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Failure to connect to the Internet is a very common reason why people request service for their computers. We'll cover two main types of Internet connections here: dial-up and high speed. Each type has its own problems, with some overlap. The problems can be put into main categories:
You cannot connect to the Internet Service Provider (ISP).
You can connect to the ISP, but you can't open Web pages and/or use e-mail.
You can connect to the ISP and open Web pages and use e-mail, but your connection is very slow, and/or you get disconnected frequently.
There are many causes of each of these problems, too many to cover them all here. We will attempt to cover common problems here. However, as is the case with other problems, there are times that everything is set correctly, and the hardware is OK, but Internet connections still don't work. When this happens, it might be because of OS corruption serious enough to require a clean install, or it might be one of those Windows things that happens for no real reason, and sometimes resolves itself with no real reason either.
Note We don't cover wireless Internet specifically in this tutorial, although some of the information in this tutorial does apply to it.
When setting up or troubleshooting a connection, there are some simple rules to follow, as we discuss in the following sections.
Basic Connection Problems
Call the ISP first: There could be an outage in your area. There is no point in troubleshooting before you rule out an outage.
ISP settings: Every ISP has its own requirements and specifications for connection configuration. Make sure you follow them.
Username and password: Many connection problems could be avoided if users always used the correct username and password. This means that typos must be avoided and that the Caps Lock shouldn't be toggled on. In addition, some ISPs require you to enter your entire e-mail address (such as name@ domain.com) as a username, and some require only the username (the part before the "@."
Dial-Up Connections
Although high-speed Internet service is becoming much more common and affordable, dial-up is still the most common as of this writing. In many rural areas, dial-up is the only option. Additionally, if you have high-speed Internet service at home, but you take your laptop to a distant location such as a motel or a relative's house, your only Internet access might be through dial-up.
Problems Dialing Up to an ISP
The first thing you need to do to troubleshoot a dial-up connection is to make sure that the hardware is connected correctly. If you are using a built-in modem in a desktop computer, make sure the telephone line is connected to the jack on the modem labeled line.
In addition, make sure that the other end of the cable is connected to the wall jack. If the installation has a surge suppressor with telephone line protection, the telephone line needs to be connected to the line jack on the surge suppressor, with another telephone cord connecting the surge suppressor's output jack to the modem's line jack. If there is a telephone, hook it up to the telephone jack on the modem; it's the one labeled Tel, Phone, or with a picture of a telephone. Sometimes, there is a problem with the surge suppressor. To test it, plug a telephone into the output jack on the surge suppressor and listen for a dial tone. If you get no dial tone, and the line jack is connected to the telephone line, there might be a problem with the surge suppressor. Bypass the problem by connecting the telephone line directly to the computer.
Try connecting a telephone to the telephone line and dial the access number and listen to be sure you hear a modem on the other end. If you do not connect to a modem on the other end, you might have to modify the telephone number you are calling to reach the access number. If the call connects but you do not hear a modem, you will have to find an alternative access number to dial.
Note Never connect a computer modem to a PBX business telephone line. The voltage is different from a regular telephone line, and it could damage the modem, or at the very least, lock up the computer.
If you still get no connection, plug a telephone directly into the wall jack to make sure the telephone line works.
Other items to check include the telephone cords themselves: make sure they're good. If you are using a PC-Card modem with a dongle in a laptop, make sure it's working. A dongle is a cable that plugs into the end of the PC-Card and has a telephone connector on the other end (other PC-Card devices, such as network adapters, sometimes use dongles as well). Dongles tend to be delicate, especially where they plug into the PC-Card.
If the modem or the COM port the modem uses was changed at any time after setting up the connection, the connection might not recognize the new modem. Attempt to select the new modem in the connection's properties, have the ISP software detect the new modem, or delete and set up the connection from scratch. We discuss connection properties and setting up and deleting connections later in this tutorial.
Does the Modem Work?
Obviously, if the modem doesn't work properly, you're not going to be able to connect. Follow the instructions in tutorial 8, "Video, Sound, Modems, and Network Adapters," for troubleshooting modems.
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