How To Diagnose Internet Connectivity Problems

Audience
Faculty/StaffResearcherStudentGTF
Diagnosing a failing Internet connection can be fairly complicated. There are a number of different
factors involved in the chain beteen the softare configuration! the firmare drivers! the hardare
device! the netor" e#uipment! and finally the IS$ uplin". If any one lin" in the chain is bro"en! the
connection on%t or". &oever all the user may e'perience is a eb page on%t load. In other ords!
it%s not alays immediately clear specifically hich part is failing. This page ill cover (ust about
everything that could possibly go rong and is organi)ed by the order in hich you should verify
things.
*ontents
D&*$ Settings
D+S Settings
$ro'y Settings
,rd $arty Fireall
-alare
+etor" .#uipment
Device Drivers
&ardare
/. D&*$0 verify that you have a proper I$ address from the D&*$ server
1ne of the #uic"est things to chec" that can help narro the problem don is chec"ing the assigned I$
address. First you ill ant to "no the nature of the netor" you%re connecting to. *ommon local
netor" I$s! such as for personal sitches and ireless routers! begin ith /23./45./... or /23./45.6...
1n the university ired netor"! I$ addresses typically begin ith /35.33,... And on the ireless
netor"! /6.//3... First e ill ant to chec" our I$ address to see if it is in the proper format. If so!
continue on to the ne't section. If the I$ address loo"s incorrect 7commonly if this is the case it ill
default to a /42.384.... address9 e need to fi' the D&*$ settings. 1ften the simple case is that a
manual address has been entered and the configuration needs to be changed bac" to using D&*$.
:indos
Go to start ; run ; <cmd<
Type ipconfig. =nder <I$v> Address< ill be listed your I$ address. If the format loo"s correct!
continue to the ne't section? otherise if it loo"s rong! such as a /42.384... address or a 6.6... address!
e need to chec" the D&*$ settings.
1pen up control panel and go to netor" connections. Right clic" the primary connection you are
using! be it ethernet or ireless! and go to properties. @ocate the T*$/I$ protocol and double clic" it.
-a"e sure the first setting is set to <1btain an I$ address automatically< and then reAtest the connection.
If it is still grabbing 6.6... or /42.384... for an I$! the problem is most li"ely driver/hardare related.
-ac 1S B
1pen up System $references and go to netor".
*lic" on the connection you are using. 1n the main panel there it should say the I$ address assigned to
it. If the format loo"s correct! continue to the ne't section? otherise if it loo"s rong! such as a
/42.384... address or a 6.6... address! e need to chec" the D&*$ settings.
*lic" advanced! go to the T*$/I$ tab! and ma"e sure it is set to <using D&*$<. ReAtest the connection.
If it is still grabbing 6.6... or /42.384... for an I$! the problem is most li"ely hardare related.
3. D+S Settings0 verify that the D+S server is functioning
The connection may be or"ing entirely but there could be a problem ith the D+S server. D+S
servers are responsible for translating an alphanumeric name! such as .uoregon.edu! into a
physical I$ address! such as /35.33,././. :e can do a simple test by pinging a static I$. I li"e to ping
>.3.3.3 because its an easy address to remember. If the ping is unsuccessful then there is a deeper
problem ith the connection and you should continue on to the ne't section. If the ping is successful
than the D+S server settings should be verified.
:indos
Go to start ; run ; <cmd<.
Type ping >.3.3./. If you don%t get a reply! there is a deeper issue ith the connection! so continue on to
the ne't section. If you do get a reply but do not get a reply to a name address such as
.google.com! then e need to chec" the D+S server settings.
1pen up control panel and go to netor" connections. Right clic" the primary connection you are
using! be it ethernet or ireless! and go to properties. @ocate the T*$/I$ protocol and double clic" it.
1n the page that comes up is the D+S info. If the D+S server is not set to automatic! set it to automatic
and try that.
If its still not or"ing! there are a couple manual D+S entries that you can use. >.3.3.//>.3.3.3 is a
public D+S server. There is also 1penD+S0 365.4C.333.333/365.4C.336.336.
If manual configuration isn%t or"ing either! continue to the ne't section.
