Like all other broadband providers, Virgin Media has its fair share of issues and downtime. Indeed, during lockdown, the extra strain put on its network have resulted in localised and even nation outages.

But many of the problems you might face with your own Virgin Media broadband connection are simpler to explain and fix.

Here we look at some of the most common faults and reasons why your broadband might not be working.

Is the Virgin Media broadband router working?

The first thing you should do when your internet isn't working is check the router. Whether you have a Virgin Media Superhub or standard Hub, rebooting the router is always advised to first find out whether it is the internet Wi-Fi connection that's faulty, or the external internet connection itself.

Regardless of which router you use, there should be a power button on the rear. Turn the router off and wait 10 seconds before switching it back on again.

The router will go through the booting up process, which could take a few minutes. If internet does not resume, the problem might be more widespread.

Do you use Google Nest WiFi or another mesh network?

Some Virgin Media (and other broadband) customers only use their Virgin Media router as a modem, with a Google Nest Wifi or another mesh network system providing home connectivity.

A mesh system effectively extends a home Wi-Fi network to enable wireless connectivity in rooms and zones where the VM router doesn't normally stretch. You can read all about mesh networks here.

One reason we ask whether you have added a mesh network solution to your setup is that it could be those devices at fault rather than the Virgin Media connection.

A system reboot of your mesh network could help - it is worth trying for sure. You will need to refer to the individual manufacturer's guidelines to find out how, but most are capable of a restart through their respective dedicated apps. Alternatively, you can unplug them from the wall/USB port, wait 10 seconds, then plug them in again.

Test your home Wi-Fi using the Virgin Media app

One way to test whether it is your own home Wi-Fi that's at fault is to use the Virgin Media Connect app.

It can test Wi-Fi performance, scan for weaker signal spots or contact customer services directly if there is an issue.

You can Find the iOS version here, and the Android version here.

Is the Virgin Media internet service down completely?

One of the other common reasons for a lack of internet connection is that the service itself is down in your area. It is less common for it to be a national outage, but not unheard of.

There are a number of ways to find out if there is an outage that affects you.

Check Twitter

Twitter is a good place to start, with the @virginmedia account often posting updates on issues and progress.

Check outage websites

Alternatively, you can check on reported broadband issues through an outage website, such as istheservicedown.co.uk. These will give you an idea of the current status of all services, not just Virgin Media's, so handy to check if you are suffering mobile issues too.

Check Virgin Media Service Status website

Finally, Virgin Media itself has a service status update site that you can visit to see if your particular line is affected. Head to the dedicated Service Status webpage here: my.virginmedia.com/faults/service-status.

Sign in with your Virgin Media account details and you can run tests on your system. You can also use the service to book an engineer if the problem turns out to be with your system locally.

Contact Virgin Media

The final option is, of course, to contact Virgin Media's customer services.

This can be done by phone; just call 150 if you have a Virgin Media phone line or mobile account, or 0345 454 1111 from another line - although you will have to pay call charges on the latter.

The customer service department is open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm on Saturdays, 8am to 6pm Sundays.

You can also message the customer service from a link on this page. A chat box will pop up.