Connection problems

Here's a list of steps to get a computer back online:

If you are using wired broadband...

• Check that the internet connection is actually connected fully in to the back your computer. Broadband connections is either a RJ45 ethernet network cable or a USB cable. If you have an ethernet cable, then you should see a flashing light where the cable is plugged in indicating that its connected and receiving data.
• Check that the modem is correctly connected. Your modem should have your phone line connected to this, and another cable going from the modem to the computer. Check that the modem is switched on. Most modems have lights which indicate if its working correctly.
• If you have a BT home hub, make sure the 'broadband' light is blue, as this indicates that your modem has successfully made a connection to the internet. If this is off, then BT will ask you to try connecting the Home Hub directly in to the main phone socket. If that still doesnt work, then is most likely broadband is not comming down your phone line.

If you are using wireless broadband...

• If your wireless broadband was previously working, and keeps playing up; the most common problem is that your computer or laptop is too far away from the modem. You can check this, by clicking the network icon in the bottom right of your screen, it will tell you 'signal strength'. If you signal is low then, If possible, try moving your modem or your laptop to a better position.
• If your wireless connection, says its 'connected' but you cant get any web pages up, then the most likely problem is that you have a problem with the passkey. If you are not familiar with this, its advised you get someone to fix this for you. The pass key can normally be found written on the modem or in the installation instructions that came with it.
• You maybe getting interference from some other electrical equipment. CB radio etc..
• If your modem is over a year old, you may need to update the firmware in the modem. You will need to login to your modem to do this.

Wired or Wireless broadband...

• Trying clearly your browser cache. Tools > options > Delete cache
• Sometimes, the modem has problems sending and receiving data down your phone line because of a faulty phone extension or faulty phone in the house. Try disconnecting all your phones except for the modem to see if this works.
• If everything is connected, then it maybe the issue is with the computer itself. First thing to try is to delete your internet temporary files. Any computer that uses the internet builds up lots of files. Everytime you open a web page, all its content and images are actually put in to files as they are displayed on your screen. How to delete these files are slightly different depending on what type of computer you have and what kind of software you are using. In most cases you should open a web page, and click on 'tools' then 'options' on the top menu.
• Check your proxy settings. In most cases, especially home computers, dont need proxy settings. Setting a proxy will stop your internet from working. Some viruses will create a proxy. To remove it, open IE, click tools, options, connections, and delete any proxy settings.
• If you still got problems, Try switching everything off. The computer and the modem, once all off for 10seconds, turn on the modem, wait 2mins, then switch on the computer again.

Still not working?...

Ok, weve tried the simple steps. If you still have problems then it now gets a little difficult to fix.
• Try a ping! For this, you need to open a DOS box. To open a DOS box, click start > Run > type 'command' then enter. You should now have a black box. Type 'ping 127.0.0.1'. If you get replies, then it doesnt mean its connected to the internet, but it could do. If you dont get replies, then it means you have problem with your computer's network adaptor.
• Type 'ping www.google.com'. It will now send little bits of data to Google, and Google should send them back. If you dont get a reply, then your computer is unable to contact the internet at all. If does reply, then its either your browser is unable to connect, or web browsing is being blocked somehow.
• Try this:
  
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Dialup Modem problems

If your using the old dialup system and you not getting speeds above 40k then you might have a problem. If your living in a town or city then you should be getting good connection speeds. Some out of town areas will have problems because of the distance between you and the nearest telephone exchange.
• Try a different modem, though I usually recommend external modems, I have come across a few internal modems lately that gave alot better connection speeds. (mine was a constant 52k). Make sure your modem has v.92. (biggest difference is in the upload speed), Modems are quite cheap to buy nowadays.
• Buy a high quality modem cable, usually about £12, try PC-World. If your using telephone extension leads, then make sure they are of good quality too, and make sure they dont run too near power cables, as it will pick interference from your electrical equipment.
• Unplug any other phones you have connected. This often makes a big difference. You might find that one of your phones is the cause of your internet connection problems.
• Increase port speed. If you have an external modem which is connected to a com port (most do), then you can increase the com ports serial speed to the maximum. This can be done via the device manager console.
• Tweak the registry. There are a number of registry tweaks, which basically changes how data is transmitted, be very careful. A lot of software claiming to increase your modem speed, but they just make the same registry changes. You might get a 5% improvement, but not 100% like a lot of information you might read. Search for information about MTU settings and receive buffer settings; plenty of information can be found on this. MTU is the data packet size. Receive buffer, is how much data your computer can receive before sending an acknowledgement back.
• Update your drivers. Download the latest modem drivers from the modem manufacturer website. An incorrect installation may leave you without an internet connection, so make sure you download the correct driver - recommended for more experienced users.
• Improve your BT phone line. If your phone line seems quiet, then you can ask BT to increasing your line gain, which can sometimes help. Try picking up your phone and dialling 1, then see if you can hear a lot of background line noise. BT will happily run a free diagnostic on your phone to see if you have any problems, and if you give BT enough hassle, you might get them to replace your cable (from your local exchange to your house)

If you still have problems after this, then any further advice is out of this scope of these instructions.