Why does my Wi-Fi keep disconnecting?

The short answer

Wi-Fi drops out most often because the signal is weak or crowded by interference, the device's power-saving turns Wi-Fi off, the router is overheating or overloaded, or the Internet connection itself is dropping. The key question is whether only Wi-Fi drops (your home network) or the whole Internet drops for every device (often your provider or modem).

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Wi-Fi dropping, or the Internet dropping?

When a dropout happens, check:

Do other devices lose the Internet at the same moment? If yes, it's the Internet connection or the modem, not one device's Wi-Fi.
Does the device still show it's connected to Wi-Fi but nothing loads? That's usually the Internet side.
Does the Wi-Fi icon itself disappear or reconnect? That's the Wi-Fi link between the device and router.

Common causes

Weak signal or interference

At the edge of the router's range, or with heavy interference from neighbors' networks, the connection can drop for a few seconds at a time. Our test detects this as lost data that comes in bursts: several packets in a row disappear, then everything comes back.

Power saving

Laptops and phones turn Wi-Fi down to save battery, which can cause brief dropouts, especially on older devices.

The router

Overheating, old firmware, or too many devices can make a router restart or drop connections. If the router is hot to the touch, or its lights go out during a dropout, it's a likely suspect.

The modem or your provider

A faulty cable, a loose connector, a struggling modem or problems on the provider's side drop the Internet for every device at once.

Find the pattern

Run our test while the problem is happening, or as soon after as you can. It looks for lost data and whether it comes in bursts, which is typical of Wi-Fi trouble.
Run it again near the router. If the dropouts disappear up close, it's Wi-Fi range or interference.
Note when it happens. Times of day, whether a microwave is running, whether everyone loses connection. Patterns point to the cause.

Fixes, easiest first

Restart the modem and router. Unplug both for 30 seconds; plug in the modem first.
Check the cables between the wall, modem and router are firmly connected and undamaged.
Move the router somewhere central, open and ventilated.
Update the router's firmware, and the Wi-Fi driver on computers.
Turn off Wi-Fi power saving on the device that drops.
"Forget" the network on the device and rejoin it.
Change the Wi-Fi channel, or let the router pick automatically.
If every device drops at once, contact your provider with your test results and the times it happened.

Questions people ask

Why does my Wi-Fi disconnect at the same time every day?

Regular dropouts can come from a scheduled router restart or update, interference from a device that runs at that time, or provider maintenance. Check the router's settings for a scheduled reboot.

Why does only my laptop keep disconnecting?

Most likely its Wi-Fi adapter, driver or power-saving settings. Update the Wi-Fi driver, turn off power saving for the adapter, and forget and rejoin the network.

Can a bad Ethernet cable cause dropouts?

Yes, between the modem and router, or to a wired device. A damaged cable or loose connector can cause intermittent drops. Try a different cable.

Last updated October 17, 2026.