Why did my home network stop working?

Read the article that everyone's commenting on.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed for comments on this article.

Another trick that I often use before rebooting my computer is to type Ipconfig into the command prompt. It doesn’t always work, but in cases where the computer has been dormant (such as with my laptop), or if my network cable has been unplugged for a while, it often helps and avoids my having to close out every single program and browser window I have open....

I have done what Leo suggested also, and it often solves the problem. However, I found another trick to try when having problems. Restart your computer in safe mode, and choose the option that says "use last known configuration that worked". This has saved me many times from having to call tech support. I had problems accessing the internet no matter what I did, so I rebooted to safe mode, then removed all unnecessary programs. I ran my spyware programs, and found some nasties that didn't show up previously. I cleaned them, then ran a quick disk defrag, and ta da! no more problems. It's possible you have some hidden spyware lurking in your system. PS--When you boot into safe mode, don't use the option that allows internet connection, you want to be completely off line while doing all these things. Reboot your computer after you try these tricks, and hopefully everything will be up and running! Good luck

OK, Leo, I've been where you're describing and ended up rebooting the router, but I've always been puzzled why only ONE of our simultaneously running laptops would lose their connection while the others seem unaffected. Rebooting the router fixes it, but I could never understand why, if it was the router, why wouldn't be affecting ALL the computers' connections?

Eventually it will. It has to do with what kind of operations the individual computers are performing, what kind of requests they are making of the router, and how well the firmware in the router is written.

Hi Leo!!!!
i read your articles they were very good and usefull for me. thanks a lot for it.

" CAN YOU TELL ME HOW CAN I MAKE CHANGES IN MY EXPLORER WITHOUT USING ANY THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE."

Newly installed AV Software and Firewall Software can block alot of internet and network features as well. Been burned there many times

Hi Leo,
The problem I have has been driving me nuts, My network was fine and working normal, then about a week ago my fiance turned on his pc and the internet connection went down, but the LAN is still working.
Nothing i have already tried works but what i have established is that switching his pc on and going straight into bios crashes the internet connection even with the LAN cable unplugged! My childrens pc on the other hand does not have this problem but also loses the net when he switches on his pc. We have even tried using an extention cable to plug his pc into a different circuit to no effect. PLEASE CAN YOU HELP??

Kind regards

Wendy.

My wireless laptop connection always gets disconnected when my ISP changes the IP Address. Unplugging and plugging it back in does re-establish my internet connection; but is there some setting I can change to avoid having to climb the stairs (where my router is connected to my desktop and cable modem) every time this occurs? I'm not lazy, but I am disabled with spine problems and climbing the stairs is not easy for me.

I'd appreciate any help you can offer as I prefer to keep my desktop, modem and router where it is. Thank you.....Gina

Recently after downloading uTorrent and testing it out for quite some time, I soon noticed that my internet was not responding the way i wanted it to. I was able to access MSN and 3rd-party programs however as soon as i opened my internet explorer (IE7) it seems to work fine. As soon as i close it, i am unable to connect with an error saying that it is unable to connect to the internet.

I believe that it may be some problem with my router however this is constant and quite aggravating to repeat the process of turning on and off my modem/CPU.

I would greatly appreciate any help or suggestions to save me from going to a technician to fix the problem.

I have the same problem with uTorrent, rebooting the router helps to fix it. It seems that all of the data uTorrrent passes through the router eventually plugs it up (for lack of a better term), and rebooting clears it out. I have an older d-link wireless B router, but it never had a problem with other p2p.

To post a comment on "Why did my home network stop working?", please return to that article's main page.