If it doesn’t work straight away I leave it for an hour and repeat. This has worked at least twenty times over the past 6 years. However what I do now is to unplug the router from the mains power and leave it about 30 seconds to reset, and then plug it back in.
#Troubleshoot mac ethernet connection manual#
The manual that came with the router has more detailed troubleshooting tips. My router has a collection of lights that indicate various conditions like Wireless functioning,Internet connected etc. If I get dial tone I know that the telephone connection is working, and it is not a cable fault. We know that the computer-router connection is OK, so that leaves the router-internet connection to troubleshoot.Īt this stage I will go to the router and examine the connection to the Internet to make sure none of the cables have been removed or come unplugged. If you see those addresses then you have a problem with the connection to the wireless router.
#Troubleshoot mac ethernet connection windows#
The .y address range was introduced in windows 2000 and allows windows machines to automatically allocate themselves an IP address in the absence of a DHCP server. If no IP address has been assigned then the IP address will be either: Therefore the computer connection to the wireless router is ok In the case above I have an address of 192.168.1.3 and a default gateway address has been assigned. Check that you have a valid IP address by opening a command prompt, and using i pconfig/all command. Note: the network name is important as you may have connected to a neighbours network by mistake. In my case if I hover the mouse over the icon a pop-up tells me the status.Īs you can see below the signal strength is low, but I am connected, and to the correct network. Look at the wireless icon in the system tray. Is there a wireless connection between the computer and router? Here is a quick network diagram of the arrangement: The computer gets an IP address, and a DNS server Address from the router. In my network my laptop computer connects to the wireless Router via wireless (secured) and the router connects to the telephone line and the ISP via a broadband filter. You may find sketching out a simple diagram helps The first step is to have a clear idea of how the Laptop computer connects to the Internet under normal circumstances. Note: I use a windows computer but the process is the same on Linux and Mac Problem 1 : Laptop Can’t Connect to the Internet. If you are using a hub (wired or wireless) ensure it is plugged in and the cables are secure. The router will have lights, ensure that they are on and not indicating a problem. Before You Start -Eliminate the ObviousĬheck that your router is plugged in and all cables to the router are secure. If you are new to networking I would recommend you read through the basic networking course before you start. It is impossible to go though all possible scenarios, and so I will go through a connection problem scenario, and demonstrate how I personally would attempt to diagnose and fix the problem. There are several areas that may be a cause of the problem.ĭiagnosing the problem involves eliminating each of these possible areas in a systematic manner. In order to troubleshoot and fix the problem you you will need an understanding of how the devices you are using normally connect to the Internet. You will at some time or another experience problems with your Internet connection.