Is CenturyLink Down... Or Is It Just You?

How to Tell If CenturyLink Is Down

Wondering if others are experiencing the same problems you are? Perform these quick checks to see if you have company.

1. Search Twitter for #CenturyLinkdown or for #CenturyLinkOutage. Check tweet timestamps to see if other people are experiencing similar problems with CenturyLink.

2. Use a third-party "status checker" website like Downdetector, Downhunter, or Outage.Report. These sites offer reliable information about outages reported by customers. They also provide coverage maps and other details to show you exactly where problems are occurring.

What to Do When You Can't Get Connected to CenturyLink

No luck in finding others who share your woes? That's your clue that the problem is most likely on your end. These troubleshooting tips can help you uncover what's going on.

1. Log in and check your CenturyLink account status. Confirm your account is up-to-date; services can be blocked if the bill isn't paid.

2. No matter which service is giving you grief, be sure you haven't overlooked anything obvious, such as:

   • Are all wires and cables properly plugged in between devices?
   • Is anything blocking internet signals?
   • Is your Wi-Fi connection working properly?
   • Is the internet modem displaying any error messages?
   • Is your home or neighborhood electrical service working?

3. Check for potential internet connection problems on your side.

4. If you're having issues with your television connection, check for:

   • Sloppy connections. Indicator lights will tell you if a cable box is properly plugged in and functioning.
   • Battery issues in your remote control. Manually turn on your TV and cable box, then use the remote to turn it off. If it doesn't work, replace the batteries and try again.
   • Input issues. If you've recently used the TV to play a DVD or get some gaming in, you might just need to change the Input back to TV.
   • A poor HDMI connection.

5. Check the cable modem if your TV connection still isn't working. With a cable modem, the problem could lie in the phone connected to it. If all the other phones in the house are working except the one connected to your cable modem, try unplugging the problem phone's power cord and plugging it back in. Then:

   • Confirm other electrical devices aren't creating problems with the modem: Is it located too close to computers, monitors, appliances or other electrical devices?
   • Try rebooting your modem.
   • Try rebooting your cable box. 

6. If you've tried all these things and your service still isn't working properly, contact CenturyLink customer service. You can also try getting their attention on Twitter or messaging them on Facebook.