Articles. Category: DSL

Internet Connectivity Issues – Troubleshooting your DSL

Internet down

• Open Internet Explorer and type in www.ChooseISP.net or any other website that your know its URL but was not recently visited by you on that computer (to avoid fake hopes provided by your computer/browser’s cache). If page cannot be displayed, inspect the lights on the DSL modem. The Internet/DSL light may be off, blinking red, blinking green or solid green.
• If all lights on the modem are solid green, power cycle the router (Linksys, D-Link, Belkin, Netgear, Cisco, Sonicwall in most cases). Keep it off for approximately 40 seconds.
• If after 1-2 minutes you still cannot go online, proceed with step 4.
• Power cycle the modem.
• Unplug the modem, let sit for 20 seconds and then plug back in. Wait for lights to stop blinking.
• In many cases, this will take care of the problem, so you can stop here if connectivity is restored.
• Three solid green lights on the modem?
• Yes, continue.
• No, ensure you have dial tone on the line. If you have dial tone, ensure it is the correct line. When sure of right line, call the ISP, as the problem seems to be on their side. If no dial tone, call the local phone company to have the dial-tone restored as that may bring back the DSL too.
• Click Start then Run. Type in CMD and then ping www.chooseisp.net
• If ping worked, the problem was solved.
• If ping failed, continue.
• Check for carrier light on the network card (NIC)
• If light is on, continue.
• If light is off, verify you are using the correct cable from the ADSL modem or the router to the NIC. If cable seems to be in very bad shape, have it replaced.
• If both modem and router were power-cycled already and the wires and the wiring inspected and properly, you should call the ISP (Internet Service Provider).
• The ISP will ask you to remove the router from the circuit and have the modem connected to one of the computers directly. This is OK but make sure that you understand the difference and feel confident to put the router back in the circuit later on when the DSL will be working.
• Follow the few easy steps with ISP. Have the ISP advise you on the IP information that will need to be inputted into the LAN TCP/IP Properties.
• Approve an on-site visit if needed.
• Follow up with the ISP regarding this every 24 hours. In most cases, your DSL number will be the case number.

Good luck!

I wrote this article based on my many years of DSL troubleshooting. I may have missed stuff and if so I really apologize. Feel free to use this article but do not change its form if distributed. Write your own article if that’s your purpose. Contact the author: SPL

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