Second only to losing power, having Internet trouble while you’re working is a huge problem today. I don’t even have to mention how much we rely on consistent Internet access! Here is a brief guide on how you can try to solve you own office’s internet issues:

Step 1

First thing’s first, check to see if the Internet issues / outage is affecting the entire office. Sometimes an individual computer can be to blame so it’s important to rule that out first. If it is just one user having issues, they may have a virus or other issues that require a professional IT Consultant to help with.

Step 2

Assuming the majority of the office is having issues, the next thing to do is to locate your office’s networking equipment. Normally for a small business, this comprises the office’s modem and router. The modem is what receives the internet from your Internet Service Provider (ie Grande Communications) and the router is what is responsible for sending out the Wi-Fi signal. Some offices may have one combined unit (modem & router). I don’t recommend these combo units because they are often slow, outdated, and sometimes incur a rental fee.

Example of a Modem (left) and Router (right)
Example of a modem / router combo. Not recommended for optimal networking performance.

Step 3

Now that you have located your modem and router, time to reboot them. First with the router – find the power button and hit it. If there is none, unplug it from the wall. Now go to the modem and same thing – check for a power button and if not just unplug the modem. Now allow for 5 minutes to go by with both units turned off.

Step 4

After 5 minutes, now its time to power the units on. First start with the modem. Plug it back in and wait for the lights to start flickering and wait until they are solid (about 5 minutes) . If any of the lights glow red or not at all, you may have an issue that requires contacting your Internet Service Provider. After the modem boots up, turn on the router as well. Wait again for about 5 minutes for the router to boot and check for internet access.

Conclusion

Hopefully these steps alleviate you office’s internet issues. If the issues persist. I recommend contact your Internet Service Provider and/or a good IT Consulting firm like Dane Systems.