"The internet's gone again" is one of the most common calls a family member gets — and one of the hardest to solve over the phone, because you can't see the router, the lights, or what's actually on the screen. It usually turns into twenty minutes of "what does it say now?" before either it works again or someone gives up and books an expensive engineer visit for a problem that didn't need one.
Here's a calmer way through it, including the questions that actually narrow down what's wrong.
Start by figuring out what's actually broken
"The internet's not working" can mean several different things, and the fix is different for each:
- Wifi has disconnected on one device (usually a TV or tablet) but other devices are fine — this is almost always a settings or signal problem on that one device, not the broadband itself.
- Wifi has dropped on every device — this points to the router or the connection coming into the house.
- The TV won't "connect to the internet" specifically — this is often actually a wifi password or network selection issue on the TV, not a broadband fault at all.
- Everything is slow but not disconnected — this is usually about signal strength, too many devices, or, less often, a genuine issue with the broadband provider.
Asking "is it just the TV, or is your phone's internet not working either?" is often the single most useful diagnostic question, because it immediately separates "router problem" from "one device problem."
The fixes that solve most problems
Turn the router off, wait, turn it back on. Genuinely the most effective single fix for a huge share of connectivity problems. Off for about 30 seconds, then back on, then wait two to three minutes before trying again — the lights settling into a steady pattern is usually the sign it's ready.
Check the router's lights. Most routers use lights to indicate status — a particular colour or pattern (often red, or a slow flash) usually signals a problem with the incoming connection itself, which means it's a provider issue rather than something fixable at home.
Re-select the wifi network on the problem device. TVs and tablets sometimes "forget" or connect to the wrong saved network, especially after a software update. Going into the device's wifi settings, forgetting the network, and reconnecting with the password often resolves issues that look like a broadband fault but aren't.
Check the obvious physical things. A router that's been moved, unplugged to vacuum behind, or has a loose cable is a more common cause than people expect.
Know the wifi password is written down somewhere. A surprising number of "broadband's broken" calls are actually "I changed something and now it's asking for the wifi password and I don't have it." Keeping it written on a card near the router solves this permanently.
When it really is the provider's problem
If the lights on the router suggest a fault, or every device in the house has lost connection at once, it's worth checking the provider's outage page before assuming anything's broken at home — a wider area outage is common and resolves itself without an engineer visit.
Why this particular problem causes outsized stress
Broadband and TV issues land differently for someone who relies on the TV for company, or the internet for video calls with grandchildren — losing it isn't just an inconvenience, it can feel genuinely isolating, fast. That's worth bearing in mind when a call comes in sounding more anxious than the technical problem seems to warrant.
A calmer first call than you
Most broadband and TV problems follow a predictable troubleshooting pattern — which makes them a good fit for patient, step-by-step guidance. Ivy by WorryLess is a voice-first assistant your parent can talk to directly: they describe what's happening and Ivy walks through the checks above, one step at a time, in plain English, without needing you on the phone.
If this sounds like something your parent could use, Ivy by WorryLess is now in early access. Find out more.