TroubleShooting guidelines (Steps) if internet not working part 2

Troubleshoot Internet connection problems

Troubleshooting Internet connection problems can be a challenge because there are so many possible causes. First, try these steps:

• Open Network Diagnostics by right-clicking the network icon in the notification area, and then clicking Diagnose and repair.
• Make sure that all wires are connected (for example, make sure your modem is connected to a working phone jack or cable connection, either directly or through a router).
• Reset your modem and router. Remove the power cord from the modem and/or router, wait at least 10 seconds, and then plug the modem and/or router back in.
• Check your router. Because of the new networking features in Windows Vista, some older network routers are not fully compatible with Windows Vista and can cause problems.

Slow internet connections happen for various reasons, even when you pay for a 'high-speed connection' like DSL or cable. Because the internet (and World Wide Web) is built on hundreds of different technologies trying to talk to each other, there are many places where data can slow down before it reaches your computer screen. Your ISP might be at fault, certainly, but there are many other factors to look at before assigning blame. Some of these slow points are within your control, and can be quickly fixed with a little do-it-yourself effort.

Common reasons why high-speed internet connections perform more slowly than claimed:

1. You might have poor hardware connecting your machine to the wall.
2. Maybe your modem-router is not configured correctly.
3. Perhaps you have dishonest people leeching your wireless connection from across the alley.
4. Your network interface card (NIC) is older and slower hardware.
5. You might have spyware/malware infecting your machine, and secretly using your Internet bandwidth.
6. A download may be occurring in the background, and you are unaware of it as it leeches your bandwidth.
7. Your ISP (internet service provider) may be having issues with routing signals to you.
8. DNS (domain name system) tables might be outdated, so signals are getting sent to the wrong addresses on your ISP network.
9. Your browser memory cache is so full; your browser has to slow down to allow for its limited hard drive space.
10. Radio or microwave devices in your home might be degrading your internet wireless signal.
11. Your computer is more than 3 years old, and is not able to move electrons fast enough for modern web pages.
12. You have unwittingly left dozens of windows open in the background, and they are clogging your computer CPU.
13. A Windows or Mac dialog box is sitting open and unanswered in the computer background, stalling your computer CPU while it awaits your yes/no input.

These are just some of many possibilities. If you think that your internet connection is slow, we recommend you do two things:

1. Do a speed test on your computer: DSLreports.com speed testing or Speedtest.net
2. Perform a troubleshoot on your computer: Troubleshooting list for your internet connection.