“How to Troubleshoot Internet Issues on a Computer – Where to Begin?”

Internet Troubleshooting
  1. Check if the Network Interface Card (NIC) is disabled.
     If it is, enable it.

  2. Verify the IP address status.
     If the NIC is enabled, check whether it says “Media Disconnected”, or the device has a valid IP address or an APIPA address (169.254.x.x).
  3. If it says Media disconnected, it may indicate a Layer 1 issue (physical connectivity).
     Check the Ethernet cable, switch port, or Wi-Fi SSID connection status to ensure the device is properly connected.
  4. If there is a physical connection problem (Layer 1), fix it first. Then check again if the device obtains an IP address.

  5. If the device has an APIPA address, investigate the DHCP server—either on the router or another DHCP server in the network.

  6. Troubleshoot the DHCP service.
     Make sure it is enabled and functioning correctly and not exhausted. Restart the service if necessary.

  7. Once the device obtains a valid IP address (NOT APIPA), test internet connectivity.
     If it still doesn’t work, check whether the device can communicate with the default gateway (router or firewall).

  8. Verify gateway communication.
     Try to ping the gateway. If NOT successful, check your router or firewall, make sure they are functioning, do a restart if needed,

 

  1. Once you get successful ping response from the gateway  proceed to test communication with a public IP (e.g., 8.8.8.8).

  2. If the device cannot reach a public IP, check the WAN (internet) connection.
     Ensure the WAN port is active, plugged in, and has a valid public IP address from the ISP. Liaise with ISP.

  3. If the WAN connection is confirmed to be working by ISP, try pinging a public IP address like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1.
     If this works, it means routing to the internet is functional.

  4. However, if internet access is still not working, it might be a DNS issue.
     Most users access websites using domain names (e.g., google.com), not IP addresses.

  5. To confirm a DNS issue, try pinging or browsing to a website (e.g., google.com, youtube.com, sularyslab.com).
     If it fails, check the DNS server settings on the device. Ensure the DNS server is reachable and functional.
     A quick fix is to set the DNS to Google’s public DNS (8.8.8.8).
     If using a private DNS, verify that the DNS service is up and running.