There are several things that can play a factor in speeds and connectivity. Tower congestion, tower maintenance, to many devices connected etc. are just a few of those things that can cause a disruption in service. Unfortunately, some of these are things that Miles Out Internet can not control. However, if you experience loss of internet connection or extremely slow speeds for more than 24 hours and after completion of the following steps, please reach out to us so we can eliminate everything on our side and help determine what the issue might be.
**IMPORTANT**
Please do NOT hold in the RESET button on the back of the modem. This will erase the settings in the modem and will not allow the unit to connect to the internet. A technician would then have to walk you through adding these settings back in.
Connectivity
In the event that you lose your connection to the internet or experience slower than normal speeds, the first thing you should do is reboot the unit. A simple reboot will typically resolve most connectivity/speed issues. Keep in mind these units run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We recommend rebooting the unit once per week.
To reboot the unit:
1. Disconnect the cord from the port labeled “Power” on the back of the unit. (You can also unplug from the outlet instead.)
2. It will need to stay powered off for a minimum of 5 minutes. It takes several minutes for the internal components inside the modem to reset.
3. Reconnect the Power cord to the modem/outlet.
4. Wait 8-10 minutes to check for restored connection.
5. When the LED light on the far right of the front panel turns green, the internet connection has been restored. If the LED light on the far right remains red, contact support for assistance.
Front Panel LED Lights
Testing Speeds
As long as your modem is connected to the internet, you can check your internet speed by two different methods. Please note that devices using the internet during testing will impact the speeds, such as TVs streaming, files downloading, etc.
Through A Hardwired Connection
The first method is through a hardwired connection to the modem. You will need a computer/laptop and a network/ethernet cable for this method. This method bypasses the WiFi and will get speeds directly from the modem.
1. On the back of the modem, connect a network/ethernet cable to one of the ports labeled “Gigabit Ethernet 1, 2, or 3”.
2. Connect the other end of the cable to the network port on a computer/laptop.
3. Go to the following site: https://www.speedtest.net/
4. Once you get to the site, click “Go” and wait for the test to complete.
5. When the test completes, it will give you the results of your download speed and upload speed.
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Through The WiFi
The second method is through the WiFi. You will need a mobile phone, tablet or computer connected to your Wifi for this method.
1. Verify the device you will be testing from is connected to the modem’s WiFi.
2. Go to the following site: https://www.speedtest.net/.
If you are using an Apple Device, you can also download the APP “Speedtest by Ookla” in the APP Store. If you are using an android device, you can down load the APP in the Google Play Store.
3. Once you get to the site, click “Go” and wait for the test to complete.
4. When the test completes, it will give you the results of your download speed and upload speed.
WiFi Issues
If you experience a lag in speed on the devices connected to the unit but are getting good speeds via the speed test, please make sure the device is in range of the wifi. Just a reminder, the built-in wifi covers around 1,000 square feet (in a circle) around the unit. Since the unit needs to be placed in/as close to a window as possible, this will shrink the coverage area.
These units will only support a limited number of devices connected to them. If you are needing to connect more than 10-15 devices to this unit, we do recommend purchasing extenders. Connecting more than the allotted amount of devices to the unit will result in slower speeds to the devices and possible loss of connection.
WiFi Extenders
If the built-in wifi isn’t strong enough to support your connected devices and you purchase extenders, please contact us prior to connecting them to the modem, as there are changes inside the modem that will need to be made for the extenders to work properly.
If you have questions about purchasing extenders or connecting extenders, please contact the office. Just like all electronics, there are good brands and not so good brands. These devices will have a large impact on the speed your devices receive.
We have extenders available for purchase, but if you wish to purchase your own, we cannot provide support for those devices.
If you already have extenders connected and are experiencing a lag in speed, a reboot of the extenders may be needed along with a reboot of the modem. If the speeds are still lagging after rebooting both units, please contact the office so we can make sure the settings in the modem are set for the extenders.