When the power goes out — whether it’s severe weather, a transformer malfunction or even a wayward squirrel — your internet-connected devices can be out of business for the outage duration.How much trouble it causes you depends on how much of your life is tied to the internet and online services.If you work from home, are a heavy streamer or gamer or have smart-home and home security gadgets, a power outage can do more than leave you in the dark—it can affect your work, entertainment and even safety. Here’s what you need to know to keep your internet connection running before, during and after a power outage: How to get internet during a blackout Common electrical issues that can affect your internet connection How to prepare for a power outage How to prepare for an extended power outage What if my internet service itself fails? How can I tell if the outage is in my house or provider-wide? Weather-proofing your Wi-Fi Power outage FAQs How to get internet during a blackout You can prepare for outages if they are a frequent occurrence in your area: How can I fix a short-term power outage? Invest in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) — This is a battery backup that can keep your devices online for a short period of time when a power outage occurs and protect against power surges that could damage your devices.
Use a mobile hotspot – A mobile hotspot tethers your devices to your phone to provide internet connectivity. Move to an area with power – Head to a café or library and use public Wi-Fi if you need to stay online during a power outage. Portable power bank – If you have a portable power bank, you can use this to charge your phone or other devices during a power outage.Always keep this charged up in preparation for a power outage.Use a portable hotspot device – Unlike a cellular hotspot that you tether to your devices over a cellular connection, a portable hotspot is like a mini router—a physical device that can provide connectivity in a pinch. Enable low-power mode on your devices – This can help conserve your battery during a power outage Use a generator – A fuel-powered generator can keep your power on indefinitely, barring any fuel shortages. How to set up a portable hotspot Step 1: Go to your phone’s settings application.
Choose the personal hotspot tab, and turn on your hotspot.If this isn’t an option, you likely don’t have a mobile plan with a hotspot and will need to upgrade your plan in order to use this feature. Step 2: Open your device’s list of Wi-Fi options and pick your phone.You may be prompted to enter a password, which you will find under the “Personal hotspot” tab in your phone’s settings.
Step 3: If you’ve entered the information correctly and activated the device, your computer should connect.How to set up a phone hotspot Step 1: Under your phone’s settings tab, turn on Hotspot.Step 2: Open your device’s list of Wi-Fi options and pick your phone.
Common electrical issues that can affect your internet connection Voltage fluctuations – Sudden surges of power can cause your router to reboot, resulting in temporary internet loss Brownouts – A drop in voltage can weaken the power supply to your modem, router or gateway, affecting performance and your internet connection.It can cause slow speeds, buffering, dropped calls and more Circuit overload – If you have high-powered appliances like an AC unit, heater or a microwave on the same circuit as your internet equipment, it can prevent your router from getting a steady electrical current and result in slow internet speeds, dropped connections and even device damage Poor electrical grounding – Grounding, which directs excess electricity into the ground via a buried wire, protects people and equipment from damage.Poor grounding can cause power fluctuations, electrical noise interference and other issues that result in slow internet speeds, connection drops, pixelated video and gaming lag Old or faulty wiring and outlets – Old or damaged wiring can cause power surges, which damage devices, while older outlets may have difficulty holding your equipment’s plugs Extreme heat: High temperatures can cause routers and computers to overheat, leading to slow internet — move your router to a cooler spot as your first line of defense.
Wildfires can also disrupt power and internet access, so sign up for outage alerts, follow local news and have an emergency preparedness plan in place ahead of time How to prepare for a power outage When the lights go out, it’s not the time to consider your options.Instead: Have on hand and charged, ready the outboard batteries for your smartphone to restore your battery if needed Have your laptop charged, and if you absolutely must have it working, invest in — and keep charged — extra batteries for it as well Consider purchasing a UPS if your work is critical Consider buying a mobile broadband device or use cellular data as a backup connection when it’s available Think about buying a home generator to restore power If you live in a high-hurricane or other natural disaster area, Mission Telecom has developed an emergency broadband kit that can keep communities and homes online during natural disasters. Back up essential files so you can access them offline and download offline maps of your area for navigation Write down important phone numbers, banking details, medical records, and insurance information What if my internet service itself fails? If the cause of the internet outage is not a lack of power but damage to the internet provider’s cable or fiber lines, then your situation is a bit different than a simple power outage.Whether its from weather or just a light ISP outage, here are some steps you can take if your ISP’s infrastructure fails: Contact your ISP – First things first, check with your internet provider to check your service status Use an alternative connection – Mobile hotspots, either a physical device or through your phone, will keep you connected if your ISP is down Back up your important info – Back up your passwords, ISP account info and other critical personal information offline so you always have access How can I tell if the outage is in my house or provider-wide? When the internet goes out, the first question often asked is, “Is the entire neighborhood down or just my house?” There are some great resources to figure out which: Best internet outage maps Explore some of the best internet outage maps that provide a visualization of outages as well as information to help you understand their impact.
