Why Your Internet Keeps Dropping Out: A Troubleshooting Guide for New Zealand

Frequent disconnections and intermittent internet connectivity can be a significant source of frustration for New Zealanders, particularly with the increasing reliance on stable home networks for remote work, professional video conferencing, and digital entertainment. This comprehensive guide provides an actionable roadmap for diagnosing why your internet keeps dropping out, addressing common failure points across various local technologies including Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) fibre, VDSL, and 4G/5G wireless broadband. We explore essential troubleshooting steps such as power cycling your Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and modem, identifying environmental interference from household appliances, and understanding the impact of New Zealand's aging copper infrastructure on VDSL stability. Additionally, this article examines when it is necessary to escalate faults to major retail service providers like Spark, One NZ, or 2degrees, and how to interpret the diagnostic maps provided by Chorus to identify wider network outages in your region. By following this professional technical framework, you can minimize downtime and ensure a robust connection tailored to the specific infrastructure available at your Aotearoa address.

Initial Troubleshooting: The Power of the Reset

The first and most effective step when your internet keeps dropping out is a controlled power cycle of your hardware. This process clears the temporary memory (cache) of your modem and router, often resolving software glitches that cause intermittent drops. In New Zealand, many users are on fibre connections, which involve two critical pieces of equipment: the Optical Network Terminal (ONT)—the white box usually fixed to your interior wall—and your modem. Turning both devices off at the wall for at least 30 seconds allows the internal capacitors to discharge fully before you initiate a sequential restart.

• Sequence Matters: Turn off both the ONT and the modem at the wall.
• Wait Time: Keep them unplugged for 30 seconds to ensure a total hardware reset.
• Sequential Start: Power on the ONT first and wait several minutes until the 'Power' and 'Optical' lights are solid green before turning on your modem.
• Monitor Stability: Observe the lights for the next hour; if the 'Internet' or 'PON' light begins blinking or turns red, a physical line fault is likely.

Sequence Matters: Turn off both the ONT and the modem at the wall.

Wait Time: Keep them unplugged for 30 seconds to ensure a total hardware reset.

Sequential Start: Power on the ONT first and wait several minutes until the 'Power' and 'Optical' lights are solid green before turning on your modem.

Monitor Stability: Observe the lights for the next hour; if the 'Internet' or 'PON' light begins blinking or turns red, a physical line fault is likely.

Understanding the Sequential Restart

A sequential restart ensures that the ONT established a handshake with the Chorus exchange before the modem attempts to authenticate your account credentials.

Identifying Environmental and WiFi Interference

If your internet continues to drop only when you are in certain rooms, the issue is likely WiFi interference rather than a network fault. New Zealand homes often contain dense materials like brick, tiles, or metal comms cabinets that act as barriers to radio waves. Furthermore, common household appliances such as microwaves, cordless phones, and baby monitors operate on the same 2.4GHz frequency as many routers, causing signal "collisions" that lead to dropouts. Professional placement of your modem—high up, in an open area, and away from other electronics—is critical for maintaining a stable wireless link.

• Placement Strategy: Keep the modem "Out, Up, and Open" (not in a cupboard or behind a TV).
• Avoid Obstacles: Keep the device away from mirrors, hot water cylinders, and large metal objects.
• Frequency Selection: Use the 5GHz band for nearby high-speed tasks and the 2.4GHz band for devices further away.
• Channel Congestion: In high-density areas like Auckland apartments, use a WiFi analyzer app to find a less crowded channel.

Placement Strategy: Keep the modem "Out, Up, and Open" (not in a cupboard or behind a TV).

Avoid Obstacles: Keep the device away from mirrors, hot water cylinders, and large metal objects.

Frequency Selection: Use the 5GHz band for nearby high-speed tasks and the 2.4GHz band for devices further away.

Channel Congestion: In high-density areas like Auckland apartments, use a WiFi analyzer app to find a less crowded channel.

The Role of 2.4GHz vs 5GHz Bands

The 5GHz band offers faster speeds but has a shorter range and struggles with walls, whereas the 2.4GHz band travels further but is more susceptible to interference from appliances.

