How to Troubleshoot Broadband

Broadband connections, whether they be cable or DSL, to the Internet and other networks are fast until there is a problem. But, before going through the endless process of punching numbers into your phone's keypad when trying to get help from your ISP, you may want to try a few of these simple tests. Read on to learn how to troubleshoot broadband.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Check the lights on your modem. The lights for power, cable (or line) and Internet should be lit (not blinking). Some modems also have indicator lights for upload and download, which constantly blink to show activity.

2. Unplug your modem and wait for about 20 seconds, then plug it back in and reboot your computer. This clears out old information your modem has stored that allowed it to connect to your ISP.

3. Call your ISP, and ask them for their IP address. Then see if you can "Ping" their server from your computer. In Windows, click on "Run" and enter "Cmd." You should see a "C:\" on a black background in a new window. Type in "Ping" and the ISP's address. If there's no response, you don't have a connection.

4. Check the modem's connection to your computer or network. If it's wireless, you may want to connect it to a router or to your computer's Ethernet port to see if that resolves the problem.

5. Check your operating system's network connection. Click on "Repair" to see if that resolves the problem or reinstalls your network drivers.

6. Call your ISP, if none of these steps resolve the problem. There may be a problem on their end, or you may need a service call.

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