Why Do I Keep Losing Internet Connection

Often owners of computers and smartphones wonder why the Internet connection fails every 5 minutes, what to do in such a situation. First of all, you need to calm down and deal with the cause, against which the connection is so often lost. Below you can read about the most common causes of the problem and their solutions.

Why the Internet connection comes and goes

There are many reasons that can provoke problems with the Internet connection. Most commonly, devices can lose network due to:

  • Equipment problems at the ISP;
  • Broken modem or router;
  • virus infection;
  • Operating system failure;
  • damage to the network cable.

If the network is lost, the first thing to do is to check the cable integrity and find out if the modem and router are working properly.

See also: Slow internet on PC.

Ways to fix the problem

If the Internet disappears on the router, you should not panic. Using one of the following methods can solve the problem.

Connecting multiple devices

If too many devices are connected to the equipment, the connection to the Internet is often interrupted. When connecting phones and laptops to Wi-Fi, it is important to consider the settings and technical capabilities of the router.

Do not expect to buy a budget device, you can watch movies on 5 smartphones simultaneously. Against the background of overload, the connection to the Internet will be constantly lost. If you restart the device, the connection will appear again.

Attention! To solve this problem, you should buy a powerful router or set limits on the use of traffic.

Old firmware

If the Internet is interrupted for a few seconds, it is worth trying to upgrade the firmware. Below is a step-by-step instruction for upgrading the router firmware using a D-Link 2640U router as an example.

The step-by-step process looks like this:

  1. The first thing the owner of the device looks at the letter certificate that has been assigned to the router. Most often it can be found on the chassis of the router. The letter certificate of the device is required in order to pick up the firmware.
  2. After that the user determines the version of the old firmware by going to the router interface (for example, 1.0.32).
  3. On the official website you need to download the latest version of the firmware.
  4. The backup configuration is saved.
  5. In the router interface go to the Software Updates section and specify the path to the file downloaded from the net.

After the above steps it is recommended to wait for the update and reboot the router.

For your information! On TP-Link and Keenetic devices the procedure is similar, just the section and button names will be different.

Problem with DNS

Quite often the instability of the Internet connection is observed due to improper configuration of the DNS server. To fix the problem, device users:

  1. Enter the router settings mode.
  2. Go to the DCHP section.
  3. Specify the dns address of the provider.

After performing the above steps you must check the connection to the Internet.

Effect of viruses

Internet connection might be lost due to negative effects of malware files/programs. To solve the problem, you will need to check the device for viruses. It is advisable to carry out the work in stages:

  • going through a full scan;
  • Going through the scan during OS startup.

Tip! Before running the antivirus program, you need to update it to the latest version.

Hardware damage

Internet connection lost again

Physical damage to any part of the system can cause problems with the Internet. What can I do to solve the problem? It is important to check not only the integrity of the cable or power supply unit, but also the operation of the router.

You will need to connect a different cord to the router for diagnostic purposes. If the connection to the network did not appear, you should check the integrity of the cable. Experts advise using a multimeter.

Step-by-step process:

  1. The first thing to check is the resistance between the orange and white-orange wire, then between the green and white-green wire.
  2. Between the wires colored orange and green, measure the resistance parameter. A value not exceeding 100 ohms should be obtained.
  3. The absence of deviations indicates the integrity of the cord.

Quite often, when the Internet connection is lost every 5 minutes and the check through the cable does not allow you to speak about the damage of the cord, the cause of the trouble lies in the faulty router. In this case it is necessary to take the device to the service center.

Third-party programs

Third-party programs installed on your laptop or smartphone can cause unstable Internet. When problems occur, it is worth to go to “Applications” and remove programs that have been installed in recent days.

If the installed applications cause problems with the Internet, it is recommended to use a special utility CCleaner. After installing the auxiliary computer program, it is necessary to click on the Cleaner folder, analyze and clean the device of unnecessary files. After that, you can go to the registry and perform the same actions. By clicking on the Autorun section, you need to disable unnecessary software.

Incorrect power settings

Systematic disconnection of the router often occurs against the background of errors arising in the power settings of the laptop or smartphone. The default setting is a command to disconnect the connection when the battery drops to a certain level.

In this case, it is advisable to go to the Power Management section and uncheck the box about disconnecting the connection if the battery drops.

Other solutions if you keep losing internet connection

If the above solutions did not help to fix the problem and the wi-fi connection keeps dropping out, you can try other ways.

In cases where the default gateway is not available, you can do the configuration yourself.

Step-by-step process:

  1. By pressing the Win+R key combination and typing the command ncpa.cpl, you can quickly open a list of network connections.
  2. To write the gateway manually, you need to click on the Network Control Center folder and go to Change Adapter Settings.
  3. The next step is to click on the PCM on the network connection and click on Properties.
  4. On the list that opens, select IP version 4 (TCP /IPv4).
  5. The marker is moved to Use the next IP address, and the fields are filled in.
  6. The router IP shall be entered on the corresponding line.
  7. The DNS server line should be 8.8.4.4, and 192.168.0.1 should be entered in the Main Gateway field.

After making the changes you shall have to reconnect the network connection and check its operation.

Please note! The cause of poor Internet connection may be bad connection quality caused by incorrect DNS settings.

Problems with permanent dropouts on the modem

The cause of Internet dropouts in the modem can be a burnout of the WAN port. Often the problem occurs against the background of problems with electricity. In this case you should try to firmware the router in an alternative way so that one of the LAN ports can perform the function of the WAN port.

Also, the problem is often caused by restrictions imposed by the provider. By calling technical support, you can find a solution and fully enjoy the Internet.

Internet disappears on only one device

If the Internet connection began to disappear on only one device, the router is unlikely to be the cause of the malfunction.

In the case of not catching the Internet on a laptop, experts recommend updating the wi-fi drivers and editing the power plan.

The owner of the device should go to the support site of the device manufacturer to download the official driver for the wi-fi module. The driver must be reinstalled. The use of third-party programs is not recommended.

4G and 5G modems are a great alternative to wired Internet.

To optimize power consumption, Windows 10 and Windows 11 disables peripherals during downtime. When the connection is lost when your laptop is idle, it’s worth prohibiting the OS from disconnecting from the wi-fi adapter. By clicking on the Start menu, you should open Task Manager and expand the Network Adapters branch. By clicking on the Properties section of the wireless module, you should read the devices that are present in the list. You will need to find the name Wireless and 802.11.

Going to the Power Management menu, uncheck the box next to Allow to disable this device and click to save your settings.

If the problem persists, experts advise that you click on the Network Control Center folder, which is available in any version of Windows, and go to the Wireless Network Properties category. When you open the Security section, you will need to select Advanced Settings, enable a single option, and click to save your settings.

Conclusion

In cases where the above methods of solving problems have not helped, it is worth calling the support service of the provider’s company. It’s not uncommon for the Internet to go down every hour or every 5 minutes due to problems with the company providing access to information network services. Technical support staff will make recommendations and help you get your equipment back up and running.