When the internet stops, video calls, telehealth, and email stop with it. The fix is usually physical and slow: power, cables, and the correct network. A web page that says your Wi-Fi is hacked and shows a phone number is a different problem. Treat that page as a fake warning, not as a repair bill.
RingMyTech can walk through these checks by phone with older adults and families across the United States. Have the device plugged in, and have the person who knows the Wi-Fi password nearby. We do not need the password read aloud if they can type it.
Check the simple things first
Look at the router. If the lights are off, check that it is plugged into power and that a switch on a power strip is on. If other people in the house also have no internet, the problem is the router or the internet service, not one phone.
On the phone or computer, open the Wi-Fi list and confirm the household network is selected. Guest networks and neighbor networks often sit next to the real name. If the device says it is connected but pages will not load, try one other device before you change settings.
Restart the router once
Unplug the router's power cord, wait a full minute, and plug it back in. Wait until the lights settle. This takes longer than people expect. Do not press a small reset pinhole unless your internet company told you to. That button can erase the network name and password.
If the internet returns, reconnect the phone and the computer to the usual network. If it does not return, call the internet company using a number from the bill, not from a search ad. A cell phone can make that call even when Wi-Fi is down.
When one device is the problem
If every other device works, forget the network on the stuck device and join it again. The password is the one on the router card or in the household notebook, not a password a pop-up asks you to invent. Menu names for forgetting a network vary by phone. If you cannot find the control, stop and ask.
A printer that suddenly cannot print is often on a different Wi-Fi network than the computer. The technology help guide covers the printer check. Do not install a driver from an advertisement.
What not to pay for
A stranger who calls to say they noticed your Wi-Fi is unsafe is not your internet company. Do not give them remote access. Do not buy a gift card to restore service. Membership with RingMyTech, if you want ongoing help, is chosen on the membership page and paid through checkout.
Need help with this?
If the screen in front of you does not match these steps, stop and call. Menu names change by phone model and software version.