Troubleshooting Broadband

If your broadband was working fine one minute and suddenly fails troubleshooting broadband starts with shutting everything off including your modem, turning in after 5 minutes and trying it again. More often than not this will normally solves your broadband internet connection problems. Remember when you restart you PC be patient and let the computer settle after a few minutes once it has finished loading all hardware and start-up software items.

Like all computer hardware, wireless broadband (also know as wireless LAN or wifi) can work for months or years and then all of a sudden, it stops working. Before you throw your PC out of the window or call in "the computer man" there are a few simple steps you can take to troubleshoot the problems.

1. First of all, save your work and restart your computer. If you have access to the wireless LAN router and broadband modem, restart them as well. This simple technique has a surprisingly high success rate.

2. If this fails, the second thing is to check for loose connections. If you have a USB or PCMCIA wireless LAN card, ensure that it is seated firmly in the slot. If you have an internal PCI wireless LAN card, you will need to open the computer casing to check the connection.

3. If a loose connection isn't the cause of failure, the next thing to try is check Windows' My Network Places. Are there any new network icons that appear there? Sometimes, your wireless LAN card may detect another network nearby that has a stronger signal and connect to the new network instead. If My Network Places showed any unfamiliar network name, simply remove it. Then double click on your own network name to re-establish the connection.

4. If there is no new network nearby, you can try to bring your computer right next to your wireless LAN router. If this works, then it is likely to be a case of interference. You should think carefully what has changed recently in your house. Maybe you have added a new cordless phone or other equipment that use radio waves. Try switching them off one at a time to determine the source of interference.

5. If you can't determine any source of interference, you can now try resetting the wireless LAN router to its original factory setting. You can login to the router's control panel using a web browser and look for the option that allows you to restore the settings to the factory defaults. Some routers have a reset switch on the back that you insert a sharp pointed object into and keep pressed for several seconds.

If none of these techniques worked, it is likely that there is a hardware failure in your wireless network.

You need to unplug each piece of hardware in your wireless LAN in turn to figure out where the failure is. Once you identify the source, call the manufacturer and report the fault. In the event you are unable to isolate the source of failure, call the manufacturer and seek their advice. They should be able to advise you on how to troubleshoot your network further.

If you have tried all the obvious things in trying to reslove your broadband connection problems without joy then it is time to contact your broadband providers support line.