Self-help checks before you log a fault
Use this page to work through the most common connectivity, Wi-Fi, line-of-sight, and device-related issues before contacting Netmetrix. It helps clients describe faults more accurately and helps us troubleshoot faster.
Good fault reporting starts with good basic checks
A large number of internet complaints are not caused by the core service itself. Poor indoor Wi-Fi coverage, powered-off equipment, damaged cables, weather exposure, overgrown foliage, overloaded devices, and upstream provider incidents can all affect performance. This section is meant to help clients understand the difference.
Always check these first
- Confirm whether the problem affects one device only or the whole property.
- Check whether your router, wireless radio, ONT, or power supply is switched on and showing normal lights.
- Check how many Wi-Fi bars your device has where you are standing before assuming the internet service is down.
- Move closer to the router or access point and test again to separate Wi-Fi coverage problems from actual internet outages.
- Restart the affected device and, if needed, restart the router or CPE once in a controlled way.
- Check whether recent weather, power interruptions, cable movement, or tree growth may have changed conditions at the site.
Classify the fault before you log it
Local Wi-Fi issue
If the problem only happens in one room, on one floor, or when your Wi-Fi bars are low, the internet circuit may still be healthy while indoor coverage is poor.
Site equipment issue
If routers, ONTs, power supplies, injectors, or backup units are off, unstable, or recently affected by load shedding, the problem may be at the equipment layer.
Wireless path issue
If the site is on fixed wireless and conditions changed after storms, wind, construction, or tree growth, the line-of-sight path may be degraded.
Provider or upstream issue
If the whole property is affected and the local equipment appears normal, the fault may sit with the FNO, upstream provider, transit network, or a wider platform incident.
Wi-Fi inside the building
The internet service may be healthy while your indoor Wi-Fi signal is poor in bedrooms, outside rooms, offices behind concrete, or far corners of a property.
Wireless line-of-sight outside
Fixed wireless depends on a clean and stable signal path. Trees, new growth, new structures, movement, and severe weather exposure can all reduce performance.
Provider and upstream factors
Even a correctly installed site can be affected by FNO faults, upstream routing incidents, data centre problems, DDoS events, or broader provider maintenance windows.
What to check for common complaints
The internet is slow but not fully down
- Check whether the issue affects all devices or only one phone, laptop, TV, or PC.
- Check your Wi-Fi bars. One or two bars usually indicates weak indoor coverage rather than a full service outage.
- Move close to the router or access point and test again. If performance improves nearby, the problem is likely Wi-Fi coverage inside the building.
- Pause heavy downloads, cloud backups, streaming on multiple screens, or large updates that may be consuming bandwidth.
- If possible, test one device on a cable connection to compare wired performance against Wi-Fi performance.
The Wi-Fi icon is visible but websites do not load
- Confirm that the router, ONT, wireless radio, or power supply is still powered correctly.
- Check whether the issue affects every device or only one device.
- Switch Wi-Fi off and on again on the device, then reconnect.
- Restart the device before restarting the router, especially if the fault appears device-specific.
- If every device is affected, make note of the lights on the equipment before contacting Netmetrix.
One room has poor signal but another room works fine
- This usually points to indoor Wi-Fi coverage limitations, not necessarily an internet circuit fault.
- Check how many Wi-Fi bars you have in the weak area and compare it with the stronger area.
- Walls, metal roofing, appliances, mirrors, concrete, distance, and room layout can all reduce indoor signal quality.
- If the weak area is important for work, streaming, cameras, or point-of-sale systems, ask Netmetrix about improving Wi-Fi distribution inside the building.
The wireless link worked before but performance is worse now
- Check whether trees, branches, or foliage have grown into the line-of-sight path since installation.
- Look for anything physically changed on the property, such as new structures, roofing additions, shade cloth, or mounted equipment.
- Check whether there has been strong wind, storms, or movement that may have altered antenna alignment or mounting stability.
- If the service is on fixed wireless, note whether the change is constant or only happens at certain times or in certain weather conditions.
