Computer networks are designed to exchange data between computers and other electronic devices. These networks allow you to connect to the Internet, send emails, print documents wirelessly, and share files. If you have problems connecting to a computer network, try to solve them before contacting a specialist. In this article, we'll walk you through how to diagnose major network problems.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Basic Steps
Step 1. Check if the device is connected to a wireless network
If your device is connected to a network, it should display a dot and a series of curved lines on its screen - the more lines, the stronger the wireless signal. If the signal is weak on only one device, the problem is most likely related to the device itself, and if on all devices - to your Internet connection. The specified icon is located:
- Windows - on the taskbar in the lower left corner.
- Mac - in the menu bar in the upper right corner.
- Smartphones and tablets - in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 2. Make sure the wireless module is turned on
Click on the "Wi-Fi" icon on your computer or mobile device. Make sure the "Wi-Fi" option is turned on.
Step 3. Try to open different websites or online services
If only one site or service does not open, most likely the problem lies in the site itself, and if everything is in your Internet connection.
Step 4. Look at the light on your modem or router
Typically, the indicator is labeled "Internet", "WAN" or a globe icon. The indicator should be white or green. If the indicator is red, blinking, or not lit at all, the signal does not reach the router.
The LEDs on your router vary by manufacturer and model. If you are unsure of what the LEDs indicate, read the manual (paper or online) for your router
Step 5. Check if the internet cable is securely connected to your modem or router
Look at the back of your modem or router to make sure the telephone or coaxial cable is securely connected to the modem or router.
Step 6. Reboot your modem or router
To do this, disconnect the power cable from the router, wait 1 minute, reconnect the cable, and turn on the router. Wait a few minutes for the router to fully boot up - when it connects to the Internet, the lights should be on, not blinking.
Step 7. Reboot the devices connected to the Internet
This will help you troubleshoot network connectivity issues.
Step 8. Place your wireless devices close to your modem or router
If devices go offline when they move away from your modem or router, try placing them closer to it.
If you have problems with your wireless zone, expand it with a second wireless router or dedicated device
Step 9. Use a wired connection
A wireless connection is more convenient, and a wired connection is more reliable. If you're having problems with wireless internet, connect computers, game consoles, and smart TVs to your router using an Ethernet cable.
Step 10. Wait a couple of hours and try again
Sometimes the heavy internet traffic on the ISP's network results in slow internet speeds and poor connection. Try to connect to the network after a few hours and check if the problem is resolved. Watch for internet problems at specific times.
Step 11. Contact your ISP
Sometimes internet connection problems can be traced to a problem with your internet service provider. There may be a glitch or you just forgot to pay your bill. Contact your ISP to inquire about an outage or report a problem.
As a last resort, reset your router to factory defaults to fix the problem
Method 2 of 3: Windows
Step 1. Check your network connection settings
If you recently updated your computer, your network connection settings may have changed. To check them, follow these steps:
- Open the start menu.
- Click Options (the gear-shaped icon).
- Click on "Network and Internet".
- Click Change adapter settings.
- Click on an active internet connection.
- Click "Connection Diagnostics".
Step 2. Deal with an unstable internet connection
If your internet connection is interrupted from time to time, the power saving mode of the network adapter may be enabled. To turn off this mode:
- Open the start menu.
- Click Options (the gear-shaped icon).
- Click on "Network and Internet".
- Click Change adapter settings.
- Right-click on an active Internet connection and select Properties from the menu.
- Find the "Network" tab and click "Configure".
- Click on the Power Management tab.
- Uncheck the box next to "Allow this device to be turned off to save power."
- Click Ok.
Step 3. Update your network drivers
This can solve many problems. To update your network drivers:
- Open the start menu.
- Enter "Device Manager" and click on the "Device Manager" icon.
- Double click on "Network adapters".
- Right click on the network adapter.
- Click Update Drivers.
- Click "Search automatically for updated drivers."
Step 4. Disable auto-tuning
The auto-tuning feature automatically resizes TCP windows. If you turn off auto-tuning, the TCP window will be limited to 65535, which will increase the speed of the Internet connection.