The third-party outage maps below provide a general overview of active outages in your area, but it’s best to contact your provider directly for localized information. Best internet provider outage maps Third-party internet outage maps like the ones we mentioned above are useful and often provide tons of extra resources, but provider outage maps can give you specific information directly affecting your location and your internet provider’s service footprint.You can enter your service address to view specific, localized outage information.Because internet reliability is a big pain point for many customers, many ISPs provide bill credits for extended outages.
Contact your provider’s customer support team if you experience a long internet disruption to inquire about options.ProviderNetwork status maps & infoCustomer support XfinityXfinity outage map(800) 934-6489 AT&TAT&T outage map(800) 288-2020 SpectrumSpectrum outage map(833) 949-0036 VerizonVerizon outage map(800) 837-4966 T-MobileT-Mobile outage info(844) 275-9310 FrontierFrontier outage map(855) 981-4544 CenturyLinkCenturyLink outage map(800) 244-1111 Quantum FiberQuantum Fiber outage map(833) 250-6306 StarlinkStarlink outage infoContact via Starlink app Weather-proofing your Wi-Fi Weather conditions like extreme heat, wildfires and more can affect your power and your internet connection.Here’s how you can prep for heat-related weather conditions that could affect your connectivity: Turn off any unnecessary appliances Unplug power strips Use power hungry devices in the late evening A few providers offer a backup internet option for short-term storm-related outages, but most of them require you to be in range of a cell tower: • Xfinity: Xfinity Pro backs up your Wi-Fi by connecting to a backup cellular network in the event of an outage.
It functions like a Wi-Fi extender when your internet is up and running, but automatically connects to the cellular network if your gateway goes offline • T-Mobile: If you live in a T-Mobile 5G home internet serviceable area, you can get a backup plan for $20.00/mo.from T-Mobile in case your main internet provider goes down.The plan includes 100 hours of 5G data, with no equipment fees or contracts.
• AT&T: For AT&T fiber customers, the Internet Backup plan connects your Wi-Fi gateway to an AT&T wireless device to cover you in case of a fiber outage.Prices and availability vary depending on your plan choice.Mission Telecom’s solution for emergency internet Mission Telecom’s emergency broadband kit keeps communities and individuals safe, connected and supported in lieu of connectivity disrupted by a natural disaster.
The RESPOND Kit provides reliable broadband to ensure that first responders, aid groups and federal, state and local agencies can coordinate their efforts during natural disasters to deliver life-saving resources and services. Visit Mission Telecom’s website for more information on how to keep your community prepared. Info to know: How internet types fare in weather conditions Satellite: Heavy thunderstorms or snowstorms with thick cloud cover can cause your dish to temporarily lose a signal, but it will usually reconnect on its own once the skies clear. Cable: Extreme cold can snap or damage ground lines, leading to a loss of your connection that would require outside repair work.Fiber: Rarely affected by weather, a fiber line can also suffer breakage in very severe cold weather.DSL: Extreme cold can snap DSL’s copper cables, and heavy moisture can seep into aging lines Fixed wireless/5G: Heavy or snow storms and interfere with radio frequencies, causing slowed speeds or dropped connections Additional resources for emergency preparedness American Red Cross – Heat: Tips on how to stay safe and treat heat-related illnesses.
Ready for Wildfire – Learn how to create defensible space on your property.U.S.Fire Administration: Find fire safety information for the public, at-risk populations, fire safety professionals, volunteers and the media.
Make a Plan: Learn how to develop a family disaster plan.Ready.gov: Get the emergency preparedness guidance from the U.S.Department of Homeland Security.
National Weather Service – Heat Safety Tips and Resources: Be alerted to health dangers and heat warnings.Power outage FAQs Do you lose Wi-Fi when the power goes out? Yes, when the power is off, your Wi-Fi service will go out.That’s because it relies on hard-wired equipment like routers and gateways.
Can I use a modem and router without power? You can only keep your modem and router running in a power outage if they are connected to a battery back up or if you have a home generator.Will my hotspot work if cell towers lose power? No, if cell towers near you lose power, your hotspot will not work since they depend on the tower to provide you with a connection.Is satellite internet immune to all power outages? While the satellites in space don’t lose functionality, your internet equipment that delivers your internet connection, your satellite dish, modem and router, require electricity.
What should I do if I work from home and experience frequent outages? If you experience frequent power outages, it’s wise to prepare by investing in some equipment, like a UPS, a portable Wi-Fi hotspot and a mobile power bank to keep your devices charged.How long can a home UPS power my devices? Depending on your UPS battery capacity, it can power your devices for anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours. What to read next Read more Featured Heat waves and wildfires: How to prepare for internet outages Robin Layton — 6 min read Featured Does your internet or TV provider owe you money for their service outages? Robin Layton — 4 min read Featured It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…12,000 satellites David Anders — 5 min read Latest Thursday, October 1, 2026 The internet speeds Americans actually choose Lisa Iscrupe — 4 min read Thursday, October 1, 2026 How to get internet without electricity in 2026 Camryn Smith — 8 min read Thursday, October 1, 2026 Is public Wi-Fi safe? No, but it is necessary Camryn Smith — 5 min read
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