How to reboot your modem

Rebooting your modem is the first thing to try when something's going wrong with your internet connection. It is often the simplest way to improve slow or spotty connections and resolve wireless issues.

It's important to always reboot your modem after an outage.

Anyone can reboot manually, and many customers can also use the app.

Note: "Reboot" simply means to restart, or turn a device off and then back on. Some also call this "power cycle."

It's important to note that all devices connected to your modem (or your modem’s wireless network) will lose their internet connection while the modem reboots. If your devices are configured to remember that wireless (WiFi) connection, they will automatically reconnect when the modem has fully restarted. Otherwise, you will need to use device settings to reconnect to WiFi after rebooting.

How to reboot manually

To reboot your modem manually, follow these steps:

Unplug the power cord from the back of the modem. Make sure you have unplugged the correct cord by checking that all the lights on the modem go OFF.
Wait for 1 minute. Be patient and wait the full minute for the best results.
Plug the power cord back in and wait for the power light and internet light to turn green (or the single LED if you have a C4000 model).
You should now be able to get online.

box-style modem showing green connection lights

Green light ring on the C4000 modem shows internet connection

Green power, DSL and internet lights on a tower or box-style modem shows internet connection

How to use the My CenturyLink app to reboot

For some modems, you can reboot from the CenturyLink mobile app. If this option hasn't been added for your modem yet, it's coming soon!

Download the My CenturyLink app

Once you log in, select My Products at the bottom of the screen. If you have internet service, you'll see a menu of options for internet. Tap on Reboot My Modem. Then, continue following the steps below.

Tap on the Reboot Now button. You can also choose to schedule a reboot for a later time (time zone based on modem's location).

Wait while the app sends the command to reboot your modem.

The reboot is now in progress. Click "OK" on the message dialogue to return to the Reboot My Modem screen.

You'll need to wait for a few minutes while the reboot completes. If you are near your modem, you'll see the lights go off, and then start lighting up again as it boots up. Once the INTERNET light turns green, you know you're back online.

Another way to know when the reboot is done is to watch your phone’s WiFi connection. You will lose your WiFi connection when the modem shuts down. Then, once it boots back up and starts sending out the wireless signal again, your phone will either auto-connect OR you'll be able to see your WiFi network show up in the list of available networks.

Modem still not working after rebooting?

You may want to try a full modem reset, which returns the modem to its original (factory default) settings.
Or you can check for firmware updates, as outdated firmware can also cause performance issues.