Distinguishing Between Local and Network Outages

Before contacting your provider, you must determine if the dropout is restricted to your home or part of a wider Chorus network issue. In New Zealand, Chorus maintains the vast majority of the fixed-line infrastructure. You can check their real-time "Outages Map" to see if planned maintenance or an accidental fiber cut is affecting your suburb. If the Chorus map is clear, the issue may lie with your Retail Service Provider (RSP) such as Spark or One NZ. Most RSPs have their own status pages or app-based diagnostic tools that can test the connection directly to your modem from their side.

Interpreting ONT Status Lights

A solid red 'LOS' (Loss of Signal) or 'Alarm' light on your ONT usually indicates a physical break in the fiber optic cable outside your home, requiring a technician visit.

Aging Copper: Why VDSL and ADSL Drop Out

For New Zealanders still on VDSL or ADSL connections, the aging copper network is a frequent cause of instability. Unlike fiber, copper performance degrades with distance from the local exchange or roadside cabinet. Environmental factors like heavy rain can also cause moisture to enter old copper joints, leading to "noise" on the line and frequent disconnections. Chorus is actively retiring the copper network in areas where fiber is available, and if your VDSL connection keeps dropping, the most actionable solution is to upgrade to a UFB fiber plan.

• Line Quality: Old wiring inside your home can cause "crosstalk" and signal degradation.
• ADSL Filters: Ensure every jack point with a device has a high-quality ADSL/VDSL filter installed.
• Distance Factor: If you are more than 800 meters from the cabinet, VDSL stability drops significantly.
• Copper Withdrawal: Check if you are in a "Copper Withdrawal Area" to force an upgrade to more stable technology.

Line Quality: Old wiring inside your home can cause "crosstalk" and signal degradation.

ADSL Filters: Ensure every jack point with a device has a high-quality ADSL/VDSL filter installed.

Distance Factor: If you are more than 800 meters from the cabinet, VDSL stability drops significantly.

Copper Withdrawal: Check if you are in a "Copper Withdrawal Area" to force an upgrade to more stable technology.

The Impact of Weather on Copper

Heavy rain can temporarily increase line resistance in older copper infrastructure, leading to a loss of sync that manifests as the "DSL" light blinking on your modem.

Hardware Health: Is Your Modem Outdated?

Hardware fatigue is a common yet overlooked reason for internet dropouts. Modems and routers are essentially small computers that operate 24/7, and over time, their internal components can fail or their firmware may become incompatible with new network standards. In New Zealand, many RSPs provide a "free" modem when you sign up, but these are often entry-level devices. If you have more than 15-20 devices (including smart home tech) connected simultaneously, a standard ISP-provided modem may struggle to manage the traffic, leading to restarts.

• Firmware Updates: Regularly check for and install firmware updates via the modem's settings page.
• Device Capacity: High-end routers manage multiple simultaneous connections better than basic models.
• Heat Issues: Ensure the modem has proper ventilation; overheating can trigger automatic restarts.
• Aging Tech: If your modem is more than 3-4 years old, it may not support modern WiFi 6 standards required for stability.

Firmware Updates: Regularly check for and install firmware updates via the modem's settings page.

Device Capacity: High-end routers manage multiple simultaneous connections better than basic models.

Heat Issues: Ensure the modem has proper ventilation; overheating can trigger automatic restarts.

Aging Tech: If your modem is more than 3-4 years old, it may not support modern WiFi 6 standards required for stability.

Symptoms of a Failing Modem

If your internet drops and the 'Power' light on the modem flickers or turns orange, it often indicates a failing power supply unit or internal board.

The Limitations of Wireless 4G and 5G Broadband

Wireless broadband (4G/5G) is a popular alternative to fixed lines in New Zealand, but it is inherently less stable than fiber. Because the signal travels through the air, it is subject to "cell tower congestion" during peak hours (6 PM to 11 PM) and environmental interference. If your wireless broadband keeps dropping out, it may be because your modem is struggling to maintain a "handshake" with the nearest tower. Finding the optimal placement—usually near a window facing the nearest cell site—is the single most important factor for wireless stability.

