Internet Outages in Iowa City, Iowa

Is it your provider or your home network?

1. Restart the modem, then the router. Unplug both for 30 seconds, power the modem first and wait for its lights to settle.
2. Test with a cable. If a wired laptop works, the Wi-Fi router is the problem.
3. Check the modem lights. A blinking or off online light after a restart points to a line or provider problem.
4. Check CenturyLink or Mediacom in its app over mobile data for a local outage notice.
5. Ask a neighbor on the same provider. If they are down too, report it and add a report here.

How to check each provider for an outage in Iowa City

When the power goes out in Iowa City

Cable nodes and fiber cabinets on poles in Iowa City draw their power from MidAmerican Energy. Most carry batteries that last a few hours, so a short power cut may not touch your internet, but a long one can take service down even for homes that still have electricity. Check power outage reports for Iowa City when the internet and the lights go out together.

At home, a fiber terminal, cable modem and router all need wall power. A small battery backup (UPS) on the modem and router keeps you online through short power cuts, as long as the network outside still has power. In Iowa, derechos and severe thunderstorms, and winter blizzards and ice are the usual reasons power and internet fail at the same time.

Major internet outage today, or just Iowa City?

• Only some apps or sites fail while others load: the problem is that service, not your provider. Large cloud or app outages look like "the internet is down" but hit every provider at once.
• Nothing loads at home but mobile data works: the problem is your home connection or CenturyLink or Mediacom. Run the checks above.
• Neighbors on the same provider are down too: it is a local outage in Iowa City. Report it to the provider and add a report here.
• Mobile data is struggling as well: the cause is wider, such as a power outage, a cut fiber line serving several networks, or a mobile network problem.

The countrywide total, and which states are reporting, is on internet outages in the United States. This page only covers Iowa City.

Slow internet today or an outage?

Slow is not the same as down. Run a speed test on a device plugged into the router. If wired speeds are close to your plan, the slowdown is Wi-Fi: distance, walls, or too many devices. If wired speeds are far below your plan at every hour, contact your provider; if they drop only in the evening, the local network is congested at peak time.

Common causes, how fiber, cable, 5G and DSL behave during outages, and how to stay online during one are covered in our internet outage guide.

Frequently asked questions