It can be scary to think about how much we rely on the Internet these days. We use it to connect with our friends and family, we use it for entertainment, and we have also increasingly started to use it to work remotely. And while overdependence on something, in this case, the Internet, is never a good thing, there isn’t much we can do about it currently. So when something goes wrong with the Internet connection at our home we feel stranded, even especially more so if our financial situation depends on it. Fortunately, most common connection problems can be fixed easily in no time. Here’s a step by step guide to troubleshooting your Internet connection.
Make 100% sure what is the problem
If you suddenly can’t access the Internet on your device, you would most probably first blame your Internet service provider. Before you make the call to their support staff, however, try and pinpoint the source of the problem.
Try accessing different websites to see if maybe only one of them is problematic. If none work, check if you can connect to the Internet using different machines. If so, then the problem lies with your particular device, not the Internet connection itself. Simply resetting your device can often solve the issue.
Check your modem/router
Sometimes the problem is caused by faulty modem or router devices that are responsible for connecting your device to the Internet provided by your ISP. If you have both devices (you can function with just a modem although this is rather rare), take a look at them to see if they are powered on. This is most often indicated with a LED blinking light on the case of the device. If the light isn’t on, this means that the device isn’t getting any power. Check to see if they are properly plugged in and the switch is on.
Another common method of ‘fixing’ your modem and router is resetting them. Simply turn off the device using the power switch (if you don’t have one, unplug the power cord), wait two minutes, and turn it back on.
If you often find yourself having to reset your devices, you might want to invest in better quality machines than what your ISP has given you. A dsl modem you are currently leasing is often not the best device out there. Check with your ISP to see if you can use your modem instead of theirs. You can look up reviews at NobleRate.com to check out the best models of Internet modems and routers.
Check the Wi-Fi settings
If you can, log into your Wi-Fi settings to see if there are any visible problems. You can check what devices are currently connected to your Wi-Fi (maybe your neighbor has somehow cracked your Wi-Fi password?) and how much bandwidth has been used. If the amount seems suspiciously large, this can indicate that someone has used up your bandwidth by using Internet-heavy services or downloading large files. You will also often find an option to update your firmware.
This is largely everything that a not Internet-savvy user can do to fix their Internet connection. If you are still having problems, you should contact your ISP.
