12 tips to troubleshoot your Internet connection



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With the proliferation of smart home devices, online gaming platforms and video streaming services, maintaining a strong Internet connection is more important than ever. If you're late when playing League of Legends or if downloading music takes forever, chances are the problem is coming from your side and not a problem with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). .

Before planning a service call with your cable company, check our tips for troubleshooting your Internet connection.

Try another device or website

Start with the obvious: does the problem occur only on one device or all your devices? If your computer has problems, see if your tablet can connect to the Internet or if your spouse's or roommate's laptop is working. If the problem only occurs on one device, you can safely reduce it to this machine.

The best laptops of 2018

Make sure Wi-Fi is enabled and you are connected to the correct SSID using the correct pbadword. If you are using Windows, right-click the network icon in the system tray and select Troubleshoot Problems to run the Windows Network Diagnostic Routine. This can sometimes correct common problems by resetting the adapter. Also check the settings on your network card to make sure that it uses the correct gateway address and other settings.

Likewise, try another website. If you can visit other websites to perfection, it is likely that the problem comes from the website you are trying to visit and you will have to wait until they fix the problem. (You can also try to enter the address of the website in downforeveryoneorjustme.com-If the site appears to be active but does not work for you, try viewing it in a private browser window, another browser, or clearing your browser's cache and cookies.

Search for viruses

Better antivirus protection

Sometimes your Internet connection may be affected by malicious code on your computer. Perform a scan of spyware, viruses, and malware, all of which can have a significant impact on the speed of your web browsing and the overall performance of your system. Windows 10 comes with built-in Windows Defender, which can do the job well, but there's a lot of free and Subscription utilities available as well.

Check your internet package

Internet package

If your Internet is working but it's running slower than expected, go to a site such as Speedtest.net and start a speed test. You will get a number of megabits per second indicating the actual speed of your computer.

From there, go to your provider's website and check your bill. If your bill number is the same as your speed test, you get the correct speeds for which you pay. If this seems too slow, you will have to move on to something faster. If your speed test is significantly slower than the speed you are paying for, you are actually experiencing problems and need to continue troubleshooting.

Bypbad your DNS server

Dns server

When you type a website in your browser, your computer searches for the IP address of this Web site using a DNS server. Sometimes these servers may have problems, making it difficult to visit websites using their user-friendly domain names (such as PCMag.com). It's like having a phone that works without a contact list: technically you have the option to call people but you do not know anyone's number.

Try to bypbad your DNS server by typing an IP address into your browser, such as 216.58.197.78 (which is one of Google's IP addresses). If the page loads correctly, you will need to change your DNS server, or maybe empty your DNS cache to solve your problems.

Decode the flashing lights

If you can not connect to the Internet at all, look at your modem and router. Some of the status lights must be on. If neither is turned on, the modem or router is probably unplugged or turned off. Unplug the power cord – if you have both a modem and a router, unplug them both – then reconnect the modem after a minute or so.

router

Make sure the power switch is in the On position, if any. Once its lights are on, plug in your router (if any) and wait for it to start as well. If you still do not see the lights after you plug them in, the AC adapter may be defective, a defective power strip, or a fried router.

Yes some lights are on, but some are not – or they blink repeatedly – you will want to take a closer look at what they tell you. For example, if your modem lights blink instead of remaining lit, it may not be possible to find an Internet connection, which requires a new modem (or a call to your ISP).

If your router's network light is on but the Wi-Fi lights are not, you may need to press the Wi-Fi button on the side or reactivate Wi-Fi from its configuration menu. Check your modem and / or router documentation for what these lights tell you.

Who else uses the Internet?

Task Manager

It is possible that everything is working properly, but a program on your PC, or another user in the house, uses all your bandwidth. On Windows, open the task manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc and click the Network column to sort by using the network. On a Mac, press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type "Activity Monitor" and go to the Activity Monitor's Network tab.

If an application uses a lot of bandwidth, as if you are downloading a large file, you may have to wait for this process to complete or cancel it before your Internet connection becomes active again. If you do not see obvious culprits, see if another member of the house downloads a large file on their computer and tell them to delete it. You could even have a neighbor steals your Wi-Fi.

Get a better signal

Best Wireless Extenders

If you use Wi-Fi, there are many issues that can slow down your connection. Try to connect your computer directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. If this solves the problem, your Wi-Fi signal is poor enough to degrade your Internet connection speed. Check the Wi-Fi icon on your computer: how many bars do you have?

If you run out of bars, you may need to move your router to a more central location in your home or buy a Wi-Fi Extender. (If you already have a Wi-Fi extension, it may just be of poor quality mesh system will probably do a better job).

If you have full bars but there are a lot of Wi-Fi networks in your building, it may be too crowded and the channel change or use of the 5 GHz band can help to solve the problem. Check-out our guide to boost your Wi-Fi signal for more tips for improving reception.

Update your firmware

Trendnet firmware update

Firmware is the built-in, low-level software that runs your modem, router, and other network hardware. Most vendors offer downloadable firmware updates that can address performance issues, add new features, and increase speed. Look for the firmware update tool in the System section of your router's management console and follow the instructions carefully to make sure you are installing the correct version of the firmware. Do not download firmware from a third party site.

Clean your settings

Wipe the settings

If restarting your router does not do the trick, it is possible that a certain setting is causing your problem. Try resetting your router to its factory configuration. For most routers, this involves pressing a very small reset button on the rear panel and holding it down for several seconds until the LEDs start flashing. Once reset, you can connect to the web interface and configure it from scratch. Just be careful not to activate the same setting that caused the problem in the first place.

Upgrade to a faster router

If you are using an older 802.11b or 802.11g router, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer, more powerful router, especially if you have multiple computers, smartphones, and other devices that are competing for bandwidth.

The best wireless routers of 2018

A dual-band router allows you to choose between two radio bands and allows you to dedicate a band to bandwidth-intensive clients, such as video streaming devices and game consoles. In addition, the new routers use the latest technologies to provide fast throughput with improved Wi-Fi range. Check out our list of best wireless routers when you are ready to take the plunge.

Head to the source

If troubleshooting your modem and router is not helping you, the problem may come from behind. Inspect the incoming connection in your house. This is usually located on the side of your house and may or may not be housed in an enclosure. Make sure the main cable has not been chewed by a squirrel or detached by the debris of a storm.

Splitter

If you see a cable splitter, make sure each connection is tight and the connectors are properly crimped. If the separator looks suspicious (rusty or dirty, for example), try to replace it or, if you do not need to split the signal, try to get rid of it completely, because of the good separators. market can degrade the signal strength.

Last resort: call your ISP

If you have tried everything and still have Internet connection problems, it is time to call your service provider. The problem could be on their side and require a new connection to the pole entering your home or new equipment such as a better modem or an amplifier.

Customer Support Representative

If you experience slowdowns at certain times of the day (think after school hours), your ISP may simply not be able to handle the increased load of the user, in which case you may want to find a new service provider. Fortunately for you, we tested them to find the The fastest ISPs in the country.

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