Test Your Internet Before Calling Your Broadband Provider

Scenario: You get home from work and discover you cannot get online to check your stock quotes, or check your email, or search for that dinner recipe. You try in vain to restart your computer and every web page you go to only gives you "Page cannot be found" over and over. You're getting steamed and finally decide its time to chew your internet provider out and tell them exactly how you feel. Here are some tips to save some time, possibly some money, and definitely some dignity. By following these simple tips, you can diagnose what could be wrong with your home internet connection.

Steps

  1. Take a look at your modem, that's the box that was provided by your internet provider, there are usually 4 lights on that box. Two of them are on solid (generally power and Ethernet/USB), two are flashing(usually us and DS, which stand for upstream and downstream). This indicates that the modem is getting a signal from your provider, it may not be a good signal, but it is a signal.
  2. If any of those lights are not in the "usual" pattern of on and flashing, remove the power plug from the back of the modem and wait about 45 to 60 seconds then plug it back in.
  3. Now wait about 30 seconds, if you still get the same lights, call your internet support department. Do you see an amber-yellow color light? That is most likely your standby light, that generally means that you pressed the on/off or 'standby' button and you need to press it again.
  4. If you are using a router, either wireless or wired, remove the power from the router for about 30 seconds then plug it back in. Check to see if your online, if not remove the Ethernet cable from the modem and plug your computer directly into the modem with the Ethernet cable from the router, or use a cable to directly connect the computer to the modem.
  5. Restart your computer. Then check to see if you can get online. If not, then call your internet service provider and be prepared to have to do many of these steps all over again. Most, if not all, technicians have software that they can use to gather information from the modem. And they need to establish a baseline signal level to see if the modem is getting good signal to determine if a field technician is required.

Tips

  • General knowledge of your computer is not required, but it is helpful. A technician will help you get your computer back online.
  • Make sure you have time to work on the problem so that we can solve it.
  • Field technicians work business hours. Be willing to accommodate the technicians schedule so we can restore your services.
  • Don't be afraid to ask for credit on your account for lost service time, however do not demand credit for an issue that has existed for more than 2 weeks before making your telephone call for technical support.

Warnings

  • ISPs cannot troubleshoot software issues from programs that did not install with the windows operating system. This includes Outlook email from Microsoft Office, Norton, McAfee, or any other anti-virus, spyware or malware program. Contact a certified computer technician to have them help you, or call the software support department.
  • Technical support cannot troubleshoot routers, switches, hubs, or any other device that is not the modem and one primary computer. If you can, bypass the router by connecting a computer directly to the modem.
  • Threatening to disconnect your services because of an outage is no way to get the problem solved quicker. Threats are handled instantly by transferring you to a special department where they make the determination of whether or not to terminate your services. This only delays your getting online again.
  • The moment you use a swear word, many ISP technicians will disconnect the call with or without warning. Swearing at the technician will delay you getting services restored. Many times service calls are recorded and listened to by supervisors and corporate offices, as well as entered into the account notes.
  • Do not call your ISP at 2:30 a.m. and expect them to get a field technician out to your home immediately.

Things You'll Need

  • Account number and information for verification purposes.
  • A working personal computer that does not have any software issues.

Related Articles

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Test_Your_Internet_Before_Calling_Your_Broadband_Provider&oldid=277688"