Network Troubleshooting

When your email or internet goes down, what should you do, and who should you call? How do you know who to call first? This list of steps to go through was originally written for an organization with their own web site and e-mail addresses, for this example, we will call the web sit e acme_rockets.com, so they might have an e-mail address like coyotte@acme_rockets.com.

If E-mail does not work:

1. If e-mail does not work, check to see if you can get to www.acme_rockets.com using your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.)
2. If you can see www.acme_rockets.com, then the problem is probably specific to e-mail, either directly on your PC/Mac or specifically the company hosting e-mail for acme_rockets.com. Reboot your machine, and try again. If e-mail still fails, it is probably something wrong with the mail server at the company hosting acme_rockets.com for your organization. Call them.
3. If www.acme_rockets.com does not come up in your web browser, then try going to www.google.com or another big national site.
4. If www.google.com does work, then the problem is specifically with the company that hosts acme_rockets.com for you. Call their support number.
5. If www.google.com does not work, then the problem is with something you own, or with your ISP. Turn off all of your networking devices off. (That means the computer, the router, and the cable modem or DSL modem or whatever it is that connects your router to the outside world.)
6. Now go back and turn each of those devices on one at a time, starting with the device 'closest' to the outside network (Cable Modem for example). For each, wait until the indicator lights stabilize (or 30 seconds), then the router, then your PC.
7. If that does not allow you to get to the internet, then it is probably a problem with your ISP-- that means you should call tech support for Comcast, Verizon or other ISP provider.

If the web does not work:

1. If your web browser can not get to www.acme_rockets.com, then try www.google.com. If you can get to google.com, then the problem is probably at the company hosting your domain (acme_rockets.com). It is very probable that your coyotte@acme_rockets.com will not work either, in any case, call the web hosting company, and see if they are aware of the problem.
2. If you can not get to www.google.com, then the problem is similar to that diagnosed above, follow steps 5 above an on above.