The internet is down at your parent's home
No internet often means no TV, no video calls and no bank. Here is a calm order to check things in, and how to tell when it is time to call the broadband company instead.
First: is it everything, or just one device?
Ask whether the TV, the phone and the tablet have all lost the connection, or only one of them.
- Only one device: the problem is in that device. Switch its wifi off and on, or restart it.
- Everything: the problem is the router or the line into the home. Continue below.
Keep in mind that they may have to call you on the ordinary phone network, since calls over the internet will not work either.
Look at the lights on the router
The router is the box with small lights, often near the TV or where the cable comes into the home. The lights tell you most of what you need.
- No lights at all: it has no power. Check the plug and the power adapter.
- A red or orange light, or one marked “Internet” that is off: the router is on but has no contact with the outside. That is usually the provider's side.
- All lights look normal: the router is probably fine and the problem is the wifi in the device.
Lights differ between models, so ask them to describe colours and positions, or better, show you.
Restart it properly
A restart solves a large share of all problems, but it has to be done properly.
- Pull the router's power cable out of the wall. Do not press any small recessed button marked Reset: that erases the settings.
- Wait a full half minute.
- Plug it in again and wait five minutes before trying. The lights will blink for a while first.
If there are two boxes, one from the provider and one router, restart the provider's box first, wait until its lights are steady, then the router.
Check the cables
Cables get pulled when someone vacuums or moves furniture. Ask them to push every cable in the router firmly into place, at both ends, until it clicks. One that has slid halfway out looks connected but is not.
When to call the broadband company
- The router has power, has been restarted, and the internet light is still red or off.
- Neighbours have the same problem.
- The provider's website or phone line reports a fault in the area.
Have the customer number ready. It is on the invoice. Offer to make the call for them if they find it stressful; most providers will talk to a relative once the customer has said it is all right.
Write the wifi password where it can be found
Many calls are not about a fault at all, but about a new phone or a guest who needs the password. It is usually on a sticker under the router. Write it in large letters on a card and keep it in a fixed place.
When seeing is easier than explaining
HelpMom is made for exactly this: your parent presses one button, you see what their phone camera sees, and you can circle the right button on the picture. See how it works or get HelpMom.