Optimizing 5G Modem Reception

Using your provider's app to check signal strength (bars) in different rooms can help you find the "sweet spot" for your 5G modem.

Cabling and Physical Connection Faults

While WiFi is convenient, it is also the most common point of failure. If your internet keeps dropping out on a laptop but works fine on a tablet next to it, the problem is likely a specific device or cable. Using a high-quality Ethernet cable (CAT5e or CAT6) to connect your primary workstation directly to the modem eliminates WiFi as a variable. In New Zealand fiber setups, the cable between the ONT and the modem is also a frequent failure point; a cheap or damaged cable here can cause the entire network to go down intermittently.

• Ethernet First: Always test with a wired connection to confirm if the fault is with the network or the WiFi.
• CAT Ratings: Ensure you are using at least a CAT5e cable; older CAT5 cables cannot handle Gigabit fiber speeds.
• Check Ports: Ensure cables are firmly clicked into the WAN/LAN1 ports; loose connections cause micro-outages.
• Cable Health: Visually inspect cables for sharp bends or "kinks" that can damage the internal copper or fiber strands.

Ethernet First: Always test with a wired connection to confirm if the fault is with the network or the WiFi.

CAT Ratings: Ensure you are using at least a CAT5e cable; older CAT5 cables cannot handle Gigabit fiber speeds.

Check Ports: Ensure cables are firmly clicked into the WAN/LAN1 ports; loose connections cause micro-outages.

Cable Health: Visually inspect cables for sharp bends or "kinks" that can damage the internal copper or fiber strands.

Why CAT6 Matters

CAT6 cables have more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise than CAT5e, providing a more stable signal over longer distances in modern NZ homes.

Software and Security Issues Causing Dropouts

Malware, viruses, and poorly configured VPNs can manifest as intermittent internet dropouts. If a device is infected, it may be part of a botnet that consumes all available bandwidth in bursts, causing the router to stall or drop other connections. Similarly, if your work VPN is set to "kill switch" mode, any minor fluctuation in the connection will result in a total dropout as the software protects your IP address. Ensuring your antivirus software is up to date and scanning your devices regularly is a key part of household network maintenance.

• Antivirus Scans: Run full system scans on all computers to rule out bandwidth-hungry malware.
• Background Apps: Close unnecessary cloud-syncing apps (like OneDrive or Dropbox) that may be saturating your upload speed.
• VPN Settings: Check if your VPN is causing the drops by testing the connection with the VPN turned off.
• Browser Health: Excessively large browser caches or problematic extensions can slow down page loads, mimicking a dropout.

Antivirus Scans: Run full system scans on all computers to rule out bandwidth-hungry malware.

Background Apps: Close unnecessary cloud-syncing apps (like OneDrive or Dropbox) that may be saturating your upload speed.

VPN Settings: Check if your VPN is causing the drops by testing the connection with the VPN turned off.

Browser Health: Excessively large browser caches or problematic extensions can slow down page loads, mimicking a dropout.

Managing Background Bandwidth

In households with slow VDSL connections, a single device downloading a massive Windows update can cause other devices to experience what feels like a total dropout.

When to Call Your Provider: Logging a Fault

If you have performed a power cycle, ruled out WiFi interference, and checked the Chorus outage map but your internet still drops out, it is time to log a formal fault with your RSP. In New Zealand, providers like Spark, One NZ, and 2degrees use app-based diagnostic tools that you can run before you even call them. These tools send a "ping" to your modem and check for line noise or light signal loss. When you do call, having your account number and a log of when the dropouts occur (e.g., "every day at 3 PM") will help the technician identify patterns such as interference from a neighbor's device or a specific network load issue.

• Run Diagnostics: Use the Spark App "Check Connection" tool or One NZ's diagnostic test before calling.
• Record Patterns: Note if the dropouts are weather-dependent or happen at specific times of day.
• Check Billing: Ensure your account is up to date; some providers may restrict service if a payment is missed.
• Ask for a Line Test: Explicitly request a "remotely managed line test" to identify physical faults between the exchange and your home.