The fibre service appears down
- Check whether the ONT has power and whether the normal status lights are present.
- Confirm whether any cables were unplugged, moved, bent sharply, or disturbed during cleaning, furniture movement, or electrical work.
- Restart the router once if needed, but do not repeatedly power-cycle equipment for long periods.
- If the ONT light pattern looks abnormal or the whole property is offline, report the exact lights and timing to Netmetrix.
Only one device is having trouble
- If other devices are working normally, the fault is likely device-specific rather than a full line outage.
- Restart the device, forget and reconnect the Wi-Fi network, and confirm date/time settings are correct.
- Check whether the device is very old, overloaded, full on storage, or busy with system updates, cloud sync, or antivirus scans.
- Where possible, test the same application or website on another device before logging a full internet fault.
Everything was fine until load shedding or a power event
- Check every power supply in the chain, including plugs, adapters, UPS units, injectors, ONTs, routers, and outdoor radio power units.
- Some equipment may appear on while another link in the chain stayed off after power returned.
- Allow a few minutes for equipment to boot fully before retesting.
- If a UPS or backup system is involved, confirm it is still charging and still supplying output correctly.
How to interpret Wi-Fi strength
Generally strong indoor signal. If performance is still poor here, the issue may be device load, congestion, or the upstream service rather than distance from Wi-Fi.
Usable in many cases, but performance may fluctuate depending on walls, interference, and what the device is doing.
Weak signal. Slow speed, buffering, call drops, and inconsistent loading are common. This often indicates a coverage problem inside the building.
The device may be too far from the access point, blocked by the structure, or affected by interference. This is not automatically a provider outage.
Work through the right check path for the service type
If you are on fibre
- Check whether the ONT has stable power and normal status lights.
- Confirm whether the router is online and whether cables were disturbed, bent, or unplugged.
- Check whether the issue started after electrical work, furniture movement, cleaning, or load shedding.
- If the full site is offline, record the equipment lights before contacting Netmetrix.
If you are on fixed wireless
- Check whether there has been tree growth, new foliage, roof changes, or new structures affecting line-of-sight.
- Check whether recent wind or storms may have shifted mounting or alignment.
- Confirm whether the issue is constant, weather-related, or time-of-day related.
- If available, compare current behaviour with how the link performed before the change.
If the complaint is only about Wi-Fi
- Check signal strength where the complaint happens by looking at the device Wi-Fi bars.
- Retest close to the router or access point.
- Separate poor indoor coverage from a full service outage before logging a line fault.
- If only one room is affected, note the room layout, walls, and distance from the router.
If you suspect an upstream outage
- Check whether multiple devices fail in the same way across the whole property.
- Confirm whether the issue is limited to one app or whether all internet access is affected.
- Note whether cloud apps, email, streaming, or business systems are unreachable while local Wi-Fi remains connected.
- Provider incidents, routing problems, maintenance, or DDoS activity can cause these symptoms.
Not every issue starts at your property
- FNO faults, provider maintenance, or upstream routing problems can affect fibre services even when your local equipment is powered.
- Fixed wireless performance can be influenced by line-of-sight changes, severe weather exposure, alignment drift, or interference conditions.
- Wider internet events such as DDoS attacks on providers, transit networks, or data centres can cause slow access, unreachable platforms, or unstable performance outside the local site.
- Remote services like streaming platforms, business systems, cloud apps, or email providers may have their own outages even when the Netmetrix access service is working.
Useful information to include in a support request
- Your full address or installation site details.
- Whether the service is fibre or wireless.
- Whether the issue affects one device, one room, or the whole property.
- The time the problem started and whether it is constant or intermittent.
- Whether there was recent weather, load shedding, cable movement, or tree growth near the site.
- What the router, ONT, or wireless equipment lights are showing.
- Whether you tested close to the router and what Wi-Fi bars you saw during that test.
Still need support after the checks?
If you have worked through the checks above and the issue still appears to be service-related, contact Netmetrix with the exact symptoms and site details so the team can troubleshoot faster.