Provider or Area Outage
A major network issue, exchange fault, or scheduled maintenance outside your home can take all local customers offline simultaneously.
No internet connection guide
Broadband Down?
This guide helps you validate whether your broadband is completely down, whether Wi‑Fi is only disconnected locally, and when to contact your provider.
Issue
Symptoms of Broadband Down
Use these signs to confirm your broadband line is down before you change device settings, replace equipment, or contact your provider.
- Total House Blackout: No websites, apps, smart TVs, or gaming consoles can reach the internet.
- Simultaneous Device Failure: Multiple, completely different devices fail to connect at the exact same time.
- "Connected, No Internet" Alerts: Devices stay connected to the Wi‑Fi network itself, but display a warning saying there is no internet access.
- Router Warning Lights: The "Internet", "Broadband", or "Fibre" lights on your router are red, amber, flashing rapidly, or completely off.
- Full Fibre (ONT) Box Alerts: The small wall-mounted Openreach/Fibre box shows a red LOS (Loss of Signal) light, or the PON (Passive Optical Network) light is flashing or off.
- Mobile Data Contrast: Your smartphones can browse the internet normally over 4G/5G mobile data, but fail instantly when switched back to home Wi‑Fi.
- No Self-Recovery: The connection remains completely dead after a 5 to 10-minute wait.
Likely causes
Most Common Causes
The same symptom can have several different causes. Review the likely culprits below, then use the validation steps to prove which one is affecting your home.
Physical Line or Street Damage
Weather, fallen tree branches, or local roadworks can physically snap overhead telephone wires or sever underground fibre cables leading to your property.
Router or Hub Software Fault
Your main router may have power, but its internal software has crashed, failed to authenticate your login credentials, or stopped routing data packets to your devices.
Full Fibre (ONT) Box Failure
On FTTP (Fibre-to-the-Premises) connections, the wall-mounted ONT box may have suffered a total optical loss of signal from the local exchange.
Master Socket or Microfilter Blowout
On standard copper or FTTC lines, a sudden power surge can fry the microfilter or the internal circuitry of your master telephone wall socket.
Loose or Damaged Cabling
A disconnected power lead, a loose Ethernet cable between your modem and router, or a bent, fragile glass fibre patch cable will immediately drop the link.
Account, Billing, or Activation Issue
A missed payment, an incomplete provider migration, or a new broadband line that has not yet been remotely activated by the engineers can block your service.
Validate
Steps to Narrow Down the Root Cause of the Issue
Work through these checks in order. Change one thing at a time so the result tells you something useful.
- 1
Confirm whether all devices are offline or only one device.
- 2
Check router and ONT lights and write down what they show.
- 3
Check power and cable seating without bending fibre cables.
- 4
Restart the router once and wait several minutes for service to return.
- 5
Test Ethernet to rule out Wi‑Fi-only problems.
- 6
Check your provider status page or mobile app for an outage.
Fix
Problem Resolution
Apply the specific fix that matches the cause you validated. If you prove the issue lies outside your home network, gather your evidence before contacting support.
Perform a 30-Second Power Cycle
Unplug the power cables from both your router and Full Fibre ONT box. Wait 30 seconds to clear stuck network loops, then plug them back in and allow 5 minutes to reboot.
Reseat and Inspect All Physical Leads
Firmly push all power, Ethernet, and phone cables into their sockets until they click. Warning: Never bend, pull, or look directly into the end of a glass fibre cable, as invisible laser light can damage your eyes.
Isolate Wi‑Fi from the Broadband Line
Plug a laptop or console directly into the router using an Ethernet cable. If internet browsing works via the cable, your broadband line is fully functional — troubleshoot your wireless Wi‑Fi settings instead.
Run Diagnostic Tests via Mobile Data
Switch your smartphone to mobile data and log into your provider's official account app or website. Run their automated line test tool to check for hidden local exchange faults or account blockages.
Note Down Your Error Evidence
Before calling, write down the exact colour and flashing pattern of the lights on your router or ONT box. Note whether your home phone line has a working dial tone or static noise.
Report the Fault Autonomously
If a router restart fails and your lights still indicate a line error, contact your provider immediately. Provide your light patterns and phone line status to bypass basic troubleshooting and escalate to an engineer booking.