Run Diagnostics: Use the Spark App "Check Connection" tool or One NZ's diagnostic test before calling.

Record Patterns: Note if the dropouts are weather-dependent or happen at specific times of day.

Check Billing: Ensure your account is up to date; some providers may restrict service if a payment is missed.

Ask for a Line Test: Explicitly request a "remotely managed line test" to identify physical faults between the exchange and your home.

Escalation to Chorus

If your RSP identifies a physical fault on the network, they will log a ticket with Chorus, who may then send a technician to your property to inspect the ONT or the external fiber connection.

Upgrading Your Plan for Better Stability

Sometimes, the internet keeps dropping out simply because the household's demands have outgrown the current plan. With multiple people working from home, streaming 4K content, and gaming simultaneously, a standard "Fibre 100" plan or a basic VDSL connection may experience "congestion-induced dropouts". Upgrading to a "Fibre Max" (Gigabit) plan provides significantly more "headroom," ensuring that one person's heavy usage doesn't knock everyone else offline. In New Zealand, most major providers offer easy plan upgrades through their customer portals that can be activated within 24 hours.

The Value of Fibre Max

While Fibre 100 is sufficient for many, Fibre Max ensures that even during peak hours, your bandwidth remains well above the threshold required for stable video calls and high-definition streaming.

Final Thoughts

Solving an intermittent internet connection in New Zealand requires a systematic approach, beginning with simple hardware resets and progressing toward technical line diagnostics. While local environmental factors like modem placement and WiFi interference are often the culprit, the underlying infrastructure—be it aging copper VDSL or high-speed UFB fiber—plays a definitive role in overall stability. By utilizing the diagnostic tools provided by Spark, One NZ, and Chorus, and ensuring your household hardware is modern and well-positioned, you can eliminate the majority of common dropout causes. Remember that if all local troubleshooting fails, your provider is obligated to investigate network-side faults to ensure you receive the service level defined in your contract.

FAQ Section

Why does my internet drop out every night at the same time? This is often caused by "peak hour congestion" as more people in your neighborhood go online, or it could be interference from an appliance (like streetlights or a neighbor's heater) that turns on at that time.

Does rain affect my New Zealand fiber connection? No, fiber optic cables use light and are generally unaffected by water; however, rain can severely impact older copper-based VDSL/ADSL connections and some wireless 4G/5G signals.

How do I know if my modem is causing the dropouts? Try connecting a laptop directly to the modem via Ethernet; if the connection is stable on the cable but drops on WiFi, the modem's wireless transmitter or your placement is the issue.

What does a red light on my Chorus ONT mean? A red 'LOS' or 'Alarm' light indicates a total loss of signal, usually meaning the fiber optic cable is broken or disconnected outside your home.

Can I fix internet dropouts by changing my WiFi password? If someone is "piggybacking" on your connection and using all your bandwidth, changing the password will kick them off and may restore stability.

Why is my internet dropping out on only one laptop? This suggests the issue is with that specific device's WiFi card, outdated drivers, or a software conflict like a faulty VPN or malware.

Should I use a WiFi extender to stop disconnections? A WiFi extender can help if the dropouts are due to poor range, but if the main signal from the router is already dropping, an extender will simply repeat that unstable signal.

What is the best way to contact Chorus about an outage? You should always contact your retail provider (e.g., Spark, One NZ) first; they will log a technical fault with Chorus on your behalf if the issue is with the physical network.

Will upgrading to 5G fix my intermittent 4G connection? Often yes, as 5G uses different frequencies and has more capacity, but it still requires good line-of-sight to a tower and can be affected by physical obstacles.

How often should I restart my modem to prevent drops? There is no set rule, but a monthly restart is a good professional practice to clear the hardware's memory and ensure optimal performance.

1 DO FOLLOW EXTERNAL LINK: For technical details on the regulatory standards of New Zealand's telecommunications, visit Telecommunications in New Zealand.