Internet downtime can be catastrophic for your business. It exposes you to lost revenue, lower productivity, and complaints from your clients — not to mention the sheer frustration. Due to these potentially dire consequences, you need to have troubleshooting skills to tackle the problem even before involving your internet providers.
Here are some of the quickest methods to identify the issue and get back online.
Check Other Devices on Sites
This is the most basic troubleshooting step. If you can’t access a particular site on your device, try accessing another service. If you still can’t access other internet services, it confirms that the problem could be on your end.
Otherwise, the site you are visiting is likely to have a challenge — rendering the problem beyond your scope.
Then see if other devices in the house have the same problem. If the problem is only with your device, you can narrow down the issue to that particular device.
Check Your Settings
If you establish that the problem is only with your device, look at your Wi-Fi settings. For Windows users, the Wi-Fi signal icon will be at the bottom-right corner of your screen. Check the top-right corner for macOS.
Click the icon to see that you are connected to the correct wireless network with the right password. In some cases, your device might be connecting to the wrong network by default. In that case, you need to remove the wrong network.
Consider running a network diagnostic routine if you are connected to the correct network and still have a challenge. That can fix common network issues by resetting the adapter.
Scan for Viruses
Some malicious code in your computer could be the culprit for your internet issues. Consider scanning your computer for spyware, malware, and viruses before reaching out to internet providers.
If you are using Windows, you can use Windows Defender for the task. But there are several other tools available.
Check the LED Status Indicators
Your modem or router has a couple of LED lights — each sending a particular message. Decoding these blinking lights helps you address the problem. For instance, your modem or router could be powered down if all the lights are off.
If no lights are on, unplug the power cord and plug it back in after a minute or two. If there’s a power switch, ensure that it’s on. If the lights still stay off, the router could be faulty. Or the problem could be the power adapter.
If some lights go on and some don’t, pay close attention to the nature of the lights. If you can’t decode them, try checking the documentation of your modem or router for guidance.
Who Is Taking up the Bandwidth?
Everything could be working fine, but a program on your computer may be using up all the bandwidth. Or someone else could be downloading a huge file. You can check the network usage to pinpoint the culprit.
In that case, you need to limit the program hogging all the bandwidth. Or you could wait until the process is over.
Another possibility is that a neighbor might be using your network without your consent. Check to see who is using your Wi-Fi. If a device is attached that you do not allow, remove it.
Is the Signal Too Weak?
Another thing you need to check is whether the signal is too weak for your needs. If you are connected wirelessly, then try using an Ethernet cable to see if that solves the problem. And, if it does, you are receiving a poor signal.
If the bars on your Wi-Fi icon are too low, you might consider relocating your router to a more central location in the house. That way, you can access the internet from all corners of the house. Alternatively, you can invest in a Wi-Fi extender.
When to Hand Over to Your Internet Providers
It’s always good practice to try some basic troubleshooting. But if none of the steps works, it’s time to contact your provider. They may discover possible issues that you might have missed. These include device registration issues or a glitch on their side.
Most internet providers have several ways through which you can contact them. It could be a phone call or a chat support option on their website or app.
