JustfixemailWOW! Internet Not Working — Modem & Router Fixes
1. Full power cycle
- Unplug the modem's power completely.
- Wait a full minute.
- Plug it back in and give it several minutes to fully reconnect before testing.
2. If you're using your own third-party modem
This is a real, documented pattern worth knowing about: some third-party modems have stopped working correctly on WOW's network after a change on WOW's side to how devices connect — not because of anything wrong with the modem itself. In one documented case, a Netgear modem that worked fine suddenly couldn't connect at all after a network configuration change on WOW's end affected devices running in "gateway mode" specifically, while the same modem worked fine in "modem-only" mode instead.
- If your own router is handling routing duties, try setting your modem to modem-only (bridge) mode rather than gateway mode, if it isn't already.
- If a modem that previously worked suddenly stops connecting with no local changes on your end, this network-compatibility pattern is worth raising directly with WOW support, since it isn't something a reset or replacement modem will necessarily fix on its own.
3. Isolate modem vs. router
Connect a device directly to the modem via Ethernet, bypassing your router. If that restores internet, the issue is with your router's configuration rather than your actual WOW connection.
4. WiFi specifically unreliable while wired connections are fine
- Restart the router (or the wireless side of a combo unit) separately from the modem.
- Check whether the affected device needs a specific WiFi band — some older devices only support 2.4GHz and won't connect if that band isn't clearly available.
- Move the device closer to the router temporarily to rule out signal strength as the cause.
5. Check for a wider outage
Before extensive local troubleshooting, check WOW's outage map or contact support — outages affecting entire neighborhoods happen periodically and look identical to a local equipment issue from your side.