-ac 1S B
Go to Applications/=tilities/ and open <Terminal.app<
Type ping >.3.3./. If you don%t get a reply! there is a deeper issue ith the connection! so continue on to
the ne't section. If you do get a reply but do not get a reply to a name address such as
.google.com! then e need to chec" the D+S server settings.
1pen up System $references and go to netor". *lic" the connection you are using! ethernet or
ireless! and clic" advanced. Go to the D+S tab. If the automatic D+S settings are not or"ing! there
are a couple manual D+S entries that you can use. >.3.3.//>.3.3.3 is a public D+S server. There is also
1penD+S0 365.4C.333.333/365.4C.336.336
If manual configuration isn%t or"ing either! continue to the ne't section.
,. $ro'y Settings
$ro'y settings can be manually configured for both specific brosers and for the operating system in
general. -ore often! hoever! malicious softare such as spyare ill in(ect its on pro'y settings
ithout the user being aare. :e can easily fi' this! hoever if you do find bi)arre pro'y settings it is
usually a good idea to do a full system scan afterards.
:indos
First chec" the global pro'y settings! hich are located in Internet .'plorer. 1pen up I.! and go to
Tools ; Internet 1ptions. =nderneath the *onnections tab! clic" @an Settings. The pro'y ill be listed
here. Simply disable the pro'y server if you see one there! and furthermore you can record the pro'y
address if you%re interested in folloing up on the origin of the malare.
Secondly! chec" the broser pro'y settings specific to the broser being used. If its I. you are already
done. Firefo'%s pro'y settings are located under Tools ; 1ptions ; Advanced ; +etor" ; Settings.
Google chrome%s pro'y settings are located under Tools ; 1ptions ; =nder the &ood ; *hange pro'y
settings
-ac 1S B
$ro'y settings for 1S B can be found in System $references ; +etor" ; Advanced ; $ro'ies.
Dou can also chec" local broser settings via the indos method above.
>. Third party fireall0 chec" for friendly netor" layer softare
1ften times there can be third party softare such as firealls! antiAvirus! or antiAspyare programs
here the security level either set incorrectly or simply too high! and it is bloc"ing the outgoing
netor" traffic. This is mostly common on indos machines but it is also possible on 1S B as ell.
=nfortunately theres no one single straightforard method of identifying this problem because there is
so much softare out there. 1ne thing you can do on a indos machine is boot into <safe mode ith
netor"ing< by pressing F5 on startup. If the Internet connection is or"ing fine in safe mode and not
in regular mode! there is a decent chance that certain softare is bloc"ing the connection! because said
softare ill not be running in safe mode. =sually the best ay to identify hat could be bloc"ing
traffic is to boot bac" into regular mode! and chec" every program running in the system tray. 7+ote0 on
1S B! this softare ould most li"ely present itself either in the menu bar at the top of the screen! or at
the very bottom of System $references9 Anything that is antiAvirus! antiAspyare! or fireall related
could be the culprit.
1nce you have identified any type of antiAvirus! antiAspyare! or fireall softare running! start by
disabling the softare altogether. If this repairs the connection! you can narro don your search by
reAenabling the softare and going through some of the settings. *hec" specifically for fireall or
traffic bloc"ing settings! try disabling them or loering the security level. If disabling the softare
altogether has no effect! continue to the ne't section.
8. -alare0 chec" for malicious netor" layer softare 7:indos9
.#ually common 7though these days perhaps more common9 to friendly fireall softare are malicious
forms of malare0 viruses! or spyare! hich either bloc" or reAdirect your netor" traffic. Anything
malicious of this nature can be interfering ith your netor" interface and cause all sorts of problems.
*ontact the Technology Service Des" for help removing malare.
If the machine comes up clean! or the removal of malare did not put the netor" connection bac" into
a or"ing state! it is possible that the registry still has remaining corruptions due to present or previous
malicious softare. :inSoc"Fi' is an incredibly useful tool that deserves a special mention here
because it specifically locates netor"Arelated registry entries and attempts to fi' them. :inSoc"Fi' is
available from Softpedia here.
