This article explains what can cause your Wi-Fi connection to drop intermittently and how to resolve it. If your broadband is consistently slow rather than disconnecting, see our guide on improving your Wi-Fi speed instead.
Check your router is connected to the master socket
Your router should always be connected to your master socket, not an extension socket. The master socket is the main phone socket where the external line enters your premises. It is usually larger than other sockets and often found near the front entrance. Extension wiring is not designed to carry broadband signals reliably and can cause intermittent disconnections.
Check your microfilters
A microfilter stops your phone signal interfering with your broadband signal. You only need microfilters with a standard master socket. If you have a pre-filtered socket with two built-in ports, you do not need them.
If your microfilters are faulty or set up incorrectly you are likely to see connection issues. Check that:
A microfilter is plugged into every socket in use.
No microfilters are plugged into each other.
No microfilters are plugged into sockets that are not in use.
If you suspect one is faulty, try replacing it with a spare to see if the issue is resolved.
Reboot your router
A reboot can clear temporary errors that cause intermittent disconnections:
Standard broadband: switch off, wait 30 seconds, then turn back on.
Fibre broadband: switch off and leave off for 20 minutes before turning back on.
Wait for the router to fully restart. You may need to reconnect your devices once it has rebooted.
Check for wireless interference
Wi-Fi signals can be disrupted by nearby electronics and physical obstructions. To reduce interference:
Keep your router away from microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors and Bluetooth devices.
Place your router in a central, elevated position, free from large obstructions.
If your router has an external antenna, make sure it points upwards.
Do not place your router in a cupboard, behind a TV or on the floor.
Check for Wi-Fi channel congestion
If there are many Wi-Fi networks nearby, your router's wireless channel may be congested. Most bOnline routers automatically select the best available channel, and rebooting can prompt it to switch to a less congested one.
Test with a wired connection
To work out whether the issue is your Wi-Fi signal or your broadband line:
Connect one end of the yellow Ethernet cable to the Ethernet port on your computer.
Connect the other end to a yellow LAN port on the back of your router.
Use the connection for a while and check whether it stays stable.
If the wired connection is stable, the issue is your Wi-Fi signal, so review the interference and positioning steps above. If the wired connection also drops, the issue may be your broadband line or internal wiring. See our guide on troubleshooting slow broadband speeds for further diagnostics, including test socket testing.
Try your test socket
Your test socket sits inside your master socket. Connecting to it bypasses all internal wiring and connects directly to your phone line, which helps identify whether internal wiring faults are causing the disconnections. For step-by-step instructions on accessing and using your test socket, see our guide on troubleshooting slow broadband speeds.