- Open Network Diagnostics by right-clicking the network icon in the notification area, and then clicking Diagnose and repair. This may correct the situation on its own.
- If you click on Open Network and Sharing Center, a new screen will open. Some computers may say Connect or Disconnect instead of Diagnose and Repair. Click on connect instead and this may reconnect your Internet.
- Or, your network connection may not be enabled. This is how to setup a new connection. Go to the Start menu on the bottom left-hand corner, click on Control Panel.
- Click on Internet Options.
- Click on the Connections tab, then the Setup button to create a new connection.
- Follow the steps listed by your Operating System to setup a new Internet connection.
Other steps could be to:
- Make sure that all wires are connected (for example, make sure your modem is connected to a working phone jack or cable connection, either directly or through a router). Be aware that most schools do not have such a cable connection. See Types of Connections page. If all wires are connected, read through the other possible scenarios.
- Check that the actual connection is working by connecting to that network using a different computer or laptop This would let you know if the computer's settings are incorrect or if the network itself is down.
- Reset your modem and router. Remove the power cord from the modem and/or router, wait at least 10 seconds, and then plug the modem and/or router back in. Again, this is most likely not the case within a public school network.
- Check your router. Because of the new networking features in Windows Vista, some older network routers are not fully compatible with Windows Vista and can cause problems. You can test your router to see whether it is fully compatible with Windows Vista by running the Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool. Or, for a list of routers that are compatible with Windows Vista, go to the Windows Logo'd Products List website.
- Installation of new hardware or software can also cause connectivity problems in some cases. Restoring to a previous date, or uninstalling the software or hardware can provide a solution to the problem.
- At times, even something as simple as a reboot can help in solving Internet connection problems. This is something that most users do not think of, and should be done before trying out any other complicated solution.
Browse through the following scenarios to help you correct any disconnections:
- Make sure that:
- Your modem is turned on.
- The Ethernet cable is plugged correctly into the Ethernet port on the modem and on your computer. Each end of an Ethernet cable looks like this:
- The phone line is plugged correctly into the modem and the phone jack (if using a dial-up connection).
- You are not using a DSL filter between the phone jack and the modem, which will prevent connection.
- Check the lights on your modem. These can sometimes indicate the location of the problem—whether it is the Ethernet connection, the power to the modem, or the DSL or cable connection.
- Ask your Internet service provider (ISP) to verify that:
- Its servers are functioning correctly.
- You have an ISP user account and access to the ISP service.
If you can only reach some websites:
- Your browser could be attempting to connect through a proxy server. If so, try connecting with the proxy server turned off. For more information, see Change proxy settings in Internet Explorer.
- Your browser connection settings could be incorrect. For more information, see Internet Explorer Connections settings: recommended links.
- Your router could be attempting to proxy DNS requests and failing. Refer to the documentation that came with your router for instructions on disabling DNS proxying.
- You can also try using a different browser. Try Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
