Internet Keeps Disconnecting
Linksys Router
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
If your Linksys router keeps losing internet every few minutes or hours, the most common causes are outdated firmware, DNS server issues, or an unstable signal from your ISP. Updating the router firmware and switching DNS to a reliable public server like Google's 8.8.8.8 fixes most repeated disconnections.
Affected Models
- Linksys Velop mesh system
- Linksys EA series routers
- Linksys WRT series routers
Common Causes
- Outdated router firmware with a known reconnection bug
- ISP's DNS server is slow or unreliable, causing timeouts that look like disconnections
- ISP line quality issue — brief drops from the exchange that the router cannot recover from
- Too many devices connected causing the router to run out of DHCP leases
- MTU size mismatch between the router and ISP
How to Fix It
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Update the Linksys router firmware. Log in at 192.168.1.1, go to Administration > Firmware Upgrade, and check for updates.
Firmware updates often include stability fixes for exactly this type of repeated disconnection. Linksys Velop routers update automatically, but classic EA and WRT routers require a manual check.
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Change your DNS server to Google's public DNS. Log in to the admin page, go to Setup > Basic Setup, and enter 8.8.8.8 as the Static DNS 1 and 8.8.4.4 as Static DNS 2.
Your ISP's default DNS server can be slow or have outages that cause pages to fail to load — this looks like a disconnection. Google DNS is free, reliable, and faster than most ISP DNS servers.
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Check your ISP's service status. If there are reported problems in your area, the disconnections are on their side and will clear when they fix the issue.
You can check service status on the ISP's website or on Downdetector using your phone's mobile data.
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Restart both the modem and the Linksys router. Power off the modem first, wait 30 seconds, then power it on. Once it is reconnected, power on the router.
A full power cycle clears any stale connection state and forces both devices to re-negotiate the internet connection from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell if the disconnection is the router or the ISP?
Connect your computer directly to the modem with an ethernet cable, bypassing the router. If the internet still drops, the problem is with the modem or ISP line. If it stays connected, the router is causing the drops.
Does rebooting the Linksys router every day fix disconnections?
A daily reboot can mask the symptom but does not fix the underlying cause. Firmware updates and DNS changes are the permanent fix. If daily reboots are needed, the firmware almost certainly has a memory leak that an update addresses.