Basic Cable Modem Troubleshooting Made Easy - Simple First Steps to Take Before Calling Technical Support

Let's face it, no one likes to call technical support if they don't have to. Having to call technical support can be time consuming and can at times, be very aggravating. The following simple steps will save time on your Internet service interruption, and if you do have to call technical support, you'll have already done some of the troubleshooting steps before calling.

If your Internet service was working previously, the first thing to try to save time and effort before getting into the wiring is a process called "power cycling."

1. Simply shutdown/turn off both your computer and the cable modem.

2. Then turn on the cable modem and allow it to completely startup. Make sure that you see at least a power light, and an Internet/WAN (Wide
Area Network) light light before turning the computer.

3. Once your computer is completely started-up look again to the cable modem and now there should be a Ethernet/LAN (Local Area Network) light
lit-up as well.
If this doesn't immediately get you reconnected to the Internet then check all the physical connections for a secure fit.

1. Make sure the power cable is securely connected to the cable modem and wall power socket, and the cable modem is turned on.

2. For cable modem, the cable will be a regular coax cable that screws directly into the router, or is a "patch cable" that screws into the router and the other end screws into a cable coax wall jack. The connector at each end will be threaded with a center copper "stinger" that should protrude from the top edge of the cup by about an eighth of an inch. The inside of the fitting cup should be clean and the center conductor should not be discolored, i.e. the copper center conductor should be bright copper like a new shiny penny. these fitting(s) should be screwed in "finger tight" both at the cable modem and the cable coax wall socket."

3. Make sure that you have an Ethernet cable connected to the cable modem at one end and the other connected to the NIC (Network Interface Card) in your computer. The Ethernet cable looks like a thick telephone cord (they come in varying colors), although the end clips are larger than a regular telephone cord and will not fit into a standard telephone wall jack.

As a final step shutdown/turn off both your computer and the cable modem. Then first turn on the cable modem and allow it to completely startup. Make sure that you see at least a power light, and an Internet/WAN (Wide Area Network) light before turning the computer. Once your computer is completely started-up look again to the cable modem and now there should be a Ethernet/LAN (Local Area Network) light lit-up as well. Try using your favorite Browser, IM or email client.