Yes—if multiple PCs drop at the exact same time, focusing on the “shared points” (router/AP, modem/ONT, coax/fiber line, power, and ISP neighborhood equipment) is the right way to approach it.
First: separate “Wi‑Fi dropped” vs “Internet dropped”
A lot of ISP tech visits end up inconclusive because these two get mixed together.
- When it happens, check if your devices are still connected to the Wi‑Fi network name (SSID) but show “No Internet,” versus the SSID disappearing / disconnecting entirely.
- If you can, test one device by Ethernet (direct cable) for a day or two. If Ethernet stays stable while Wi‑Fi drops, the ISP line may be fine and the Wi‑Fi layer is the problem.
Router-side checks that often reveal the cause
Even when an ISP says “router is fine,” the router logs and radio settings often tell the real story.
- Update router firmware (and confirm it actually applied). If the ISP manages it, ask them to confirm the current firmware version/build.
- Check the router “System Log” / “Wireless Log” around the time of a dropout for entries like reboot, WAN down/up, DFS channel change, or radio resets.
- Disable “Smart Connect” temporarily (if enabled) and split 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz into separate SSIDs for testing. Smart steering bugs can look like “Wi‑Fi shuts off.”
- If you use 5 GHz, avoid DFS channels during troubleshooting. DFS events (radar detection) can force the router to vacate a channel and briefly drop clients.
- For testing, set fixed channels:
- 2.4 GHz: channel 1, 6, or 11 (whichever is least congested)
- 5 GHz: a non-DFS channel (often 36–48 or 149–161, depending on region/router)
- Turn off “Eco/Power saving Wi‑Fi,” scheduled Wi‑Fi on/off, and any parental-control “bedtime” schedules, just to eliminate timing-based cutoffs.
Power and physical-layer issues (common and easily missed)
Short drops of “everything” can be caused by power blips or marginal signal levels.
- Make sure the router/modem/ONT power brick is firmly seated and not on a loose power strip. If possible, try a different outlet.
- If you have a separate modem + router, confirm which one is rebooting or losing link during an event (status lights are useful here).
- If it’s cable internet: ask the ISP to check for signal level fluctuations, SNR issues, and upstream power levels over time (not just a quick “looks OK now” snapshot).
About the smartphone service dropping too
That detail is important, but it can mean different things depending on what “smartphone service” is:
- If it’s Wi‑Fi Calling dropping: that’s consistent with your Wi‑Fi/Internet dropping.
- If it’s actual cellular (LTE/5G) dropping at the same time: that points more toward a local environmental/power issue or a wider area outage, not just your home router.
Since your landline (over the same provider) never fails, it suggests the phone service path is more stable than the broadband/Wi‑Fi path, which is common—voice can be provisioned/engineered differently than consumer internet.
Practical next step that forces a clear answer
Run a simple, continuous test for a few days and keep timestamps.
- From one PC on Ethernet (if possible) and one on Wi‑Fi, run a continuous ping to:
- Your router’s LAN IP (tests Wi‑Fi/LAN stability)
- The ISP gateway (tests your ISP link)
- A public DNS like 1.1.1.1 (tests upstream internet)
- When it drops, you’ll know exactly which hop failed, and you’ll have times you can hand to the ISP.
Security side note (since this is MalwareTips) survival race
Windows 7 is end-of-life and no longer receives security updates. Even though it’s not causing this connectivity issue by itself, it is a significant risk on a home network. If it must stay online, keep it very limited (standard user, no browsing/email, and ideally isolated/segmented if your gear supports it).
Bottom line: your reasoning is solid, but the fastest way to get the ISP to act (or to prove it’s Wi‑Fi/router-side) is router logs plus timestamped testing that shows whether the failure is LAN/Wi‑Fi, the ISP gateway, or upstream.
