Troubleshooting Your Internet Service

	Your Computer, iPod Touch, Xbox, etc.	Your Home Network	Internet Service Provider	Internet/Web Service
Symptoms	Won't start up Viruses Slow Freezing and crashing How to use a program	Can't connect to your wireless network, or unexpected disconnection Securing your wireless network and authorizing computers Person who set it up has moved away Wireless interference Your home router or wireless access point doesn't show the normal lights Some online games don't work	You can connect to your home network, but can't get any web sites Your cable modem's or home router's status page shows no Internet connection Another service on the same cable is not working (cable TV, phones)	A Web site doesn't respond Need help using a web site Email problems Chat problems Game problems
Troubleshooting	Restart your computer For wireless, find a location with a stronger signal Are others having trouble getting online? Can you connect with an Ethernet cable? Wireless? Do you have those interfaces enabled?  Can another computer get online in your location? With your Ethernet cable? Is your software up-to-date, especially Macintosh or Windows system software? Is the computer set up for DHCP? Search in Google for the error message you're seeing	Log in to your home router and check status Log in to your wireless access point and check status Log in to your cable modem and check status Power off your cable modem, router, and computer for a few minutes, then power on and try again Does your router show that it is getting an IP address from your ISP? Can you connect with an Ethernet cable? For wireless, are there other networks in the area interfering with yours?  Try setting your wireless router for a different channel (1, 6, or 11).	Are others in your area having trouble? Power off your cable modem, router, and computer for a few minutes, then power on and try again Does your router show that it is getting an IP address from your ISP?	Can you get to other web sites? Can other computers get to the web site or use the service you can't? Try another web browser (or another email program, chat program, etc.)
Who Can Help	Check manuals and online help for the program you're using Check the computer maker's or software developer's web site If a networking problem can be duplicated on the UVM campus network, the Help Line and Computer Depot Clinic can help Help Line and Computer Depot Clinic can help with supported software and campus networking Computer Depot can repair Apple and Dell models they sell	Telephone/email/chat/web technical support from manufacturers of your cable modem, home router, and wireless access point Manuals and troubleshooting guides that come with your cable modem, home router, and wireless access point Independent home computer & networking companies	http://help.comcast.net/  Help & Support Forums Outage Board Help With High-Speed Internet Telephone/email/chat/web technical support from your ISP	Does the web site, email provider, IM service, etc. have telephone/email/chat/web  technical support?
Cost	UVM Software help is free UVM Computer Depot hardware repairs are charged unless under warranty	Technical support from manufacturers may be free for a period of time or during warranty Private companies may charge a lot	ISP may charge for some help	Varies; often free

Last modified September 23 2008 05:19 PM