There are few things more frustrating in a modern home network than having your Wi-Fi decide to not work anymore. If it has gone out or isn’t working, do not despair. There are several fixes that you can explore to see if any of them might have the solution that you are hoping for.
A router, even one working with Verizon FiOS, can stop working for many different reasons, some of which are not immediately obvious. It is best to try trouble shooting from the easiest possible solution and work your way down until you find the right fix for your needs.
Fix #1: Confirm your connection. Is everything plugged in properly? Is the ONT box connected to your computer? Is your router properly plugged in? If any cord as not been properly plugged into the right spot, the router will never be able to fully work.
Fix #2: Restart your router. One of the best fixes to try is always to turn it off and turn it back on again. If the router has been hit with too many requests, sometimes it gets overwhelmed and needs a chance to reset it. Then try again.
Fix #3: Confirm you are using the right router. If this is the first time that you are using the router and it isn’t working, double check that you are using one of the several Verizon FiOS compatible routers that are on the market. If it isn’t compatible, it is never going to work for you. Remember that using a fiber network means that you do not need a modem on top of a functional router.
Fix #4: Run the troubleshooter. Windows 10 has a built-in tool that is made for troubleshooting network problems. You will find it located under Settings>Update and Security>Troubleshoot>Internet Connections. This tool can run through and IP address or DNS client issues and fix them for you. Sometimes it can just identify something that isn’t working to help you narrow down what the issue might be.
Fix #5: Update your drivers. Sometimes when the Wi-Fi isn’t working, a driver is to blame. You can search to see if there are any driver updates for the router, using a wired connection to your ONT box. If you find that your drivers are up-to-date, you can erase the installed driver and allow Windows to download an update one. This will cover any glitches that might be going on with the driver itself. To delete a driver you will hit the Windows key + X>Device Manager. Find the network adapter and select Uninstall. It might prompt you to delete the driver or not. Regardless, restart the machine and let Windows reinstall the driver automatically.
Fix #6: Check your network settings. The typical default security option is to set the router to WPA2, but not all routers can support this. If this is the case, you can either buy a new router or you can try to adjust the settings on an old one. You do this by typing 192.168.1.1 into your browser. Type in the default login information that should have come with the router. Then go to the Wireless Security Settings and select WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK.
Fix #7: Reset the TCP/IP Stack. Another good option for getting your router to work is to use the Windows key + X and select Command Prompt. Then, type in netsh int ip reset and wait for the TCP/IP reset to be completed. If that doesn’t work, input netsh winsock reset. Once Windows finishes working on this, restart your computer and see if you are up and running.
Fix #8: Change your network’s name. Sometimes the easiest fixes work the best. You can change your network name and password to see if they are causing your issues. You can change this from within the device settings on your computer. Make sure it is well-protected and a password that cannot be easily guessed.
If none of the above works for you, or you feel you are not able to follow the technical stuffs, then it is better to take help of professionals. There are several IT solution teams, that will examine the router set up, connections, drivers, software and every other thing associated with it.
