How to Troubleshoot Network Connectivity Problems for Windows
This blog post was updated on September 12, 2024
It was originally published on May 1, 2018
I’ve never been particularly skilled with computers. My expertise has always been limited to the tools and apps necessary to get my work done. This worked fine when I was employed at companies with a dedicated IT department that had the bandwidth to help me with minor issues. However, of all the potential problems one might encounter with their computer, network connectivity issues are by far the worst.
While computers are capable of performing many tasks offline, losing internet access can significantly disrupt everyday work—especially when so much of what we do depends on cloud-based applications. The same online tools that enhance our productivity can suddenly become a source of frustration when we can’t connect to the internet.
When you work for an IT services company, like I do, having tech issues doesn’t feel like a big deal—until you’re working remotely. A network issue, though usually minor, can be a recurring frustration and a real drain on productivity, particularly when you lack the technical know-how or immediate IT support. To make matters worse, when you’re offline, you can’t search for solutions online, which just adds insult to injury.
So, how do you fix network connectivity issues?
The network experts at Jones IT have created a step-by-step guide to help you isolate and troubleshoot connectivity problems. After each step, attempt to reconnect to the internet to see if the issue is resolved, or if further troubleshooting is needed.
7-Step Guide For Troubleshooting Network Connectivity Issues
1. Check the silly little things
It may seem obvious, but sometimes we overlook the smallest details, like the WiFi not being turned on. With so much on our minds, it's easy to accidentally hit a key and disable the connection. So it is best to check that you haven’t inadvertently disabled WiFi on your device. Look for the following:
Check that the WiFi is on and the WiFi symbol on your taskbar is not greyed out
Check that your Laptop is not in Airplane mode
2. Check if it is the Website’s Problem
Sometimes, what seems like a network issue could be a problem with the website itself. If you can connect to other sites, try visiting a site like Down For Everyone Or Just Me to see if the website is down.
3. Check if It’s Only Your Device
Ask your colleagues or check another device (like your phone) to see if the issue is affecting everyone.
If it’s just you, proceed with the following steps.
If everyone is affected, check your router. If no lights are on, the device may be dead. Flashing red lights or a power light but no connection light often means an ISP (Internet Service Provider) problem, and you should contact your IT support or ISP directly.
4. Restart Your System
This classic trick works more often than you might think. Power cycling (turning your system off, waiting 60 seconds, and turning it back on) can resolve a host of issues. It’s quick and effective, so it’s always worth a try before moving on to more advanced steps.
If the problem still persists after performing the above steps, we can safely say that the connectivity issue is not a temporary glitch and does not reside in your system alone. The following steps may appear a little technical if you are not familiar with the command prompt. However, if you simply follow along the steps you should be fine.
5. Check for a Valid IP Address
To dive deeper into the issue, open the command prompt by typing cmd in your starting menu or by pressing the hotkey combination window key + R to launch the Run window and then typing cmd. This will give you the following window:
At the command prompt type ipconfig and you should see the following information in your command prompt:
Look at the text under Wireless LAN adapter WiFi.
If the IPv4 Address value is of the form 169.x.x.x, it implies that your system isn’t receiving a valid IP from your router.
To fix this, type ipconfig /renew at the command prompt. You can check if the problem is fixed by typing ipconfig once again. If you still see the IPv4 as 169.x.x.x, connect your system to the modem with an ethernet cable. Now check if you can get online. If yes, then the problem is with the router, and if not then continue with the next step.
6. Try a Ping and trace the route
If in the above step, you receive an IP address that begins with any value other than 169 then it means the problem is occurring between the router and the internet.
First, type ping google.com in the Command Prompt. If it fails to send packets, you’ll see an error message that gives insight into the problem.
Then, use the tracert google.com command to trace the path the packets take to reach Google. If you notice a problem early in the path, the issue is likely with your local network.
7. Contact IT Support or Your ISP
At this point, you've identified that your hardware is working, you have a valid IP address, and you've pinpointed where the issue lies. With this information, reach out to your IT support team or ISP. Providing them with all the details you’ve gathered will help expedite the resolution.
While you wait for assistance, remember that you can still be productive offline!
Conclusion
This step-by-step guide for troubleshooting network connectivity is a general template and may vary from case to case. In general, whenever you start the troubleshooting process you can eliminate quite a few causes by verifying if the problem persists after restarting, checking if the problem is also occurring on other devices or for your colleagues.
This troubleshooting guide was for your device. If you are interested in further exploring the troubleshooting process for the entire network, check out the following useful resources:
If your office network is experiencing frequent or sustained outages, it is time to get help from experienced network technicians. Click the button below to schedule a time to speak with our network experts.
If you liked the blog, please share it with your friends