Connected does not always mean working. Your device may be connected to the router while the router has no internet, or the internet may work while one device cannot browse properly.
The fastest route is to split the problem into provider, router, Wi-Fi and device.
Split the fault
Run through the safe checks before you spend money, reset devices or start changing settings you may need later.
- Test another device on the same Wi-Fi.
- Test the affected device near the router.
- Restart the router by unplugging power for 30 seconds.
- Check your provider's outage page if every device is affected.
- Try a different browser if only websites fail.
What the symptoms usually mean
Every device in the house is affected
Usually points to
This points away from any single computer and towards the router, the line, or the provider. When everything fails together, the common element is the cause.
Best next step
Check the router's status lights before anything else. A red or flashing broadband light is a line fault to report, not something to fix at a computer.
Only some websites or apps fail
Usually points to
A total outage affects everything. Partial failure usually means DNS, a filtering setting, or an expired security certificate rather than a broken connection.
Best next step
Try the failing site on mobile data. If it loads there, the problem is local filtering or DNS, not the site itself.
It drops and returns every few minutes
Usually points to
Intermittent loss usually means line instability or interference rather than a settings problem. Settings faults tend to be constant, not cyclical.
Best next step
Note the times it drops over a day. A repeating pattern is strong evidence for the provider and will speed up their diagnosis considerably.
If your problem is slightly different
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Get this fixed
Wi-Fi help
On-site Wi-Fi diagnosis and fixes across Ayrshire. Weak signal, dead spots, dropouts, router setup, mesh systems and connected-but-no-internet faults.
Laptop Wi-Fi problems
Help when one laptop will not join Wi-Fi, keeps dropping out, or says it is connected but still has no internet.
Wi-Fi connected, no internet
A practical guide for the classic connected-but-no-internet problem, with clear signs of when it needs an Ayrshire home visit.
Official references worth checking
Ofcom: broadband speeds and minimum guarantees
Useful when the line itself is underperforming and you need to know what your provider should investigate.
Openreach: checks for fibre ONT boxes
Helpful for full-fibre homes with an Openreach ONT, especially when PON or LOS lights are involved.
BT: factory resetting a BT Hub
Confirms what a factory reset does and why it is different from a normal restart.
Every device failing points to router or provider
If nothing in the house can browse, the fault is unlikely to be one laptop. Router, provider line, account activation or external outage become more likely.
One device failing points to settings
If only one computer fails, the issue may be DNS, IP settings, browser, VPN, security software or wireless adapter. That can often be fixed without changing the router.
Slow and dead are different problems
A slow connection may be coverage, congestion or provider speed. A connection that loads nothing needs a more basic diagnosis first.
Do not reset the router as a first step
A factory reset can disconnect every device and wipe custom settings. Restart first, diagnose second, reset only when it is the right move.
Quick questions
Why does it say connected when nothing loads?
The device may be connected to the router, but the route from router to internet or from device to router may still be broken.
Should I call the provider?
If every device is affected, checking provider status is sensible. If only one device fails, local support may be faster.
Can this be fixed in one visit?
Most home Wi-Fi and router faults can be diagnosed in one visit, unless the provider line itself is down.
Maintained by
Graeme Tudhope, Ayrshire Tech Help
Graeme has been repairing computers, fixing Wi-Fi and helping Ayrshire homes and small businesses since 2008. Every article is based on real problems seen during local home visits, bench repairs and remote support sessions, with advice written to protect files, money and time before anyone books paid help.