Hello, I’m Matt Bauer for My Computer Works and thanks for watching this video in our
HOW MCW series. In this video, I want to show you some ways you can try to restore your
Internet connection if it becomes lost or slow.
The first thing you’ll want to do with this and MOST computer problems is REBOOT YOUR
COMPUTER. This will reset the OPERATING SYSTEM’s part of the Internet connection.
As a sidenote, if it’s just one particular website that you are having trouble accessing,
try going to this website: DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com. Plug in the address of the website you’re
trying to connect to, and it will tell you if the website is having issues or if the
problem is on your end. If rebooting the computer doesn’t solve the problem, you’ll want
to look at your cable modem or DSL modem. There will be a series of lights on it, just
like this one. On a cable modem, the lights will typically be labeled POWER, RECEIVE,
SEND, ONLINE, ACTIVITY, and STANDBY. The first 4 lights should be on and the Activity light
should be blinking sporadically. If this is not the case, you’ll want to check your
connections from the wall outlet to the modem to your router if you have one, to your computer.
Now if the STANDBY light is on, that may be your problem right there. You may have accidentally
pressed the STANDBY button on the top of the modem, which would suspend your Internet connection
until it is pressed again. If all lights look normal, you can proceed to power cycling the
modem, router, and computer. Basically what this means is turning these components off
and back on again. On the modem and router, simply disconnect the power from both. Then
shut down your computer. Give it about 20-30 seconds, then reconnect the power to the modem,
wait about 30 seconds for all lights to come on, then reconnect the power to the router
and turn on your computer. Give your computer a few minutes to completely start up, then
try connecting to the Internet. If you’re still having a problem, call your Internet
Service Provider, such as Cox, Comcast, Qwest, etc, as there may be an outage or problem
in your area. They can also run some diagnostic tests on your modem to make sure it is working
properly. If you’re calling because of slow Internet speeds, visit speedtest.net before
you call. This test will tell you the exact Internet speeds you are getting. You can compare
this to the speeds you’re paying for, and find out if your Internet speeds are actually
slow. If all is clear on your provider’s end, you can call a computer technician for
help. Finally, a word about wireless routers. Although
wireless connectivity has been around for a number of years, it can still prove to be
flaky and unreliable. I recommend connecting your computer to your router through a wired
connection with one of these cables called Ethernet (or CAT5) cables. It looks sort of
like an oversized telephone cable. If your computer is not located close to your router
and you choose to use wireless connectivity, make sure to place your router as high as
you can, such as on a bookshelf, and keep it as far away as possible from interference
items like televisions, cell phones, refrigerators, and microwaves.
As always, if you have questions about this particular video or if you have any comments
or training suggestions on what you would like to learn about, go ahead and send me
an email at training@mycomputerworks.com. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel
by clicking the Subscribe button above any of our YouTube videos. You can find us on
Facebook and Twitter by clicking the links in the More Info section just under this video.
If you have any questions about My Computer Works or would like more information about
our services, please call us at the number you see below, or visit us online at mycomputerworks.com.
My name is Matt Bauer, thanks again for watching, and we’ll see you next time.