Help! My internet’s not working!

It’s happened to all of us – you switch on your computer or laptop, eager to get on the internet to book your holiday or check the price of peas at Tesco. But it all grinds to a disappointing halt as the message comes up “Cannot connect to the website”. Then you try to check your e-mail, only to find the same problem – your internet has stopped.
As with most computer problems, there may be a number of reasons why this has happened. But here are some of the most common issues, and how to solve them.
1. Firstly, check your router. This is the little box which plugs into the wall somewhere, and actually connects your computer to the internet. It should have a number of lights on, some solid, some flickering a bit. If all the lights are off, check that it is plugged in to the mains correctly. If that is the problem, plug it in properly and give it a few minutes to for the lights to settle down. Try the internet again.
2. If that’s not it, switch off your router, by taking the mains plug out of the wall. Also switch off your computer. After a few minutes, plug the router back in, and restart the computer. Wait a few minutes for the lights on the router to settle down. Now see if your internet is restored. A lot of problems will be solved in this simple way.
3. If you still cannot connect – pick up your landline phone and see if you can get a dial tone. If you hear nothing, check that all the leads are plugged in securely, If they are, and you still hear nothing, then the problem may be with your phone line provider, eg BT, Talktalk, etc. They may sort it out themselves within a few hours, but if not, you will need to report the fault to them.

4. If that is not the problem and you still can’t get online, it may be that the website you are trying to reach is notworking. Try a different website.

5. Try a different “browser”. Many computers have more than one program to access the internet, called “browsers”. Common ones are Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari and Firefox. These all do basically the same thing, and it is useful to have more than one in case you have a problem. If you cannot connect with one browser, and you have an alternative, try it.

If you still cannot get online, then give me a call on 01903 533586, or send me a message via my contact page.

Tags: computer, faults, laptop, PC, PC Care, router, windows