- Open the start menu.
- Enter "cmd" in the search bar.
- Right click on the "Command Prompt" icon and select "Run as administrator" from the menu.
- At the command prompt, enter "netsh interface TCP set global autotuninglevel = disabled".
- Press the Enter key.
- Reboot your computer.
Step 5. Turn on network sharing
Make sure the computer you are trying to connect to is turned on and file and printer sharing is enabled on both computers. To turn on network sharing, follow these steps:
- Open the start menu.
- Click Options (the gear-shaped icon).
- Click on "Network and Internet".
- Click "Network and Sharing Center".
- Click Change Advanced Sharing Settings.
- Click Turn On Network Discovery.
- Click on "Enable File and Printer Sharing".
- Click "Save Changes".
Step 6. Disable password protected sharing on all networked computers
For this:
- Open the start menu.
- Click Options (the gear-shaped icon).
- Click on "Network and Internet".
- Click "Network and Sharing Center".
- Click Change Advanced Sharing Settings.
- Scroll down and click All Networks.
- Click Turn Off Password Protected Sharing.
- Click "Save Changes".
Step 7. Clear the DNS cache
Do this if you get error messages while trying to open the site. To clear the DNS cache, follow these steps:
- Open the start menu.
- Enter "cmd" in the search bar.
- Right click on the "Command Prompt" icon and select "Run as administrator" from the menu.
- Enter "ipconflg / flushdns" at the command line.
- Press Enter.
Method 3 of 3: Mac
Step 1. Configure your computer to automatically connect to the wireless network
If you have to enter your password every time to connect to the Internet, your computer won't remember the network. To fix this, follow these steps:
- Click on the "Wi-Fi" icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Click "Network Settings".
- Click on an active internet connection.
- Click Advanced.
- Check the box next to Remember the networks this computer connects to.
- Click Ok.
Step 2. Deal with an unstable internet connection
If your internet connection drops from time to time, connect to a 5 GHz network (instead of a 2.4 GHz network). The 5 GHz network has a short range, but it is better protected from interference. To configure the network settings on your computer, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple menu in the upper left corner.
- Click on System Preferences.
- Click on the "Network" icon, which looks like a globe.
- Click Advanced.
- Scroll through the list of networks and find your 5 GHz network.
- Click on this network and drag it to the top of the list.
Step 3. Fix slow internet connection by changing DNS
DNS (Domain Name System) converts a web address to an IP address and stores the information on your computer. Your computer automatically uses the DNS associated with your router. To speed up data processing, manually change your DNS to one of two free DNS providers: Open DNS or Google DNS. To change the DNS server settings, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple menu in the upper left corner.
- Click on System Preferences.
- Click on the "Network" icon, which looks like a globe.
- Click Advanced.
- Select the active network from the list and open the DNS tab.
- Click the + sign in the DNS Servers column.
- Enter the IP address of the free DNS server.
- OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220.
- Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4.
- Click Ok.
- Click Apply.
Step 4. Resolve Home Sharing problems
It allows multiple devices, including Apple computers, tablets, and TVs, to connect and use files on your computer. Make sure all devices use the same Apple ID and password. If you have problems with this feature, follow these steps:
- macOS Catalina and newer:
- Open the Apple menu.
- Click "System Preferences"
- Click Share.
- Check the box next to Media Sharing.
- Enter your Apple ID password.
- macOS Mojave and older:
- Launch iTunes.
- Enter your Apple ID and password.
- Click "File".
- Click on "Home Sharing".
- Check the box next to Home Sharing.
Advice
- To troubleshoot problems, follow the simplest steps first. Almost 50% of internet connection problems are due to poorly connected cable. You can also reboot your router or slightly change the network settings.
- Make sure the router is turned on and connected properly.
- Check with your ISP before taking drastic action. If you forget to pay your bill, or your ISP is malfunctioning, you will not be able to fix the problem using the methods described in this article.
- Some problems can be solved by configuring a static IP address.