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My Internet is Down, what Should I Do?
Occasionally, we all have Internet outages and slowdowns. When this is caused by a service outage at your internet provider, there is nothing you can do but wait it out. Sometimes, however, when your Internet goes out there are things you can do at home to get it back up and running again.
Some of you have a modem and a router as two separate pieces of equipment. Generally, though, most internet providers like CenturyLink or Wave will provide you with a combination router/modem. This setup is what we will discuss.
Try rebooting. This is different from a reset. Rebooting your modem/router means to simply unplug your modem/router, let it sit for about 30 seconds and then plug it back in. Many times, this will fix your problem. Make sure that you wait approximately 30 seconds before you plug it back in. After you plug is back in it will take a few minutes for your internet to come back up. If you call for service from your provider, they will ask you if you tried rebooting your modem.
If your service is slow or intermittent, look at your internet setup. Are you trying to connect to Wi-Fi far from your router in a back room somewhere that has multiple walls between you and the router? Move closer to the router and see if that helps. If there are a lot of people using your Wi-Fi at the same time, this could also cause slowdowns on your system. Try disconnecting some of your devices from the internet and see if it improves the speed.
Many routers now are dual band. This means that you have an option to connect to 2.4GHz or 5GHz. If you have this option, try connecting to the one that you aren’t currently accessing. While 5GHz will often give you faster speeds, it has a shorter wavelength so you won’t be able to connect from farther away like you can with 2.4GHz. 5GHz is also line of sight. It won’t go through walls like a 2.4GHz connection will. This is a trade off and you can connect to the one that suits your current needs.
If none of these solutions get your back connected, it’s time to call your service provider for assistance.
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Computer FAQ GAL - Previous Columns
Kathie PearceComputer FAQ GAL
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April 22, 2020 Welcome CompFAQ Gal
I’ve lived in the Randle area for the past 20 years, moving here from Kent in 1999 to get out of the city life and never looked back. I have three children, my oldest daughter lives in Seattle and the younger daughter and son live in Randle. I’m blessed with three beautiful grandkids.
I started working with computers in the early 80’s when I worked at the Air Traffic Control Center (FAA) in Auburn, WA. I worked there for 12 years and eventually ended up in the computer lab overseeing new Air Traffic Control students doing their required computer training. From there, I took a job with Boeing in their Computer Based Training department developing the computer training materials that airplane customers receive when they buy Boeing’s planes. Except for a few Boeing layoffs and re-hires, I worked there until 2015 when our department was disolved and the work moved elsewhere to save money.
Since leaving Boeing I have worked at a variety of jobs in the valley. While working at Fischer’s Market I met Robert. After he learned of my computer background he told me he was wanting to retire at some point and was looking for someone to work with him and possibly pass the torch to. For the past 6 months or so I’ve been working as his assistant and learning his business. On March 31, I officially purchased ComputerFAQ from him and am very excited to continue his work.
Please send your questions to
ComputerFAQ@live.com
