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9 Common Verizon Fios Problems & How to Fix Them
Verizon Fios problems can ruin your home life and turn all your favorite devices into paperweights. If you’re having issues with your Verizon cable or Verizon internet service, use this breakdown of common Verizon Fios problems and fixes to get everything working again without a service call.
Fixing common Verizon Fios problems without a service call is key because waiting for an appointment can have dire consequences. If you work from home, you need working Wi-Fi to reach out to your teammates and plan. Count on spending time at a coffee shop or the library until your Wi-Fi problems are fixed. After a long day of work, its time to watch your favorite TV shows on cable or finish binging a show you started on Netflix. Netflix, Amazon Prime and Verizon’s on-demand video service won’t work without reliable internet access.
These are the most common Verizon Fios problems users face. If you have an issue that is not included in this breakdown, call Verizon’s support team at 1-800-837-4966.
How to Fix Verizon Internet Problems
If your smartphone, video game console or television won’t connect to your favorite services, you may have Verizon internet problems. Use these tips to fix these issues and get connected to the internet again.
How to Fix Verizon Fios Wi-Fi Not Working
Verizon Fios Wi-Fi stops working if your Verizon Gateway Router isn’t connected correctly or there’s a problem with Verizon’s network. You can’t do anything about Verizon’s network, but you can try to fix the broken gateway router yourself.
Your gateway is the black box that connects to Verizon’s network. It has a Verizon logo and five Ethernet ports on the back. A technician installed the Verizon Gateway Router when they set up your internet access. This small box is what broadcasts your Wi-Fi signal.
To solve Fios Wi-Fi not working problems, reset your Verizon Gateway Router. Take a thumbtack or safety-pin and insert it into the red reset hole on the back of the gateway. This will restore the gateway back to factory settings.
Wait for the gateway to restart. Now, try connecting to the Wi-Fi network with your smartphone, tablet or PC again. A tag on the left side of the gateway tells you what your network’s name is and what your password is.
Try browsing to your favorite website. If your gateway is what caused your Fios Wi-Fi problems, the web page should load now. Call Verizon to set up an appointment at 1-800-837-4966 if this doesn’t solve the problem. You could have line issues outside your home that only they can fix. It’s also possible your smartphone or PC has issues of its own.
Read: 6 Everyday Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them
How to Fix No Internet Connection on Verizon
If you get No Internet Connection messages on your smartphone or tablet, but your device is connected to Wi-Fi, you may also have a Verizon Gateway Router issue.
Unplug your Verizon Gateway Router and leave it unplugged for 5 minutes.
Now, connect the gateway to power again. Wait another 5 minutes for it to start.
Try browsing the internet with your smartphone or tablet using your Wi-Fi.
If you still get the internet connection error on your device, try a reset. To reset your gateway, stick a tack or safety pin into the red hole on the back of your Fios gateway.
Wait for the reset to finish. Then, try browsing the internet on your PC or smartphone.
Call Verizon at 1-800-837-4966 if neither of these fixes causes the No Internet Connection error messages to disappear. There may be an outage in your area.
How to Fix Slow Verizon Internet Speeds
Slow Verizon internet speeds are just as bad as having no connection at all. With slow internet, you can’t stream from Netflix or video chat with friends. Even app updates on your smartphone take longer than they should.
Read: 14 Common Netflix Problems & Fixes
Before you do anything else, check to make sure a download isn’t causing your slow Verizon internet speeds. Verizon charges for different speeds, and the company’s cheaper plans don’t work well if you are downloading a very large file and have other people streaming from a video service at the same time.
For example, digital PS4 games are huge and take a long time to download. Until a game finishes downloading, web pages will take longer to load on cheaper Verizon’s cheapest plans.
Read: 11 Common PS4 Problems & How to Fix Them
Try to fix slow internet speeds by resetting your router. Stick a pin in the red reset button on the back of your Verizon gateway. Now, wait for the router to restart and try browsing again.
If this hasn’t fixed your slow internet speeds, it’s time to call Verizon. Open SpeedTest on your PC. Use this site to test your speeds. Write the results down and call Verizon. They must send someone out to check your lines and equipment if you are getting worse speeds than what you’re paying for.
Verizon will ask you if you’d like to get a faster plan on your call. Don’t commit to paying more for faster internet unless you deal with slow internet problems regularly.
