Fix wider network faults
Nothing connecting to your network? Internet access down? Read on to discover how to troubleshoot.
Nothing connecting to your network? Internet access down? Read on to discover how to troubleshoot.
At the heart of your network lies your modem router, which provides a conduit to the internet (as well as other shared network resources) for all your wired and wireless devices. If you run into connection problems on all your devices at the same time, the cause can usually be traced to a problem with your router.
The adage “have you turned it off and on again?” is never more aptly applied than to your router. It’s usually on 24/7, and many problems can often be fixed simply by switching the router off via its power button or the plug, waiting 30 seconds for its memory to clear, then switching it on again. Wait a couple of minutes for things to get up and running, then retry your connections.
NETWORK CONNECTIVITY
First, verify if your devices have a connection to the router – first open File Explorer and select Network in the Navigation pane. If your router appears under Network Infrastructure, double-click it to open your web browser at its configuration page; if not, navigate to Start > Settings > Network & Internet > Status and click ‘View your network properties’ to see if your PC has been assigned an IP address and what the default gateway address is.
If one is visible, open your web browser and type that IP address in – you should be redirected to the router’s configuration page. If it fails to connect, or no gateway address is shown, then check on your other devices via their network settings page (for example, Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced on your Android phone) to see if they’ve been assigned an IP address. If so, try connecting to your router through that browser.
If you have a HomePlug network and the problem only appears to be affecting devices connected through that, first verify the diagnosis: plug your PC directly into one of the router’s Ethernet ports and see if it can now connect. If it does, go online or check your HomePlugs’ documentation for the steps required to completely reset the entire HomePlug network – typically reset the plug connected to your
router, then repeat for the other plugs on the network.
The direct ethernet connection test should also be applied to verify network problems aren’t restricted to your wireless network. If you’re now able to connect, check (and, if necessary, reset by disabling and then re-enabling) your router’s Wi-Fi networks to hopefully bring things back online.
If your router still refuses to be reached however you’re connected to it, then it may be time for the nuclear option: look for a factory reset setting on the back of the router and be prepared to set everything up from scratch again: your internet logon details, Wi-Fi setup and don’t forget to change the router password and disable remote access to your router for security reasons.
INTERNET CONNECTION FAULTS
If you’ve got full access to your local network, but your internet connection has stopped working, that usually indicates the fault is outside your control. Double-check the cable between your router and the phone line, but otherwise the key is either waiting for a fix or finding an alternative internet connection to use to verify that the problem is an external one.
For most people, the backup connection will be your phone’s mobile broadband connection. If your PC has Wi-Fi, you can try tethering it to your phone’s connection: Settings > Personal Hotspot on the iPhone, Settings > Wireless > More on Android. Once set up, click the Network icon in the Taskbar notification area on your PC to connect.
If you’re in range of a neighbour’s Wi-Fi network, you might want to ask them if they’ll kindly give you access. If they’re understandably reluctant, ask them to temporarily enable their guest network as outlined in the step-by-step guide below. Once done, visit your internet provider’s support pages to locate its status page (or Google the ISP name and ‘status’) to see if there’s a known issue in your area. If nothing shows up, you can check your ISP’s support pages for more help and points of contact should you need them.
After you’ve restored your internet connection or found out what’s going on, have the courtesy to let your neighbour know and invite them to disable the guest network for security purposes. You might also want to offer to set up your own guest network for them in return as an act of good will.
“Your router is usually on 24/7, and many problems can often be fixed simply by switching the router off, waiting, then switching it on again. ”