One of the common problems among internet users is testing their internet connection to pinpoint the exact problem. There is a big number of internet users who use DSL, and cable modem service.
You set us your connection the way your ISP (internet service provider)instruct you to. Sometimes, it doesn't work for numerous reasons.
You service is not ready, your hardware in not connected properly, or your ISP is having problems.
Whatever the cause of the problem maybe, there are some diagnostic tools you can use in Windows XP, in order to identify the problem.
If you are not exact in your diagnostic, you will get a good idea at least.
Before we get to the diagnostic tools, let us discuss what is involved in an internet connection.
The information travels over the internet to your computer through your ISP service. This is done through a High speed modem then to a network card installed in your computer.
Your computer is called a host, your service provider will give you the DNS IP address, and you get your login and password. That is all what you have from your ISP.
Sometimes, your internet connection fails, and you want to find out the problem. You may be able to fix it, or at least get some information about the problem to advise your isp for help.
You will start by accessing the command prompt by going in sequence to:
Start menu, program, accessories, then command prompt. A window will open where you type commands from the prompt.
At the command prompt, you type: IPCONFIG. This command will give you the active network connection on your computer. Here is an example:
PPP adapter Copy :
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.239.158.45
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 68.239.158.45
The above output was produced when I ran the Ipconfig command on my own computer running Window XP OS, and A DSL connection. The IP address is my computer address assigned by the ISP.
Please note, you can add an option to this command, in order to get more detailed information about your connection. Here is the output, when I ran the same command with the "all" option.
Ipconfig /ALL
PPP adapter Copy :
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.239.158.45
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 68.239.158.45
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 151.198.0.39 151.197.0.39 NetBIOS over TCP/IP. . . . . . . . : Disabled
Notice now, the output includes the phisycal address of the network interface card installed in my computer. Also, you see the DNS IP addresses. With the above information, I didn't have any problems.
Supposed ,I disconnect my DSL connection and ran the command again, this is the new result:
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
Notice in this case, where I disconnected my connection, you don't get a DNS server. This tells you that I am not connected to the internet.
Also, notice the IP address starts with 192.168, which is the default address whenever your computer is not connected to the internet.
Another command is the ping command. It will allow to check if a computer is connected to the network and ready to communicate, whether intranet, or internet.
Once you run it,it will sent a packet to the computer specified and gives the time it took for the packet to travel. This is an a output when I tried to ping www.yahoo.com:
C:>ping www.yahoo.com
Pinging www.yahoo.akadns.net [216.109.118.66] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 216.109.118.66: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=55
Reply from 216.109.118.66: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=55
Ping statistics for 216.109.118.66:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 35ms, Maximum = 39ms, Average = 38ms.
That shows that the host was reachable, and connected to the internet.
A very important command is the Nslookup. This will let you check if DNS (domain name server) is working properly. The function of the DNS server is to translate ip addresses to domain name of the networked computer. Here is an example:
C:> nslookup www.yahoo.com
Server: home5.bellatlantic.net
Address: 151.198.0.39
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: www.yahoo.akadns.net
Addresses: 216.109.118.67
Aliases: www.yahoo.com
So, you enter the name after Nslookup, it will give you IP addresses and vice versa.
In summary, there more commands in Windows Xp, but using the three above commands should give you a good idea about your internet connection problems. You can find where the problem is occurring. Is it your machine, or the ISP.
Thanks,
George Chamoun
For tips about your Windows XP computer, visit our new website: http://www.ResolveWindowsXpProblems.com
DSL ? which stands for Digital Subscriber Line ? is... Read More
Are you a dial-up user looking for a faster connection,... Read More
For anyone trying to get the cheapest internet available, there... Read More
The Internet Control Message Protocol communicates errors messages between systems... Read More
Internet Service Provider or ISP is a company that provides... Read More
There are two measured elements that determine your internet connection... Read More
Defining broadband can get complicatedThere are many different takes on... Read More
Ka Band VSAT* satellite internet technology has enormous possibilities for... Read More
You've set up your Boingo account, you're hanging out at... Read More
Get ready because "there's going to be television out the... Read More
Of primary concern to all internet users is their actual... Read More
Broadband is the name given to a high-speed Internet connection... Read More
Choosing an internet ISP is often a rash and impulsive... Read More
The coming age of general Broadband use bearing down upon... Read More
Okay, so you are finally tired of those slow dial-up... Read More
You may have noticed the expansion of consciousness that has... Read More
Millions of hard-to-find books from five major libraries will soon... Read More
Telecommunication, according to Wikipedia, is the extension of communication over... Read More
Have you heard of the new Internet? It's called Internet... Read More
The wireless network in my house went haywire. It worked... Read More
Thanks to the transfer technologies and governments spending on military... Read More
The State of Satellite Internet in 2005For those businesses unable... Read More
Are you ready to upgrade your residential service to DSL... Read More
Dial up ISP service is the cheapest choice of any... Read More
SQUID:In 1984 I was partnered with a Cable TV engineer... Read More
The revolution is just getting started and will be begin... Read More
With high-speed Internet access becoming available in more and more... Read More
Generally speaking, wireless computer connections are reliable. However, nothing is... Read More
Internet service providers are becoming more and more present as... Read More
Often too many people get confused with all the definitions,... Read More
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in... Read More
Modern Mass Transit is making it easier for commuters, especially... Read More
The Whois protocol is an information service not unlike the... Read More
The Internet, as most people know it, is history.It just... Read More
For anyone trying to get the cheapest internet available, there... Read More
So you're sick and tired of AOL Instant Messenger. You're... Read More
The Internet Control Message Protocol communicates errors messages between systems... Read More
Approximately 4 million people in the UK use ADSL with... Read More
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in... Read More
The revolution is just getting started and will be begin... Read More
There are a number of options available for Business Class... Read More
Dreams. There are two types of dreams: 1. When you... Read More
One of the common problems among internet users is testing... Read More
Broadband is the name given to a high-speed Internet connection... Read More
We were the first beta testers of a Mobile Command... Read More
DSL ? which stands for Digital Subscriber Line ? is... Read More
Wanadoo 17.99 pounds 1 mbps service getting good reviews.Want a... Read More
Telecommunication, according to Wikipedia, is the extension of communication over... Read More
Get ready because "there's going to be television out the... Read More
To find the best broadband provider for you takes some... Read More
Internet service providers are becoming more and more present as... Read More
Modern Mass Transit is making it easier for commuters, especially... Read More
Being on the road has its advantages; the freedom is... Read More
The State of Satellite Internet in 2005For those businesses unable... Read More
Internet Service Provider or ISP is a company that provides... Read More
There are so many different webmail services on the internet,... Read More
The Whois protocol is an information service not unlike the... Read More
The coming age of general Broadband use bearing down upon... Read More
With high-speed Internet access becoming available in more and more... Read More
The "finger" protocol is used to return information on users... Read More
Often too many people get confused with all the definitions,... Read More
Recent companies have been advertising wifi hotspot locations that are... Read More
Generally speaking, wireless computer connections are reliable. However, nothing is... Read More
Securing your Windows Xp computer is done by achieving two... Read More
Ka Band VSAT* satellite internet technology has enormous possibilities for... Read More
Peer to Peer (P2P) Technology- How it works:Ever wondered how... Read More
Broadband Internet |