What do I do if my internet connection is running incredibly slow or just completely not working?
In the event of an area-wide internet disruption, SnowCloud Services will share outage notifications & updates on Facebook, Twitter and via direct email. Although we have significantly invested in battery back-ups & redundancy systems, outages do occur that are beyond our control. If you have not been notified of a disruption from SnowCloud Services via the platforms mentioned above (or linked at the bottom of this page), please try the following steps to restore your service.
To note, a router is required for our internet service. Connecting directly to the modem/radio with a device (laptop, desktop, gaming console, phone system, etc.) without a router will not allow an internet connection to occur. If you are looking at installing a new wireless router, please contact us at 907-789-0048 before purchase to confirm the hardware is compatible with our service. Upon confirming compatibility, we can help you establish the connection when you are ready to begin the flow and get back online.
1) Check the Status of the Wireless Router and Modem/Radio:
1.1) Power-Cycling the Router:
The wireless router, a device with usually two or more antennae, can be power-cycled by unplugging the power cable from the back of the unit for ~10 seconds and then reconnected. Typically, the power cable is a small, round and black male-ended cable. On a few select routers, the power is supplied via POE injector (see image below in section 1.2). To power-cycle these router models, simply unplug the ethernet cable that’s connected the POE port on the injector brick, wait ~10 seconds, and then plug the cable back in. Once this is completed, it usually takes a few minutes for the router to power-up and regain functionality. When the router is ready, your devices will automatically reconnect to your internet if you have chosen an ‘Auto Reconnect’ option on your devices when first connecting to your Wi-Fi.
1.2) Power-Cycling the Modem/Radio:
The modem or radio can be found by tracing connected cables to and from the POE injector. The radio is usually installed as a dish-like antenna on the outside of the building. Customers in Multiple Dwelling Units (apartments, condos, etc.) may have a separate modem connected in-line with the main wireless router on the inside of the apartment. Here’s a visual example of a POE injector and its respective cable paths:
POE is short for Power Over Ethernet. This type of connection enables a single cable to power the outside radio antenna and transfer internet flow from the antenna to the wireless router inside. To power-cycle the modem/radio, just unplug the power to the POE injector for ~10 seconds or until the power indication light is out. After that, reconnect the power and allow two minutes for the radio/modem to power up and re-establish connection to our service.
1.3) Check for an active light on the POE Injector.
Absence of an active light on the POE injector may indicate a faulty unit that will need to be replaced or it could mean the unit is not receiving enough power from the initial source to function properly. If there is no light, please contact Tech Support at 907-789-0048 for further troubleshooting assistance.
1.4) Ensure required cables are properly connected.
Occasionally, cables can become loose or unplugged, sometimes damaged from various physical factors in rare circumstances. If cables are found to be simply unplugged, just plug them back into their designated ports and see if your regular service resumes after a few minutes. However, if any part of the cable appears damaged, contact Tech Support before reconnecting the cable to prevent potential damage to your hardware units. After all cables are determined to be in proper shape, begin by ensuring a cable connection between the radio outside and the POE, sometimes labeled Power, cable port. After connection to the radio has been established, connect an ethernet cable from the LAN port on the injector brick into the WAN, or ethernet, port on the backside of the wireless router. This port is almost always highly distinguishable, generally marked with a contrasting color to the other ports on the unit.
1.5) Flashing POE injector power indication light.
A blinking light on the POE injector indicates some form of an electrical short or water damage to the injector unit or radio dish outside. Please contact Tech Support at 907-789-0048 to schedule a repair or replacement.
2) Check the Wi-Fi Name and Password
Check the Wi-Fi network name, also known as an SSID (Service Set Identifier), and password of the network connection. If your devices auto reconnected to the network in the past, but no longer attempts to, the router may have reset to factory defaults and will need to be configured again. If you need any assistance with this, please give us a call at 907-789-0048.
3) Check your Billing Status
If the earlier steps did not fix your connection trouble, you might be delinquent on your payment. If you see a red circle with a line through the center and a “Restricted” message onscreen, please log onto your Customer Portal to make a payment on your account’s bill. If you are caught up on billing and the service is still out, give us a call at 907-789-0048
Outage Notification Resources