Knowing how to troubleshoot Internet connection problems can ensure your home computer experiences the best possible connection. Sometimes, even if you follow your Internet connection provider's instructions to the letter, your connection just won't work. However, a few tricks can get you back on the information superhighway with a minimum of hassle.
Diagnose the problem. Your high-speed internet connection might not be ready for use, your hardware might not be properly connected, your ISP might be experiencing difficulties or you might need a new IP address if you use dynamic IP addresses. No matter the reason, however, Windows provides diagnostic tools to identify the Internet connection problem. Even if you cannot find the exact cause of your problem, you can at least narrow down the possibilities. Right-click on your network connection, and choose "Repair" from the dropdown. Windows will proceed to refresh your IP address.
Reboot. If getting a new IP address doesn't do the trick, maybe your whole network needs a fresh start. In many cases, powering down your computer, router and any other computers on your home network can get your whole network back in sync.
Check your IP information. If the reboot doesn't work, start digging deeper. Make sure that you have the proper IP setup for your network, which includes an IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and DNS servers. To check the IP address, check your IP configuration by going to the "Start" menu, highlighting "Run" and then "Command." Then type in "ipconfig/all" in the black box that appears.
This test will also tell you if you have the correct subnet mask and whether your default gateway is correct. Your default gateway should generally be your IP router address. Finally, check for the correct DNS servers. Sometimes this will be your router's IP address. Sometimes this will be the DNS used by your ISP. If you do not have an IP address assigned, check for a defective cable, network card or router port.
Ping your router. If this test does not resolve your problem, you can run a basic PING test. Using the same command prompt as the "ipconfig" test, ping the router's IP address. If you get a reply, your router connection is working, and the problem exists somewhere between your computer and the router. If not, check your components again. Then try pinging the external IP address or an external site by name. If you get no response and everything else seems to be fine, then the problem might be your ISP.
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