How to tell if the internet is down in your area

The fastest way to know whether an outage is affecting your whole area or just your home is to check a status page run by your internet provider. Most major providers — Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Charter, Cox — have a dedicated outage map on their website where you enter your address and see real-time reports of service problems in your neighborhood.

If you cannot access that page because your internet is completely down, use your phone's cellular data instead. Open your provider's website or call their customer service number (usually on your bill or router). They can tell you in seconds whether technicians are already working on an outage in your area.

Third-party outage tracking sites like Downdetector and IsItDownRightNow also collect reports from users experiencing problems. These sites show you a map of where people are reporting issues and whether the problem is widespread or localized to a few blocks. They are useful for spotting patterns, but your provider's official status page is the most reliable source.

Key Takeaways

  • Check your internet provider's official outage map first — it shows real-time service status for your specific address.
  • If your internet is completely down, use your phone's cellular data to access the provider's website or call their support line.
  • Third-party sites like Downdetector show where other users are reporting problems, but they rely on voluntary reports and may lag behind actual outages.
  • Restart your modem and router before assuming it is a widespread outage — most connection problems are local to your home network.
  • If no outage is reported but your internet is still down, contact your provider's support team with your account number and the time the problem started.

Restart your modem and router before checking for outages

Most internet problems that feel like outages are actually issues with your home equipment. Before you spend time checking outage maps, unplug your modem (the device that connects to your provider's network) and your router (the device that broadcasts WiFi) for 30 seconds, then plug them back in. Wait two to three minutes for them to fully restart.

If your modem and router are the same device — a combined unit your provider gave you — unplug that single device instead. The lights on the front should go dark, then come back on one by one as it restarts. Once all lights are back and stable, try loading a website or opening an app that needs internet.

This simple step fixes the majority of connection problems because modems and routers can get stuck in a bad state, especially after power outages or heavy network use. It costs nothing and takes five minutes, so it is worth doing before you assume the whole neighborhood is affected.

What to do if your modem shows no lights or unusual lights

The lights on your modem tell you what is happening. A solid green or blue light on the internet or online indicator means your connection is working. A red light, blinking lights, or no lights at all means something is wrong.

If you see a red light or no lights after restarting, check that the power cable is firmly plugged into both the modem and the wall outlet. Check that the cable from your wall (the coaxial cable, which looks like a thick antenna wire) is screwed tightly into the back of the modem. Loose cables are the most common reason modems lose connection.

If the lights still do not come back after 10 minutes, and your provider's outage map shows no problems in your area, contact your provider's support line. Have your account number and the modem model number (printed on the device) ready. They can run a diagnostic remotely or send a technician if the modem itself has failed.

Check your WiFi separately from your wired connection

If you have a device plugged directly into your router with an ethernet cable, try using that device to load a website. If it works, your internet connection is fine — the problem is with your WiFi, not your provider's service.

WiFi problems are usually caused by your router being too far away, blocked by walls, or overwhelmed by too many devices connected at once. Move closer to the router, restart it, or disconnect devices you are not actively using. If WiFi still does not work after restarting the router, but your wired connection does, the router may need to be replaced — contact your provider to see if they will swap it out.

If you do not have a device with an ethernet cable, borrow a smartphone or laptop from someone else and try connecting it to your WiFi. If their device also cannot connect, the problem is your router or WiFi. If their device connects fine, the problem is with your device, not your internet service.

Understand what different outage types mean for your service

Internet outages come in different sizes. A local outage affects a few blocks or a neighborhood and is usually fixed within a few hours. A regional outage affects a whole city or county and can last longer. A backbone outage affects the major internet infrastructure that connects regions and is rare but can disrupt service across multiple states.

Your provider's outage map will tell you which type is happening. If it shows an outage in your area, you do not need to call support — they already know and are working on it. Calling will only tie up their lines. Instead, check the map periodically for updates on when service is expected to return.

If the map shows no outage but your internet is still down, that usually means the problem is between your home and the provider's network — a damaged line, a failed connection point, or an issue with your specific account. This is when you need to contact support, because it requires a technician to investigate.

Know when to contact your provider and what information to have ready

Contact your internet provider if your internet has been down for more than 15 minutes, you have restarted your modem and router, and the outage map shows no problems in your area. Call the number on your bill or your provider's website — do not use a number from a search result, as scammers sometimes advertise fake support lines.

Have these details ready before you call: your account number, the phone number or address associated with your account, the time the problem started, what you have already tried (restarting the modem, checking the cables), and the modem model number. If you can see error lights on the modem, describe those too.

The support representative will ask you to restart your modem again while they are on the phone, run a diagnostic from their end, and check whether a technician visit is needed. Some problems can be fixed remotely. Others require someone to come to your home, which usually takes 24 to 48 hours to schedule.

Use outage tracking sites to spot patterns, not as your primary source

Downdetector and similar sites aggregate reports from users who are experiencing problems. They can show you whether an outage is affecting just your provider or multiple providers in your area, and whether it is localized or widespread. This information is useful for understanding the scope of a problem.

However, these sites rely on people voluntarily reporting problems, so they often lag behind actual outages by 10 to 30 minutes. They can also show false positives — a spike in reports might just mean more people are checking their internet because they are home, not that an outage has started. Always cross-check with your provider's official status page before assuming the information is current.

If you see a huge spike in outage reports on Downdetector but your provider's map shows no problems, it could mean the outage is so new that your provider has not updated their map yet, or it could mean the reports are from a different provider. Check the site's filter to see which provider the reports are for.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do internet outages usually last?

Most local outages are fixed within two to four hours. Regional outages can last longer — sometimes six to 12 hours or more. Your provider's outage map usually shows an estimated time for restoration, though that estimate often changes as technicians assess the damage. Backbone outages are rare and can affect service across multiple states for several hours.

Will my provider automatically credit my bill if there is an outage?

Most providers do not automatically credit your account for outages. You usually have to contact them and request a credit after the outage is resolved. The credit amount varies by provider and how long the outage lasted — some offer a day's service credit, others offer a percentage of your monthly bill. Check your provider's policy on their website or ask during your next support call.

What if the outage map says there is no problem but my internet is still down?

This usually means the problem is specific to your home or your account, not a widespread outage. It could be a damaged line between your house and the provider's network, a failed connection point, or an issue with your account settings. Contact your provider's support line — they can run diagnostics and determine whether a technician needs to visit.

Can I check outage status on my phone if my WiFi is down?

Yes, use your phone's cellular data (4G or 5G) instead of WiFi. Open your provider's website or call their support number using cellular. This works even if your home internet is completely down, as long as you have a cell signal.

Is Downdetector accurate for checking outages?

Downdetector shows trends and patterns, but it is not a real-time source of truth. It relies on users reporting problems, so it often lags behind actual outages by 10 to 30 minutes. Always check your provider's official outage map first — that is the most accurate and current information available.