This page summarizes several
tips for troubleshooting your Internet connection.
Although it is possible that
your connection maybe affected by network traffic or other factors
outside of your control, you can avoid many problems by protecting
your hardware:
- Install a good quality
surge protector.
These fit under your
computer or on the floor. They offer superior voltage protection and
advanced line conditioning. Many models feature built-in circuit
breakers. You can get one of these units for as little $30, or you
can spend upward of $100 for a more advanced model. A $10 power
strip is totally inadequate.
An even better choice
is an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) - Some units combine surge
protection with a continuous UPS. The basic design of a continuous
UPS is to convert AC power to DC power and store it on a battery.
The UPS then converts the battery's DC power back to AC power and
runs it to the AC outlets for your electronics. If the power goes
out, your computer will continue to run, feeding off the stored
battery power. This will give you a few minutes to save your work
and shut down your computer. The conversion process also gets rid of
most of the line noise coming from the AC outlet. These units tend
to cost $150 or more.
- Install a router
between the modem and your computer. A router serves as a hardware
firewall and allows you to connect more than one computer to the
Internet. A good choice is a Linksys wireless router.
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- To determine if you have an
internet connection, do a ping test as follows:
- Open the CommandPrompt
(DOS screen) which is usually found under Start/Accessories
- Type 'ping
www.cnn.com'
and press the Enter key (the choice of cnn.com is arbitrary)
- If you see words like
'Pinging . . . ' and 'Reply from . . .' you have an internet
connection.
- If you don't have an
internet connection, the simplest thing to try
is to power cycle your
modem, router and computer.
- Disconnect the power
cords for and wait for at least 30 seconds.
- Power up the modem
and the router, in that order.
- Reboot your computer.
- Open a browser (IE,
Firefox, etc.) and try to go to a website (i.e., www.princeton-ma.us). If
performance is sluggish, try emptying your cache (i.e., Delete
Temporary Internet Files) but NOT your Cookies.
- Click
here to learn how to measure your connection
speed.
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If you are still unable
to resolve your problem, you can try to contact the manufacturer of
your router. Most offer telephone support.
Otherwise, contact your
Internet Service Provider for
further assistance.
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