If you are experiencing Internet connection issues, there could be something going on with your cable modem (or router). There are a few things to check that could be causing the connection issues. We have created two checklists below for you:
5 Quick Things to Check
- Check the Status lights. This might seem too simple, but the lights on your cable modem indicate the status of your modem and can tell you if there are any issues. Check the status of the power lights first, if it’s off, you have lost your connection (or power). If the power lights are on and things are not connecting, try restarting the device (step 3 below).
- Check the power supply. Again, this might seem too simple, but it is something commonly overlooked. Examine all of your cables and make sure nothing is loose or damaged. Also, test your coax outlets to make sure you are getting an Internet signal.
- Reboot/Restart your router and modem. Sometimes your cable modem and router need a reboot/restart. See if this fixes the connection issues.
- Check your Ethernet cables. If you have a spare Ethernet cable, test it out to make sure there isn’t a problem with the physical wire connection. Sometimes wire connections get damaged without you realizing it.
- Disconnect unused devices. Too many connected devices can overwhelm your cable modem, slow down your network, and affect connections. Disconnect unused devices from your network.
5 Additional Things to Try
- Plug your computer into your cable modem. Rule out all possibilities of Internet connection failure. If you have a Hitron CODA DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem, test that the modem is working by connecting the cable modem directly to a computer. If you are able to connect to the Internet with just your computer alone, then you may have an issue with your router or another connected device.
- Keep your modem cool so it doesn’t overheat. If your cable modem overheats it can cause the device to keep resetting on its own. Keep the device in a cool, temperature-controlled environment, away from other devices.
- Update the firmware. If you are renting your devices, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) usually takes care of firmware updates. But if you own your device, this is something you need to keep on top of. Ensure you have the latest security patches and bug fixes. A secured cable modem performs best.
- Change the WiFi channel*. This step only applies if you have a combined cable modem/router* device. It’s possible the unit is assigning too many devices to the same channel. If you can, manually divide devices to clear up channels.
- Reset/Revert back to the device default settings. This step is a last-resort and also applies only if you have a cable modem router combo device. Resetting to the factory default settings should clear up any problems. But it will remove all passwords, custom DNS settings, firewalls, and other custom configurations. So, keep in mind you will have to re-apply all of these.
If you are still having connection issues, the last two options are to contact your ISP to see if there is an unreported outage, or to upgrade your modem and buy a new one.
Hitron’s CODA DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem is available on Amazon, The CODA has DOCSIS 3.1 to deliver the fastest Multi-Gigabit speeds to your connected devices. Learn more about cable modems or cable modem routers by reading Hitron’s Learn Page.
