General Home Networking Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having trouble with your home network, use the following steps.

• If you do not have an Ethernet port on your computer,
  You’ll need to purchase and install an Ethernet adapter (also called a network interface card or NIC). Ethernet adapters can be purchased from a computer or electronics store.

• If the power indicator on your modem or router does not light up after plugging the device in:
  1. Check the power supply. Are the connections with your modem, router, and electrical outlet secure?
  2. Is your modem connected to a live electrical outlet? Try plugging a night light into the outlet to see if it works, or plug the modem into another outlet.
  3. If you’re using a surge protector, make sure it’s turned on and working.

• If you can connect to your network but not browse the Internet:
  1. Shut down/Turn off your router and cable or DSL modem. 
  2. Check all connections between the router and modem and make sure that the power cables of both devices are securely connected. See Article 32426 for an illustration.
     Ethernet users: Make sure that the Ethernet cable is securely connected to both the computer and modem from your router. See Article 32426 for an illustration.
  3. Turn on the modem and wait approximately 30 seconds. Then turn on your router. Attempt to connect to the Internet again.
  4. If all else fails, remove the router from the equation by only having the modem and computer connected. Unplug the modem, wait for 10 seconds, then plug in the modem again. After the lights stabilize, see if you can browse the Internet: 
     • If so, your router is either defective or needs to be reconfigured. Contact your router's manufacturer to reconfigure your router. 
     • If not, check to see if there is an outage in your area. If not, you may need to reconfigure your modem. Refer to your modem's setup instructions to reconfigure your modem.

• If your wireless network doesn't show up:
  1. Make sure that your wireless router and modem is plugged up.
  2. Assure that your Wi-Fi or wireless network utility is also on. Many devices, such as laptops and cell phones, will have a Wi-Fi switch that you can toggle to turn on/off the device's Wi-Fi or wireless network utility. Check your device's manual to determine how to do this.
  3. If your wireless network is private, refer to your setup configuration to provide your device with the network ID and password. You will need this information when you manually connect to your existing private wireless network.

• If you're continuously losing or dropping a signal:
  1. Make sure that the antenna is securely connected to the router and pointed straight up.
  2. To check your signal strength, open your Web browser (preferably Internet Explorer or Safari) and enter your router's IP address. If you don't know what your router's IP address is, review your router's manual to get it.
  3. Make sure your router is not on or near other electronic devices; such as your computer monitor, cell phone, scanner, radio, cordless phone (handset or base), halogen or fluorescent lights, or a microwave oven. These devices may interfere with your wireless signal.
  4. Move your router to an area where there is a better signal strength. Try placing your router closer to an outside wall or window. While trial and error may not be the most sufficient way to find a wireless signal, it is often the easiest way to assure the best possible Wi-Fi connection.

• If you can't reach the modem or router login screen,
  Make sure that your computer is set to use a dynamic or server assigned IP address by following the instructions that correspond to your operating system. Visit How to Configure Your Network Control Panel for DHCP. If you need help identifying your Windows operating system, right click on the My Computer icon and choose Properties.