How to Reset Your Wi-Fi Router and Fix Slow Home Internet

By Riley · Reviewed by CaseyLast updated June 22, 2026

Most slow or dropped Wi-Fi problems are fixed by simply restarting your router — unplugging it, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging it back in. This clears out temporary glitches and forces the router to reconnect fresh with your internet provider. It takes about two minutes and solves the problem more often than any other single fix.

Step 1: Restart your router (and modem, if separate)

1. Find your router — it’s usually a small box with blinking lights, often near where the internet cable enters your home. If you have a separate modem box as well, you’ll restart both.
2. Unplug the power cord from the router (and modem, if separate) from the wall outlet.
3. Wait a full 30 seconds. This matters — unplugging and instantly plugging back in often doesn’t fully clear the problem.
4. Plug the modem back in first (if you have one) and wait about a minute for its lights to become steady.
5. Plug the router back in and wait one to two minutes for its lights to settle into a steady pattern rather than blinking rapidly.
6. Try using the internet again on your phone or computer.

Tip: If your internet comes through a single combined modem/router box, just unplug and restart that one device the same way.

Step 2: Check the lights on your router

Most routers have small lights that tell you what’s working:

• A solid green or blue light next to “Internet” or “WAN” usually means a healthy connection.
• A red, orange, or blinking light in that spot usually signals a problem reaching your internet provider — restart the router again, and if it persists, contact your provider.
• If all the lights are off, check that the power cord is firmly plugged in at both ends.

Step 3: Move devices closer, or move the router

Wi-Fi signal weakens through walls, floors, and distance. If certain rooms have slow or no connection:

1. Try moving your phone or laptop closer to the router to see if speed improves.
2. If it does, the router’s location may be the issue — placing it in a more central, open location (rather than in a closet or behind furniture) often helps the whole home.
3. Keep the router off the floor and away from metal objects or large appliances, which can block the signal.

Step 4: Check how many devices are connected

A large number of phones, tablets, streaming devices, and smart-home gadgets all sharing one connection can slow things down, especially during video calls or streaming.

1. Check your router’s app or admin page (often accessible by typing an address like 192.168.1.1 into a web browser) for a list of connected devices.
2. If you don’t recognize several devices, or your household simply has many more devices than when the internet was set up, this may explain the slowdown.

Step 5: Restart your specific device too

Sometimes the problem isn’t the router at all — it’s the phone, tablet, or computer you’re using:

1. Turn your device’s Wi-Fi off and back on in Settings.
2. If that doesn’t help, restart the device completely.
3. Try connecting to the same Wi-Fi network on a different device to see if the problem follows you or stays with the router.

When to contact your internet provider

Call your internet provider if:

• The problem happens across every device in your home, even right next to the router
• The router’s internet light stays red or off after multiple restarts
• Your bill or account shows a service outage in your area

Have your account number ready, and mention that you’ve already tried restarting your router and modem — this often speeds up the call.

Frequently asked questions