LineaChiara

Internet keeps disconnecting: how to record the interruptions

If the connection drops for a few seconds and comes back, a single test may miss it. Observe the period when it happens and separate failed requests from times when your device stopped monitoring.

By PHABDEV ·

Before restarting, record what you see

Write down the time, what you were doing and which devices were affected. Check whether one website fails, all websites fail, or you also lose access to the router. If useful, photograph the status lights without including passwords or personal labels.

A restart may fix a temporary issue, but it may also clear router counters and logs. Save available information first. If you have already restarted, record when and how long the connection worked normally afterwards.

Set up lightweight monitoring

  1. Open LineaChiara while the connection is available.
  2. Choose a timed observation or Until stopped, then Stability only. This avoids repeatedly running large downloads and uploads.
  3. Use a short interval, such as five seconds, when looking for brief drops. An interruption entirely between two checks can still go unnoticed.
  4. Keep the device awake and the tab visible. Screen locking and power saving can suspend the browser; requesting a screen wake lock is not a guarantee.
  5. Note the time when you experience the problem. Export an interim report before stopping if you need a copy.

What the recorded events prove

A failed HTTP request shows that one request did not return the expected response. The connection is one possible cause, but so are the server, filtering, a VPN and the browser. This is not a direct measurement of IP packet loss.

LineaChiara distinguishes periods of failed responses from gaps in browser observation. A gap must not become an outage blamed on your provider. “Browser online” is also only a device signal: it does not prove that every Internet service is reachable.

If the page has already loaded and its offline cache is ready, it can remain usable without a connection. It cannot download the website for the first time during a complete outage or collect measurements while the computer is off.

Make a useful comparison

During the problem, try another device on the same network and an Ethernet connection if available. A separate mobile-network check can help establish whether the website itself responds, but it does not measure your home connection. Avoid simultaneous heavy tests that would alter the conditions.

If all devices lose access at the same time, including over Ethernet, you have a more specific case to report. If only one laptop is affected, investigate that device, its Wi-Fi and any VPN first.

What to send your provider

Include the observation period, time zone, failed-request windows, declared monitoring gaps and your Ethernet checks. Ask support to compare those timestamps with line disconnections and faults in their records. The optional Windows script can add gateway pings and DNS checks, but the web app and its reports work independently.

Put the checks into practice

Open the free test and choose your settings. Diagnostic traffic starts only when you press Start. No registration or required fields.

Open free diagnostics

Method and references

LineaChiara measurement method and limitations

These checks help narrow down a problem; they are not a guarantee of its cause. Suggest a correction.

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