7 Common Cox Cable Problems & How to Fix Them

Cox Cable problems can and will arrive at the worst possible time. Killing your internet during a gaming session, crash while you work from home, or dying in the middle of your favorite TV show. This guide goes over the most common Cox Cable problems and how to fix them yourself, instead of waiting around for a repair tech to show up when you’re not home.

These days, problems come in multiple forms. Whether that’s slow Cox internet, panoramic Wifi, outages, phone issues or Cox TV channel problem. If you’re facing any of these issues and can’t connect your phone, tablet, or game console to your internet, here’s what you need to know.

Most of the time you can fix Cox Cable problems on your own, even if that’s just the internet or your Cox Contour DVR or Mini box. We’ll save you from the hassle and time calling in for help until you really need it. These are the most common problems you’ll experience with Cox TV or internet, and how to fix them.

Most likely you have Cox Cable TV, internet, and home phone. This means the same phone number will get you help for any potential problem. For support, you can always call 1 (800) 234-3993 and it’s available 24/7. Before you do that, try some of these quick Cox Cable fixes.

Cox Cable Problems & Fixes

If Cox is experiencing a total outage there’s nothing we can do to fix it. You simply have to wait for Cox to resolve the situation. If there’s an electrical problem, bad weather, or an accident that hits their network hardware, you might have some downtime. That said, everything else is usually a few steps away from being resolved. Here’s what we’ll focus on:

• Is Cox Cable Down
• Cox Internet Problems
• Cox Panoramic WiFi Problems
• Cox TV Problems
• Cox Phone Not Working
• Slow Internet with Cox
• Cox Mini Box Problems
• and more

Is Cox Cable Down?

Before you panic and start troubleshooting or calling for help, make sure Cox isn’t actually down. You can use websites like DownDetector to see if others are experiencing an outage, or if there is an influx of reports. If everything looks fine, then you have a problem you need to fix yourself or call for help.

Read: Best Cable TV Alternatives to Save Money

Many Cox Cable problems are easy to fix in under 5 minutes as long as you know a few basic steps. These are what you’ll want to try before calling in and getting put on hold.

Cox Internet Problems

When your Cox Cable internet goes out it feels like the world stops. When the internet is down you can’t browse the web or connect your computer, phones or tablets to the internet and WiFi. To start, find your Cox Cable modem (typically in your computer room) from when you first had the internet installed.

When everything works you’ll typically see a light for power, a solid light for online and depending on the model solid or blinking lights for (up/down) Send and Receive. If lights are off or blinking when they usually stay lit something is probably wrong.

Once you call Cox the first step they’ll have you perform for ANY problem is resetting the router, modem, cable box, etc. Simply turn it off and back on. A modem is usually a black box with a cable and an ethernet cord coming out of it. Ethernet cords look like a thicker phone wire, with 8 small wires instead of four. Here’s a quick guide from Cox themselves.

The first way to fix Cox problems is to reset the modem. Here’s how:

1. Unplug the modem from the power cord (Keep unplugged for over a minute)
2. Keep it unplugged for 1-minute, or even 5 minutes
3. After a few minutes return the power and plug it back in
4. It should start up and most problems will be gone
5. Some even have a “reset” button, if so, push it

Most modems have a built-in battery, that’s why a quick 10-second power cycle isn’t enough. You must unplug it long enough for that battery to drain also. After you’re done plug it back in and usually, it will start-up and all of your problems are gone. Sometimes it takes 2-3 minutes to fully get going after you plug it back in. While you’re at it, make sure none of the cables are loose or unplugged.

Sometimes Cox cable and phone use the same modem. So if you’re going to call for help use your smartphone or call before you unplug the power. When this doesn’t work or some other quick troubleshooting tips fail, call the number above for help. You might need to schedule a technician to come to check your home.

Cox Panoramic WiFi Problems

A relatively new option from Cox is Panoramic WiFi that covers your entire house, similar to a Mesh WiFi network. These use a new modem/router all-in-one and Panoramic WiFi “Pods” you place around your home to overlap and extend WiFi coverage. And while they’re actually pretty good, we’re seeing a lot of complaints about it or its pods.

Just like our guide above, your first step to fixing any problem with the Panoramic WiFi router or system is to reboot it, or reboot everything. Power cycle the modem and router for 60 seconds, then plug it back in. Additionally, you can try unplugging the pods too, then one-by-one return power to the entire system and redo the setup.

Read: Best WiFi Routers Under $100

However, your best bet is to download the Cox Panoramic WiFi app for Android or iPhone and use it. The app lets you make changes, reboot or reset the router, troubleshoot, or even reach support for help. If the app struggles you can open a web browser and type in “192.168.0.1” and manage everything manually. Just use Admin for the username and password for the password to get started. Better yet, buy a real Mesh WiFi Router for better results.

Cox TV Problems

Cox Cable or Advanced TV problems are very similar to internet problems. Whether you’re experiencing issues with your Cox TV channels, the Contour Box, or even your Mini Box, the first step is power-cycle the device. Turn it off and unplug it, wait for over a minute, and plug it back in. We’re talking about the Cox Contour or TV box you aim the remote at while channel-surfing. Unplug it and reboot the device.

Read: How to Cut the Cord, Ditch Cable & Save Money

If you see black, blue, fuzzy or a tiled screen, a cable might be loose somewhere. Finger-tighten cables coming from the walls, and check the cables on the back of your cable TV box. Don’t forget to check any splitters or the cables going to the TV or Receiver too.  That’s one of the first things the phone support tech will ask. Followed by rebooting your cable box in the TV room.