Where to Find a New Verizon Fios Modem & Fios Router
If you’re trying to get rid of extra fees on your Fios bill, buying your own modem or router is a great place to start. Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy to replace Fios’ rented equipment as it is with Comcast and other providers.
You can’t buy a Fios modem or Fios router in a store. The box in your home that a Fios technician setup is a gateway router, and Verizon’s website is the only place you can buy a gateway router that will work well with your service. Verizon.com sells the Fios Gateway Router for $149.99.
How to Tell if There’s a Verizon Fios Internet Outage
If you suddenly lose internet access, use Verizon’s Online Outage Tool to see if there are any network problems in your area.
How to Fix Verizon TV Problems
You can fix your own Verizon TV problems too. Just follow these tips.
How to Fix Missing Picture Problems
A few things can cause missing picture problems with your Fios TV service. Check for these things before you contact Verizon.
First, make sure that your television is connected to your Fios cable box. Do this by unplugging the HDMI cable from your television and your cable box. Plug the cables into both devices again after 2 minutes.
Next, confirm your television is on the correct input channel. Every HDMI port on your TV has a number and that number tells you what input method you should tune your television to. So, if you see “Input 1” on the HDMI port you are using, use your remote to turn the TV to Input 1.
Finally, unplug your Fios cable box from your wall outlet. Wait five minutes before plugging it back in. This will force the cable box to connect to Verizon’s network again. If there are any issues with your network, your cable box will tell you what they are. Contact Verizon at 1-800-837-4966 to confirm there isn’t a widespread outage in your area.
Read: 6 Common Amazon Fire TV Problems & Fixes
How to Fix Verizon On-Demand Problems
Expect Verizon on-demand problems when your internet isn’t working correctly. That’s because the box relies on the internet to provide TV listings, on-demand movies and messages.
Reset your Fios Gateway router by sticking a pin into the red reset hole on the back. Wait for the box to restart. If internet on your smartphone or tablet works but you still can’t access on-demand content, contact Verizon to troubleshoot your cable box.
Read: 7 Best Cable TV Alternatives
How to Report a Verizon Fios Outage
If you suspect that a network issue is behind your Verizon Fios problems, use Verizon’s Residential Outage Tool to file a report at Verizon.com. Verizon Support’s chat will tell you of any outages in your area too. If you’d rather get someone on the phone to report the outage, call 1-800-837-4966.
Be ready to supply your address and personal information. Verizon will want to confirm you are who you say you are.
Where to Fix Verizon Account Problems
If you have Verizon account issues, it’s best to discuss those issues with someone on the phone. Schedule a phone call with support through Verizon Support. Be ready to verify your identify and explain what your account issue is. Call 1-800-837-4966 if you want to discuss your account issue now.
Joe Schwartz
06/27/2017 at 7:54 am
Frequently we have found the router will not sync with the box connected to the house. In the past we have called up Verizon and they reset the box from their side, however, unplugging the main box and disconnecting it’s backup battery may also do the trick.
rita
01/30/2019 at 11:07 am
Over the past few years I have always had an internet issue with Verizon. It would drop for few seconds through out the day. I have tried to talk with Verizon and they literally told me (after running the texts on their part which always came back fine except for one time when I internet dropped right during the test) that they cannot send anyone because of the tests. They have advised me to keep on upgrading which I did yet no improvement. I end up upgrading to 150 during which the tech actually had to come into the house to do new wiring. Tech moved my router in the basement into the laundry room because they are not allowed to drill holes, but did notice that my main box was installed loose causing loose wire connection. Frustrating. Tech tightened stuff up and connection became better. However, no matter how much you upgrade none of their routers are capable to support high amount of devices. I end up wiring my house with access points which was a great decision. After a year of a smooth running the internet started to drop again. I did reset the router and no difference. I am pretty sure the main box, which does not even look like a normal Verizon box (some old looking beat up gray box), is loose again. But calling them is a waste of time unless you want to upgrade. While it is manageable for amazon movies and netflix, but hulu knocks you out the movie all together with a few second internet drop, so does PC gaming and virtual classroom assignments. Frustrating.
John Board
08/26/2019 at 1:13 am
I just read the above article. It’s quite helpful. I had some errors also. And after reading this I fixed it.