Help with Internet Connections needed

bryanr

With my Money Saving hat on I am determined to sort out a problem we are having with our internet connections and wifi rather than my wife paying for a computer engineer to come in. For the past week we have been unable to access the internet either via our laptop or IPad. When you view the Wireless Network Connections option both our home network and the wireless repeater we have are shown with excellent signal strength but when you attempt to connect on it lets you but then says any web address you enter is not available. It is not a problem with either the laptop or IPad as I am able to connect using my phones portable wifi hotspot (this is how I am able to post this query).


Can anyone provide some ideas as to how I can fix this as it is driving my wife (and therefore me) mad.

Thanks

Mikebellows

Try changing the channel on your broadband router.

bryanr

I am a complete novice when it comes to computers so how do I do that? Thanks

Mikebellows

You need to do it through the software interface provided by your broadband provider. Mine is Orange. My router came with installation software that also has maintenance ability. You need to find out where the channel is located in the software - Can you ring your provider - They will help you.

Mikebellows

Have you tried unplugging your router and re-starting.
Read somewhere that this can clear your filters.

googler

Mikebellows wrote: »

Have you tried unplugging your router and re-starting.
Read somewhere that this can clear your filters.

This is the remedy that fixes connectivity problems for me, every time.

OGR

If you have rebooted the router and you are still having problems then some basic steps to start some trouble shooting.

If you are running Windows XP hit start and press 'run', if Vista or 7 then press start and click into the search box. If windows 8 the easiest way is to press the windows key and the r key at the same time.

Type cmd and then press return and you will be prompted with a black window.

Type ipconfig /all and press return and you will get the IP information for your computer which will look something like...

IP address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

DNS Server: xx.xxx.xx.xxx (x represents numbers again)

This will prove that your computer is on the network and that it has a DNS server too look at when trying to resolve names. If you do not have a default gateway or you are on a different subnet to your home network then it is likely a router/DHCP issue.

In the same cmd window type ping https://www.google.com and you will either see a string of 4 replies or it will say something like request timed out each time.

If it times out then enter ping 173.194.67.99 (google) and see if you get a reply this time. If you get a reply then it is likely a DNS problem. In simple terms DNS translates https://www.google.com into a number which is how your computer communicates with the page without you having to remember the IP address for websites.

bod1467

If you connect to the router via an ethernet cable, can you access internet sites like Google? If yes then it it a wifi problem; if no then it is a router/modem problem.

Mikebellows

Have a look at this MSE thread....

Internet Connection Problems


Might help you out.

Agrajag

OGR's reply above is very good, but simply: What you describe to me sounds like your modem is not connected to the internet.

Your 'router' is probably a combined router/modem (since you don't mention a separate modem, only a repeater)
The router part (distributing a single connection to the router amongst all the wireless and wired devices in your house) appears to be working fine.
But the modem (connects your house to your Internet service provider) is not connecting.
So your devices all connect happily to the router, but get no internet because the modem is not connecting.
Quickest 95% solution: unplug the modem/router, wait 5 seconds, plug it back in.
Then give it a minute for everything to settle down and check again.
If that doesn't work, follow OGR's instructions for more detailed diagnosis

TL: DR turn it off and on again.