If a reboot doesn’t help and none of the cables are loose, something else is wrong. Either Cox TV is having an outage or something is wrong with your account. Those are the only two things you can do yourself. Next, you’ll need to call for help.

Cox Phone Not Working

If you’re like me, you probably have a Cox home phone too. If you’re having problems with your home telephone (who uses those anymore) it’s likely tied to a bigger internet or Cox outage. Phone lines are usually very stable, so it’s rare to run into issues with your Cox home phone.

We might sound like a broken record, but the same rules apply here. Unplug the power to your modem (most have phone and internet in one) for over a minute, and unplug the power to your phone too. Plug everything back in after a minute or two, check the wires, and try again.

Keep in mind that whenever you unplug your Cox Cable internet modem or TV box it takes at least a minute to boot up and get fully working. So don’t immediately try your phone, internet, or TV. Let it do its thing for a few minutes, then try. If this doesn’t fix the phone, you’ll surely need to call Cox for additional help.

Cox Slow Internet Problems

We’ve all experienced slow internet with Cox Cable. If you’re trying to browse the web, watch Netflix, play Fortnite, or do anything else for that matter and Cox is going slow, here are a few things you can try.

Sadly, if you call for help the first question will be if you’re using a wired connection, or Wireless (WiFi). Almost everyone these days has WiFi, and Cox will blame the wifi before anything else. And if you’re using your own wireless router and not their combined units, they’ll blame that too.

Here’s what you need to do to figure out and fix slow Cox internet.

• Restart the Router – This is usually the easiest and fastest fix
• Restart the Modem – If the Modem is separate, restart it too
• Leave unplugged for over 1 minute

First of all, restart your router. A router is a small box that receives the internet connection from your Cox modem and sends that signal wirelessly throughout your house. This is how you connect your phones, tablets, laptop, or Xbox to WiFi. Sometimes the internet cable modem and router are an all-in-one device. Those have even more problems because they overheat. So, restart the router or modem, or both. Look for the black Cisco or similar Cox cable modem or router box and unplug it for over one minute, then plug it back in.

This can fix most slowdowns. Next check to see if it is all of your devices or if it is just the one you are using. You can also restart that specific device. Next, try some of Cox’s slow internet troubleshooting tips.

Again, make sure all the cables are nice and snug. Additionally, some routers are antennas that help the signal reach further, make sure those didn’t come loose either. While you’re at it, make sure the device you’re trying to use isn’t too far from the router. Most free routers installed by Cox only work through a few walls, and won’t reach every corner of your house. That’s why we recommend using your own high-end WiFi router.

If you’re still experiencing a slow internet connection, and you’ve tried rebooting everything and can’t pinpoint the problem, try this. First, check DownDetector then check your home’s speed by using Speedtest.net. This site checks your internet upload and download speeds. You should see something similar to what you pay for. If it’s going extremely slow, you have a problem.

Call Cox for help because most of the quick and easy tips didn’t work. Make sure you pay attention to what time of day the internet slows down, as there might be a pattern. Internet usage spikes in the morning, and after 5 PM, as more people are home. You might experience slower speeds during peak hours.

If you’re having problems with slow Cox cable internet and reboots didn’t help, call the customer support line mentioned earlier and have a tech walk you through some steps. Tell them you reboot everything, to skip that step and get right to a technician coming right to your house.

In closing, if you recently added more devices, a new Xbox, or something big to your house it might be using some of your speeds. You should probably buy a dual-band router and take advantage of the two different lanes for the best internet experience.

Cox Mini Box Problems

Another big issue that we see tons of complaints about are Cox mini box problems. These are small devices you can put in spare rooms and get cable TV. Basically, they give you multiple channels in every room of your house. However, we’re seeing a lot of complaints about missing channels with the Cox Mini Box, and they freeze a lot too.

If you recently had to switch to digital, you probably have a few of these.

Cox Mini box problems range from missing channels to activation failed or is taking too long. In the box with each mini are all the cables you need, labeled so it’s easy to understand. Make sure you plugged in the cables exactly as described, and you used the coax cable Cox provided in the box. Don’t use the old white coax cables in your house.

If you can’t get it to activate make sure everything is plugged in right. Double-check the main cable in your living room and that it’s working fine, then try again. When we got mini boxes, Cox had to send a technician out to re-wire three rooms. Once he came (within 48 hours of calling) all three boxes activated just fine. Sometimes the cable wires in the walls need to be replaced.

Then, you might notice some channels are missing. For one, a mini box doesn’t give you EVERY channel you pay for. It’s just basic cable programming, plus some extras. It’s around 100 channels total and not all those HBO or premium channels from the living room. Keep that in mind. If you’re still missing channels, run a channel scan. Otherwise, reach out to Cox for help. If all else fails, you can switch to DirecTV.

Final Thoughts

Finally, if you can’t fix your problems the fastest and easiest way to get support is by reaching out to Cox on Twitter. Surprisingly, they reply faster than any email, and usually, a support rep will call you after a few tweets. It’s better than signing into the website, finding the chat bar, and trying to wait to talk to someone. It’s a lot easier than calling customer support too.

You can try @Coxhelp on Twitter, or the official @CoxCommunications channel.

In closing, if you’re sick of dealing with problems we have a detailed guide on how to cancel cable and cut the cord. Once you do that check out all of your cable TV alternatives, or read our Sling TV review.

Good luck, and hopefully we helped you fix your home internet, TV or phone.