The Internet is a unique framework we use in our daily lives. Everyone is on the internet. It’s everywhere, all the time, and there is always a daily need for internet connection. Both our professional and personal lives are tied to its functionality. As a result, when this functionality is disrupted, a lot of setbacks can occur. When the inevitable happens and your internet connection fails to connect completely, you do not have to panic. There are a few simple, tried-and-true methods for reconnecting your system and getting back to your day as quickly as possible. Most of the time, a lag in your system is an indicator of a problem in your home’s system, and not with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The only way to make sure that it’s not an ISP issue is to tackle the troubleshooting and see if you can get your internet connection back up to speed.
How to fix common internet connection problems.
CHECK YOUR POWER It is impossible for you to have an Internet connection if your router doesn’t have power. Making sure you have a steady power supply simply involves monitoring your router’s LED indicators. If you don’t see any of the indicators or lights on, your router is either turned off or unplugged. If this is the case, disconnect the power cable and plug it back in after a couple of minutes, ensuring the power supply is turned on. If the problem persists, it may have an electrical fault, in this case, you will need to purchase a new router.
CHECK YOUR NETWORK CONNECTION If you are not getting an internet connection on only one device, like your phone or your laptop, but you are getting an internet connection on others, check your Wi-Fi connection. If you are connected to a network, but you still do not have internet, it is time check your computer’s Network via the System Preferences -> Network (on a Mac) or Right-click on the Network Icon -> select Trouble Shooting to run a diagnostic check (on a PC). If you do not have Wi-Fi, but use Ethernet, check your Ethernet connection. Confirm that you are getting an internet connection. If you have one on hand, plug in your spare Ethernet cable directly to your computer.
CHECK YOUR ROUTER If you’re still not receiving a connection, you should then check your router’s internet connection by referring to the connection or WAN light. The majority of routers will show a stable connection by displaying a green flashing LED light. If you cannot find any LED light, focus on the back of the router and check whether the Ethernet cable port LEDs are flashing. If you cannot see any lights, switch off and disconnect all cables from your router. After a couple of minutes, reconnect all cables to their respective ports and restart the router. If you are using an older router, you may be experiencing lag from having multiple devices fighting for bandwidth. It may be time to upgrade to a newer router that can handle the workload of your devices.
BOOST YOUR SIGNAL
If you are connected but failing to receive internet data, check the strength of your Wi-Fi connection on your PC or mobile device. If the connection is operating at one or two bars, this indicates a weak connection. In this situation, try adjusting your router’s radio antenna or moving the physical location of your router closer to your devices. If the problem persists, it may be worth investing in a Wi-Fi signal booster or extender that will increase your router’s signal range.
CHECK FOR COMPUTER FIREWALL MALFUNCTIONS.
If you continue to have problems connecting to the Internet, check the firewall for issues. Be sure that software is not misconfigured. Firewall software running on most computers is intended to prevent unwanted network traffic from disrupting its operation. Unfortunately, these software firewalls can malfunction and start blocking valid Internet traffic. When two firewall software, such as Windows Firewall plus a third-party product, are installed on the same computer, contention between the two can also incorrectly block traffic.
RESTART YOUR SYSTEM Begin with your router, unplug the power source, wait 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. Once your router is back on, check the system again, and see if your internet connection has returned. If it has not, do the same unplugging and restarting task with your computer and power strip.
STILL HAVING ISSUES? CALL YOUR ISP When you have done all of the basic troubleshooting to resolve your connection issues, but nothing has worked, it may be time to contact your Internet Service Provider over the phone, your ISP will be able to ping your equipment and check your system at their end to see if there are any connection issues and also verify whether they are experiencing an outage. Some providers also give advice on troubleshooting problems connecting to their network.