Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Home networks or other small LAN can stop working for various reasons, but there's a simple reason home networks stop working that's often overlooked.
I'm not able to reach some websites, and the list seems to be growing. I've checked your other articles on the topic, but nothing seems to help. Now, all of a sudden, I can't reach anything. Even my email doesn't work. What's going on?
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There are so many reasons that things can go wrong, sometimes it's a wonder things work at all. However, once configured properly LANs tend to be fairly stable.
That is, until they're not.
This might be a problem that I keep forgetting about myself. If it is, it has a trivially simple solution. Until it happens again.
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Reboot your router.
Seriously - pull the plug on it, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in. If you have a separate broadband modem, reboot it at the same time.
You might have to reboot your PC at this point as well, to force it to get a new IP address.
If everything suddenly starts working more quickly and more reliably - the problem was the router.
It's not a bad router, per so, it's just that, well ... these things happen. It's one of the many reasons that "Reboot" is one of the first steps in diagnosing computer problems. It puts the computer - or in this case the router - in a known clean initial state.
Routers are really small computers. As such they have to do things like manage memory and run programs - which can sometimes bog down, and even halt, after a lot of use due to software design issues - most typically internal memory management and memory fragmentation within the device. When that happens, they stop functioning, or they function erratically. For example, some websites work, others don't. Maybe some are slow, or maybe everything is slow.
Routers are also electronic devices - and are sensitive to power surges, even cosmic rays, than can sometimes cause erratic behavior.
A reboot is a quick, and easy solution to try.
Every month or so I find that things aren't operating as smoothly as I like, or something stops working on my own home network. So, I trek down the basement and pull the plug for a few seconds. After powering it back on, by the time I've walked back up to my office, everything is working smoothly once again.
(Actually, I usually grumble and wonder "ok, what's happening now?" for a while before I suddenly remember, slap my forehead, and head downstairs for the reboot. You'd think I'd remember.)
Article C2793 - September 21, 2006
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
My Dynex g router stopped working on all computers. I rebooted my main computer..still did not work. I the router bad? Does it need to be replaced. A friend said he leases his router because they do not last long. If it needs to be replaced, is it safe to purchase one re-furbished?
11-Mar-2010
Posted by: TERRY at March 10, 2010 6:08 PM
my internet connection becames unplugged sometimes.
Posted by: nida at May 8, 2010 11:44 AMn also shows no connectivity or limited connection.
so how to fix it??
wont the settings of the router be reset when we on/off it?
Posted by: janzen at September 15, 2010 11:33 PMheres a problem..we cant access our webmail..the server is on our network..but 3 pcs cant access our webmail..when we access it outside the network..we can open it..i really dont know whats going..hope u could kind sir..
Posted by: janzen at September 15, 2010 11:35 PMmany thanks
I experienced the frustrating problem of certain sites not loading in the browser. Thought it must be DNS problem. Tried all manner of solutions including flushing the DNS cache. Eventually checked the router’s settings and found that a built in parental control thingy which blocks sites based on key words was activated. It was causing the problem even though there were no key words entered! It is a Sky sagem router/modem by the way.
Posted by: Chris at August 25, 2011 2:13 PM