How to Troubleshoot Your Internet Connection in 5 Easy Steps

Here’s the problem. Your Internet Connection is too slow or pages are not loading. The network icon in your Windows 7 taskbar is displaying an unresolved issue or yellow triangle.

Step 1: Clearing the Cache

The first step to resolving any website access issues is to clear the cache and then refresh the page. If you are able to access some sites but other pages do not load, then this step will mostly resolve the problem. If you have admin controls over the computer you are using, then you need to check for any blocked sites. Try using a different IP address if you have one or contact technical support to troubleshoot DNS issues.

Step 2: Check Connection Status Using Ping Command

Make sure that you are connected to the Internet. You can do this by right-clicking on the Network icon in the tray to diagnose connection settings as well. Or just ping any website address and see if there is a response. If you are getting a response, then proceed to Step 3 of troubleshooting Internet issues. If there is a yellow triangle in the local area connection that you have been using, then contact your network administrator to have the issues resolved.

Step 3: Try Reconnecting to the Internet

Disable and re-enable your wireless connection to see if you are being able to send and receive packets over the Internet. For advanced troubleshooting, use the Windows network troubleshooter to reset the network adapter. This will clear the DNS cache and re-enable the adapter. If this does not work, contact technical support or you Internet service provider for further information.

Step 4: Web Pages Not Loading

There are some free online tools for checking the status of your connection if certain websites are not loading, stop responding, or are getting timed out. Check “downforeveryoneorjustme.com” to see if the website is down or Google for similar results. If you are being able to connect with your LAN but your wireless connection keeps dropping off the grid, then proceed to the next step for troubleshooting the network connection.

Step 5: Troubleshooting the Router

A weak signal on your wireless connection can be the reason for slow speed or a frequently dropping network. Try to get some guidance on router troubleshooting from an online tech support service. You can also reset the router to clear the cache. Get firmware updates for your router or see if you can place it somewhere so it yields better. This might even be a known issue with your model of the router so try searching online forums for patches in the firmware. Apply Windows updates and service packs for general troubleshooting of related issues.