No internet: five checks before you call

The reason to run these in order is simple: each one rules out a part of the chain from your device to the tower. By check five you know which part to describe on the phone.

Steps

1. Is it one device or all of them?

   Try a phone on Wi-Fi and a laptop. If one works, the problem is that device or its Wi-Fi connection, and one device is slow helps. If nothing in the house works, keep going.

2. Is the router on and showing a normal light?

   Look at the router. If it is dark, check its power plug and the outlet. If it is on but its internet light is off or amber, note it and continue.

3. Is the power injector lit?

   Find the injector, the small box where the outdoor cable comes in. A lit light means it has power. No light means no power. Plug a lamp into the same outlet to test the outlet. Detail is on the injector lights page.

4. Are the cables seated?

   Gently push each plug between the injector and the router until it clicks. Look for a pinched, chewed or kinked cable inside the house. Do not touch the cable that runs outside to the antenna.

5. Is there an outage?

   Check whether neighbors have power, and whether your lights flicked. Then read the outage page. If the power was out, after a power outage gives the order.

6. Restart in order, then call

   Run the restart steps once. If still down, call 775-575-9593 or 775-391-5660.

What should I tell the person on the phone?

Give the street address of the service, the name on the account, which devices fail, what the router and injector lights are doing, and whether the power flickered or a storm passed. Mention whether this is new. A plain description such as the injector light is off, or the router light is amber, saves time. You do not need to know technical terms.

Could it be the website or app and not my internet?

Yes. If only one site fails, try another. If a streaming app fails and a web search works, the app is the problem. Our guide on the internet being fine and Wi-Fi being slow covers the case where the line is healthy and the wireless part inside the house is not.

Why not go outside and look at the antenna?

Because the antenna and radio are mounted high, are the company's equipment, and are not a place for a customer to go. Climbing means a fall risk and the cable and radio carry power. Never climb to the antenna or touch the radio or its cable. From the ground you can look for something obvious, such as a fallen branch, as described in after a wind storm. Then call.

Does the service agreement say anything about interruptions?

Yes. The agreement says temporary interruptions may occur and that High Desert Internet exercises reasonable care to prevent them. We make no promise on repair time here. Read the exact words on the service agreement page.

What counts as a check that did not pass?

Write it down. A dark injector, an amber router light, a loose cable or a neighbor with the same trouble is a fact the person on the phone can use. Do not fix more than one thing at a time unless you are following the restart steps, since a second change hides which one mattered.

Can my phone's hotspot stand in while I wait?

It can for light use if your mobile plan allows it. Watch your mobile data, since video eats it quickly. The guide on switching from a phone hotspot describes the trade-offs, and how much data streaming uses gives figures from the services themselves.