generic modem-router hybrid. It works fine, but the first thing I did was disable the entire router section and leave that task to my faithful Linksys WRT54G with DD-WRT installed. Why? Simply because its individual crashes don't pass half a dozen per year. In the pursuit of stability, most routers are not a great example, and there are several reasons, both internal and external, that bring us to the inevitable reset: turn the damn thing off and on.

Why Does the Internet Cut Out?

First, manufacturers cut costs wherever possible, and what initially seems like a good purchase turns into a headache full of drops and firmware errors. That automatically leads us to cases of overload. The most basic units include two or four Ethernet ports, plus WiFi connections. The manufacturer may say its product supports a large number of devices, but common sense tells us we shouldn't go beyond six or eight on a home model. If everyone tries to get their Netflix fix at the same time, it will throw in the towel.

Then there are dynamic IP addresses. One of IPv6's promises is that every device in existence can have its own static IP number (340 sextillion available), but if we depend on service providers for that, we'll need patience. If the modem-router receives a new dynamic IP at a particularly busy moment, it's most likely that the connection will drop.

And to close, we arrive at two critical factors: heat and WiFi congestion. This is easily forgotten, but the router is a mini computer. It has a processor, RAM, internal storage, buses, and an operating system. That's why it's a terrible idea to hide it behind a cabinet, wrapped in cables and near other heat sources. The router works 24/7 and needs ventilation (no matter how ugly its case is).

As for WiFi, we've already talked about that. Congestion on some 2.4 GHz channels can be brutal, and the first action is to move our WiFi to another channel, or jump to the 5 GHz band if the hardware allows.

I also want to briefly mention firmware updates. If the manufacturer offers them, it's not a bad idea to carry them out, and if possible, any user should consider installing an alternative firmware, like OpenWrt or DD-WRT.