Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting: how to find the cause

First establish what actually loses its connection.

The answer in 2 lines. When the Wi-Fi drops, check whether another device connected directly by Ethernet still has internet access. If it does, the wireless connection is a likely cause. If both fail, the router or broadband service needs investigation. Move the router into the open, away from electrical interference, and update affected devices. Keep a record of the interruptions. Avoid guessing that an evening fault must be congestion or that every disconnection needs a new router.

Start with these checks

Compare a device on Wi-Fi with one connected directly to the router by Ethernet during an interruption.
Check whether all wireless devices disconnect, or only one in a particular room.
Move the router off the floor and away from obstructions and other electrical equipment.
Record the time, affected devices, router lights and whether the wired connection also failed.

Stop: danger

Burning smell or damaged adaptor: stop using the equipment. Disconnect it only if safe and arrange a replacement. Do not open the router or its power supply.

Read the symptoms carefully

Only one device drops: restart and update it, then compare it with another device in the same place.
Only distant rooms are affected: walls and other obstacles may be weakening reception.
Wireless fails but Ethernet stays online: investigate the router's wireless settings and nearby interference.
Ethernet fails too: report a connection problem rather than assuming it is Wi-Fi.

Use Ofcom's broadband and Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide to work through the equipment checks and decide what evidence to give support.

Make changes you can assess

Start with placement. A router hidden behind furniture, beside a radiator or near a microwave may perform poorly. Try a raised, open position with a clearer path to the affected room. Keep existing cables secure and avoid stretching connections to reach a new location.

Then check updates and restart the equipment according to its instructions. Many routers can select a less congested wireless channel automatically. Before changing settings manually, consult the router's supplied instructions and record the original setting.

Ofcom's Wi-Fi improvement guidance explains placement, interference and automatic optimisation. Apply one change, then repeat the activity that normally fails. That makes the result easier to interpret.

What not to do

Changing several settings together and losing track of what helped.
Adding an extender in a place where it cannot receive a usable signal.
Assuming a familiar pattern proves the cause: evening interruptions can have several explanations.
Pressing the factory-reset button as an ordinary restart.

When support should investigate

Contact your provider if the router repeatedly restarts, its connection lights change during failures, or Ethernet also loses internet access. Use the contact route on your bill or account and request a fault reference, remote checks and clear next steps.

Give support your interruption log, including whether a device remained online by cable. Ask whether the equipment is still supported and whether a replacement is appropriate under your contract. Do not assume every router replacement or home visit is free: ask about any charge before agreeing.

Complaints and compensation in England

If support does not resolve repeated faults, make a formal complaint and retain the correspondence. Ask what account credit or compensation applies. A Wi-Fi problem is not automatically a qualifying loss of the broadband service.

The rules current in 2026 allow unresolved complaints to go to free alternative dispute resolution after six weeks, or sooner with a deadlock letter. On Ofcom's ADR page, find the scheme covering your provider and follow its application instructions. Submit the fault log, complaint history and outcome sought. The telecoms complaint framework also covers Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Good to know

An Ethernet connection can provide a more reliable option for a stationary computer while wireless problems are investigated.
A wireless symbol can remain visible even when the broadband connection beyond the router has failed.
Keep notes of successful tests as well as failures: they help narrow down which devices and locations are affected.

Illustrative example: in Birmingham, Daniel's laptop disconnects in the kitchen while a computer connected by cable stays online. He records when it happens and moves the router away from nearby electrical equipment. He tests again before asking support to investigate the wireless settings.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 5 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for Ofcom's general advice on placement, interference, Ethernet and complaints; medium for the cause of any particular disconnection. Settings and equipment replacement conditions vary by router and contract.