Key points:
- No internet connection can often be due to your modem/router or other device, rather than a fault with your internet plan or provider.
- Restarting your modem/router and checking wireless and cables can be a quick fix.
- If your devices are fine, check with your internet service provider for outages or faults.
Getting a WiFi signal, but no internet connection? It’s a frustrating problem, but one that’s potentially easy to fix.
In this article, Canstar Blue explains why you have no internet connection and how to fix it.
On this page:
What does it mean if I have no internet connection?
While there are multiple things that can go wrong with home broadband — such as slow speeds or no WiFi signal — sometimes you may appear to be connected, but are actually unable to access the internet. You can see the active WiFi symbol on your devices, but can’t get on the internet you open a browser or app.
This happens when your devices are able to connect to your home’s WiFi or Ethernet networks, but can’t actually connect to the internet itself. This could be due to problems with your modem/router or device, or because of an outage or issue with your internet service provider (ISP).
Fix your internet connection: Check your modem/router
In most cases, no internet connection is due to a problem with your modem, router, or combined modem/router. Try the following steps:
Restart your modem
Sometimes a quick modem reboot is all you need to get your internet up and running.
- Turn off the modem or router and unplug it from its power source.
- After ten minutes, turn the modem or router back on, and reconnect your devices.
- Check for any loose wires or cables and tighten accordingly. You may also want to try connecting via an Ethernet cable rather than wirelessly.
- If you’re using home wireless broadband or mobile broadband, you may also need to check that the SIM card is properly inserted.
Check your modem’s position
The range of your modem/router may not be as strong as you’d expect, so moving it closer to your other devices could improve internet connection. Even if this doesn’t fix the problem entirely, it can help to improve the strength of your internet connection overall.
Check that you’re connected to the right network
Check that your device isn’t trying to connect to the wrong WiFi network, or to a WiFi extender. This may explain why your device is connected to a WiFi network, but you’re not able to get online.
You can check this by opening your WiFi settings and verifying the name of the network your device is connected to.
Check your NBN connection box
If you’re using NBN broadband and have an NBN connection box in your home, make sure it’s plugged in, switched on and all the required lights are green. If any of the box’s indicator flights are red, orange, flashing, or not on at all, you can try restarting your box; if that doesn’t work, contact your ISP.
Compare NBN offers
The following table shows a selection of sponsored unlimited data Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50), and Premium Evening Speed (NBN 100) plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners..
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $251.50) Typical evening speed of 50Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$52.50 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $230.80) Typical evening speed of 100Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$60.90 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $194.94) Typical evening speed of 100Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$79.99 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
Unlimited Home Standard (NBN 50) Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 50 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost (excluding discounts), from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited Home Fast (NBN 100) Plans
The table below shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 100 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Check your devices
You may find it’s just one device giving you that ‘no internet connection’ response, when other bits of tech can get online no problem. If so, start by turning off that device and letting it sit for a couple of minutes.
Turn the device back on and allow it to connect to the internet. Check the name of the connecting WiFi network, as well as your device’s Settings to make sure WiFi is enabled and there’s nothing else blocking your connection.
Check with your internet provider
If you’re getting no internet connection from all your devices, it’s possible the issue lies with your internet provider. Internet outages happen, which means that entire areas of a provider’s network can go down for hours at a time.
You can check for network outages by heading to your telco’s website or main social media platform (assuming you can use an alternative to your home internet to get online!). Most providers will post alerts on their websites for major outages, and some may even inform customers directly via text or email.
If your provider hasn’t mentioned an outage, external websites such as Down Detector track reports of network issues. If there’s a sudden influx of reports concerning your internet provider, you’ll know it’s not just your connection impacted.
Finally, if you can’t get online to check for outages, try calling your provider’s customer service number.
How to get online when you have no internet
If you’re waiting for your internet connection to be restored, but need to get online ASAP, you have options.
Hotspot from your phone
If you’ve got a mobile phone and a plan with data, you can share that mobile connection with devices such as laptops or tablets. Here’s how to enable a personal hotspot:
- For iPhone users, go to ‘Settings’ >Mobile Data >‘Personal Hotspot’.,
- For Android users, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap ‘Hotspot’.
- If you haven’t already, give your phone’s network a name and set up a password. Then, select that network on the device you wish to connect.
Keep in mind that this method means you’ll be using the data included in your phone plan, which is generally not unlimited — be careful not to exceed your plan’s monthly allowance.
Hotspot from your modem
Some providers — including Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Aussie Broadband — offer modems with 4G backup, which means you can connect to a 4G mobile network when your NBN or other broadband connection is down. However, this is only helpful when the problem is with your provider’s broadband network, not the modem itself.
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