4. +etor" .#uipment0 chec" local netor" e#uipment for problems
The problem can often lie in the sitch! router! or modem that your system is connected to. If you have
access to this hardare! here are common things to chec" to ensure that the netor" e#uipment is
functioning properly.
The first thing you should alays try is to do a basic poer cycle of the router. =nplug the poer cable
from the all and ait for a good solid 8 minutes. The reason to ait is so that all the temporary
memory is cleared and potentially erroneous data is iped.
If a cable modem is involved as ell! perform the same poer cycle on the modem.
*hec" the routers configuration to ma"e sure the D&*$ server is enabled. =sually the router
configuration can be accessed by opening a eb broser and navigating to http0///23./45././ or
http0///23./45.6./! depending on the type of router. 1nce in the configuration loo" for a setting for the
D&*$ server! and ma"e sure it is running.
*hec" the routers configuration for highAsecurity fireall settings. Some routers have an e'tra fireall
layer that is usually unnecessary if you are running an operating system level fireall. Try disabling
this or reducing the security level.
*hec" the routers ifi configuration. Sometimes due to interference you may need to change the
ireless fre#uency 7referred to as <channel<9 to get a clearer signal.
Failing all of the above! most routers allo you to reset the configuration to factory settings. =sually
you may do this through an option in the &T-@ configuration page! or by pressing and holding the
<Reset< physical sitch on the bac" of the router for a certain amount of time. @oo" this up for the
model router before trying it.
+ote0 Additionally! you can upgrade the routers firmare to the latest version. 1n very old routers there
can sometimes be disagreements ith neer netor" cards.
*ontact IS$ or +etor" Administrator
If you are confident that your softare configuration is in chec" and have tried resetting the netor"
e#uipment! its alays possible that the e'ternal uplin" is having issues. Try contacting the nearest
netor" administrator if this is a business or commercial setting! or the service provider in a residential
setting.
C. Device Drivers0 reAinstall netor" device drivers 7:indos9
At this point e have ruled out most of the common softare issues that you are li"ely to ever see. Its
possible no that either the hardare itself is bro"en or the driver has been messed up in some manner.
The best ay to resolve this is to donload the latest official driver from the manufacturer and install
it.
Find out the specific model of your computer. .'ample0 Dell Inspiron ./866! or Sony Eaio
E$**:3/FB/@
Go to the manufacturers :ebsite! find the Softare Drivers F Donloads section! and enter in the
model of your computer.
Find the specific netor" driver you need. -a"e sure if the problem is ith ifi that you get the
:ireless *ard driver! and if its ith the ired connection! ma"e sure you donload the Groadband or
.thernet driver. -a"e absolutely sure that you get the latest driver 7loo" at the dateH9
1nce the driver is donloaded! there are to ays to approach installing it
The simplest ay is to (ust run the installer for the driver! and overrite the e'isting driver. 1nce its
installed! restart the computer and test the connection.
The manual ay to install the driver is to first remove the e'isting driver configuration.
Right clic" -y *omputer and go to <$roperties<
Go to the <&ardare< tab and clic" <Device -anager.< 1n :indos C! <Device -anager< is on the
opening page.
Find the .thernet or ireless card device that you ish to fi'! right clic" it and clic" <=ninstall<
Dou ill be prompted immediately that ne hardare has been found? if not! restart the computer to
activate the prompt.
:ithin this prompt you can point to a location of the driver file for the hardare device. $oint to the
donloaded driver file7s9.
5. &ardare0 reseat or replace netor" card hardare
It%s alays possible that the hardare itself on the netor" card is faulty. This is especially li"ely if the
problem presents itself seemingly randomly or intermittently. The first thing to try is simply reAseating
the card. This is obviously much easier on a des"top computer than a laptop but the same idea applies
to both. This guide ill not go into too much depth on the hardare side of things. If you can get
access to the card! either by removing the side case of a des"top or the top case of a laptop! try pulling
out the card from its slot completely and then plugging it bac" in firmly. If there are scres! ma"e sure
that they are secured tightly and that the card does not move at all if you iggle it gently.
Failing this! the card may need to be replaced ith a ne one.
Still having problemsI *ontact the Technology Service Des" for assistance.