I’m having trouble with my internet. What should I do?
How do I reset my internet connection?
In the event of a dropped connection, slow speeds, intermittent issues, or other problems with your internet service, we first recommend rebooting your internet equipment, including the modem and router. Reboots will often solve issues by resetting the modem’s connection to the cable signal, the router’s connection to the modem, etc.
To reboot, unplug both your modem and router from the power, either from the back of the boxes or from the power outlet on your wall or power strip, for approximately 30 seconds. Plug the modem back in first, wait for about 30 seconds, and then restore power to the router. You’ll see lights blinking on and off. Wait 3-5 minutes for the equipment to boot back up and for status lights to be restored, and then test your internet connection.
Please note: If you use one Arris Digital Phone Modem for both your Blue Ridge internet and phone service and have a battery back-up connected, unplugging the modem may not reboot it. On the back of the Digital Phone Modem you will see a recessed Reset button. Using a narrow object like a pencil point, lightly push in the Reset button and then release. This will begin the reboot process.
When your internet connection is functioning properly, the Online light on your modem should be solidly lit. Depending on your model of modem, this light may be labeled Online or appear as the following symbols:
If the Online light is blinking, it may indicate a service interruption or other problem. If the Online light is not lit at all, the modem is not receiving cable signal. Please verify that all connections are tight, such as the power cord, Ethernet cable, and coaxial cable cord screwed into the back of the modem, as well as at the outlet on the wall.
If the Online light is solid, but you still don’t have internet, it may indicate a problem with your router. If possible, bypass your router and connect a computer directly to the modem with an Ethernet cable for a hardwired connection, like so:
Test for a connection. If the internet works when your computer is connected directly to your modem, that rules out the modem or service as the source of the issue.
If you purchased and used your own router, please contact your router manufacturer for further assistance.
If issues persist even when your computer is connected directly to the modem, or if problems return after trying the above, please contact Blue Ridge support.
What causes slow internet speeds?
Wireless speeds are typically slower than wired speeds. Speed results over WiFi depend on a number of factors. Variables include:
- The WiFi band you’re connected to: 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
- The maximum speed output of your router. Routers designated 802.11g or 802.11n will produce lower top speeds than 802.11ac routers.
- Overlapping WiFi channel interference. If using the 2.4 GHz band, we recommend connecting your router to WiFi channel 1, 6, or 11 to avoid overlap.
- The maximum speed or bandwidth capacity of the website, app, or service to which you’re connecting. Downloading or streaming a file from one source may occur at a faster rate than from a different source.
- The maximum speed of your computer’s network card, or the device you’re using. Smartphones and tablets vary in terms of power, processor, antenna, compatible wifi bands, and top speed.
- Distance between your router and the device you’re using
- Possible interference from electric devices, or a neighbor’s WiFi network
- The materials from which your home is constructed
- The more devices actively using your WiFi, the slower one individual device may seem.
For example: If you subscribe to our Up to 1-Gig speed, you may achieve 1000 Mbps download speed from a speed test if connected directly to your modem via an Ethernet cable. Over WiFi, depending on the specifications of your router or mobile device, the positioning of your router based on where you are within the home, or even the materials within your walls, you likely won’t achieve that top speed.
However, most activities on the internet do not require your top speed. Streaming in HD from Netflix, for example, uses approximately 5 Mbps per stream, or 25 Mbps for 4K. Even so, the perceived quality from one device may differ from another, depending on the above-listed factors. Your phone may achieve a good speed test result, but your streaming stick may not, or vice versa. An app may work well on one device but buffer on another.
My internet seems slow. What do I do?
How do I run a speed test?
In the event of slow speeds, we recommend rebooting your internet equipment, including the modem and router.
After rebooting, we advise running a speed test to see if you’re receiving a speed that makes sense based on your active internet package.
If you subscribe to Blue Ridge HomeFi ℠ powered by eero, launch your eero app. From the Home screen, tap the Internet icon. This screen displays the last speed test results. To run a new speed test, tap Run Speed Test.
You can also run a speed test at the following sites:
https://www.ptd.net/help-desk/internet/speed-test
https://www.speedtest.net/
Click Go to run the test.
We recommend running multiple speed tests in the event of fluctuating speeds or atypical results. Take note of the reported download speed. Most online activity is downloading, such as streaming video, loading websites, etc. Upload speed indicates the speed at which you can send data to the internet, such as video chat, uploading pictures, etc. Speeds are reported in Mbps, meaning Megabits per second.
Do the speed test results match the speed to which you subscribe? For example, if you subscribe to Up to 300 Mbps, the optimal speeds would be 300 Mbps download and 8 Mbps upload.
If the speed test results match or come close to the speed to which you subscribe, it may indicate a faster speed will better fit your needs.
You can view available speed options at http://www.brctv.com/internet. Upload speeds and standard rates can be found at https://www.brctv.com/standard-pricing. You can upgrade your speed online from your My Blue Ridge account at https://www.brctv.com/login or via the My Blue Ridge mobile app on Apple or Android devices.
If speed test results over WiFi are significantly slower than the speed to which you subscribe, we next recommend ruling out your router as the source of any issues. If possible, bypass your router and connect a computer directly to the modem with an Ethernet cable for a hardwired connection, like so:
Once your computer is connected directly to the modem, run the speed test again. We recommend running multiple speed tests in the event of fluctuating or intermittent speeds.
If speed results are satisfactory when connected directly to the modem but significantly slower over WiFi, that may indicate an issue with your wireless router.
If you purchased and used your own router, please contact your router manufacturer for further assistance.
If speed results are significantly slower than expected even when directly connected to the modem, please contact Blue Ridge support.