If your Bell modem not connecting to internet, then you’ll definitely need to perform some troubleshooting to at least understand where the issue is coming from.
In this post, we’ll exclude possibilities one by one until you discover what has happened to your modem.
To resolve any connectivity issues with your modem you should restart the device first and thoroughly inspect the Ethernet connection. Then you can bypass your router to check if the connection to your modem is good and if not, perform a software reset.
To avoid the misconception of “no connection” and “slow internet” we recommend running a speed test online and determining what’s the case.
Why Is My Bell Modem Not Working?
Many factors could have impacted your Bell modem’s functionality. From faulty or loose cables to ISP issues and outages in your local area.
We will exclude the obvious possibilities for now and focus on issues that people often encounter when their modem won’t connect to the internet:
1. Temporary Glitch
Your modem might be having temporary glitches that only need a restart to resolve.
2. Bad Wiring
If there is a fault in the cables, it is possible that the internet connection reaching your Bell modem will be disrupted.
3. Problem with Internet Plan
If your subscription expired, or you’re trying to use unpaid services, it is possible that your modem won’t connect to the internet.
4. Missing DSL Signal
If there is no DSL signal on your line, then it means there might be an outage.
5. An Issue with the Modem
If there is an internal issue with the modem itself, it is possible that this is the reason it’s not able to connect to the internet.
Your problem is most likely to be one of these causes and next, you’ll learn how to tackle each possibility and hopefully resolve the problem as soon as possible.
How To Fix Bell Modem Not Connecting to Internet?
After providing you with a better insight into what’s going on with the causes above, let’s proceed with the best troubleshooting solutions on how to fix your Bell modem.
Solution #1 Hard Reset Your Bell Modem
Before proceeding, the essential thing you should do is reboot your modem, or better yet, perform the power cycle process.
This will circulate the electricity within your device, providing a cold boot and hopefully bringing the internet connectivity back.
Here is how to hard reset/power cycle your Bell modem:
- Turn OFF the device using the built-in power button.
- Once your device has powered off, unplug the power adapter.
- Wait for 5 minutes for the device to discharge.
- Plug the power adapter back into the source and test your modem.
Tip: Make sure to plug the modem directly into a wall outlet to avoid power problems with strips or dividers.
Solution #2 Try Different Ethernet Port
As you probably know, there are two Ethernet connections running in your configuration.
One to connect the modem and the router and the other Ethernet connection is coming out of your router to connect a third-party device directly with the network.
The third-party connection is usually optional, but here we will be looking at the Ethernet connection between your router and modem.
Try plugging the Ethernet cable into a different yellow port on your router to see if that will help.
Tip: Try ALL 4 yellow ports on your router as well as switching the cable ends.
Since many people have been asking “why is my Bell modem internet light red?”, the problem is either with the router or with the internet delivery. Let’s bypass the router and check on that.
Solution #3 Bypass Router
Plug your modem directly into a 3rd party Windows device to continue the troubleshooting.
Bypassing the router will exclude the possibility of an interrupted connection in between and provide you with a clear view of the situation.
Once connected, ensure the following:
- Check if the cable has visual hardware damage.
- Avoid twisting the cable or positioning it under pressure.
- Ensure the cable’s latch enters properly into both ports.
- Plug the cable tightly into both ends.
Note: Now when you’re not using the router, you can take the Ethernet cable connecting the router & PC as a replacement to test with it and eliminate one more possibility.
Solution #4 Run A Troubleshooting Check
This solution will only work for users with Ethernet connections reaching their PCs, so make sure to hook up your modem to a Windows PC just like in the previous solution.
If your modem fails to connect to the internet, then you should run an Ethernet troubleshooting check.
To run a troubleshooting check, follow these steps:
- On the desktop locate the Taskbar tray (bottom right).
- Click with the right mouse button on the inactive internet icon.
- Click on Troubleshoot Network Issues.
This should open up a prompt, which will automatically check for issues with your Ethernet connection. It will most likely tell you exactly what’s going wrong with your configuration and some troubleshooting steps as well.
If you see a message “No connection to the DNS server”, then the internet is currently down due to bad weather or ISP maintenance.
Solution #5 Software Reset Bell Modem
It is possible that your modem is experiencing IP conflicts or outdated cached data, so it’s recommended to perform a soft reset and exclude this possibility.
Follow the steps below to reset your modem:
- Locate the small hole (reset button) on the back of your modem.
- Reach inside with a pointy object and hold the reset button for 30 seconds.
- Make sure your modem is hooked up with your PC via Ethernet cable.
- Open any browser on your PC.
- Follow the on-screen steps to set up the modem.
Once set up, your modem should be able to finally connect. If not, let’s run a speed test.
Solution #6 Run A Speed Test
There is a huge misconception between “no connection” and “slow internet”.
In case your content does not load on any of your devices connected to your network, it might not be the modem’s fault, instead, your internet might be really slow.
Go to the CIRA Internet Performance Test, and check if your internet speed is lower than 10mb/s. If this is the case, you’ll need to relive your network so here are a few things you can try:
- Disconnect ALL devices from the WiFi (if any).
- Put away ANY electronic devices near your modem.
- Check for any current downloads/uploads and stop them.
- Disable ANY active VPN software.
- Perform a speed test again.
If the speed does NOT increase, then you’ll need to contact Bell customer service and report your problem.
With a little luck, it will turn out to be an issue from their side and hopefully be resolved soon.
Read Next: Why Does Bell Internet Keeps Dropping?
If your Bell modem isn’t connecting to the internet, first, power cycle the device and run an internet speed check. Once done, try different Ethernet slots, try different Ethernet cables and run a troubleshooting Ethernet check.
Bottom Line:
When your Bell modem not connecting to internet you can always come back to this post and solve the problem at home.
If however, our methods were not enough to resolve your issue, then Bell customer service should be able to assist with further troubleshooting.
If this post was helpful but you’re having other issues with your Bell equipment, feel free to check our blog to discover the solutions you’re looking for.
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.