After the Outage: Safely Restarting Your Tech, Clocks, and Wi-Fi
Last verified: August 2026
When the power comes back, a rush of everything turning on at once can leave your Wi-Fi down and clocks blinking. Here's the calm, correct order to bring things back.
Bringing Things Back Safely
When power is restored it can come back with a surge or a few flickers before it steadies. A little patience and the right order prevent most of the headaches — the top one being internet that won't reconnect until the modem and router are properly restarted.
Sensitive electronics benefit from being brought back deliberately rather than all slamming on at once. And a handful of small things — clocks, thermostats, garage openers — often need a quick reset.
Work through the steps below and you'll be back to normal without a service call. If something won't come back to life, that's exactly the kind of thing I can sort out.
When to skip the DIY and just call: Your internet won't come back after the outage · A computer or TV won't power on · You'd rather someone check everything over and reset it properly.
Common Questions
1 What should I do the moment power returns?
- Give it a minute or two to make sure it's steady and not flickering.
- If you unplugged sensitive gear before the outage, wait until the power is stable, then plug it back in.
- Check that the furnace/AC and fridge came back on.
- Then restart your internet gear (next step).
2 How do I get my Wi-Fi and internet back?
- Unplug the modem AND the router for 30 seconds.
- Plug in the modem first and wait until its lights are steady (a minute or two).
- Then plug in the router and wait for it to come fully back.
- Now check a device — internet should be back. If not, repeat the full power-cycle once.
3 Why are my clocks and devices blinking or wrong?
- Microwave, oven, and alarm-clock times often reset — set them again.
- Most phones, computers, and smart devices fix the time automatically once online.
- Recheck your thermostat's schedule and any timers for lights or sprinklers.
4 My computer or TV won't turn on — now what?
- Check it's still plugged in and the outlet has power (test with a lamp).
- If it's on a power strip or UPS, make sure that didn't trip — reset its switch.
- Unplug it for a minute, then plug back in and try again.
- If it's still dead, stop and have it checked — a surge may have affected it.
5 How do I protect against the next surge?
- Put computers, TVs, and networking gear on good surge protectors (replace ones more than a few years old).
- A UPS on the computer and router adds surge protection plus ride-through for flickers.
- Recharge your power station and power banks now, so you're ready for the next one.
- Jot down anything that misbehaved so it can be checked.
Want a Real Person?
Sometimes the fix takes five minutes — and sometimes you'd rather just have someone come fix it. Either way, I'm a call away. Flat $99 first visit, 30-day follow-up included. No surprises.
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No sign-up, no email, no catch — it's free the way it looks free. Print it, save it, or share it with family. And if you'd rather hand the job off, Bill's two choices are right above: a $99 flat in-home visit or $49 remote help, often same day.