A network is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals, or other devices connected to one another to allow the sharing of data. An example of a network is the internet, which connects millions of people all over the world.

A network, in computing, can also be seen as a group of two or more devices or nodes that can communicate. The devices or nodes in question can be connected by physical or wireless connections. The key is that there are at least two separate components, and they are connected.

The scale of a network can range from a single pair of devices or nodes sending data back and forth, to massive data centers and even the global Internet, the largest network in existence. What all of these networks have in common, from the smallest ones to the largest, is that they allow computers and/or users to share information and resources. Networks may be used for:

• Communications such as email, instant messaging, chat rooms, etc.
• Shared hardware such as printers and input devices.
• Shared data and information through the use of shared storage devices.
• Shared software, which is achieved by running applications on remote computers.

Internet is the eye with which we see the world as a global village,there fore ,there is need for a fast and reliable network so that access to the internet can be guaranteed.

A faulty Wi-Fi connection doesn’t have to ruin your day. There are numerous ways you can restore a lost internet connection. Follow these network troubleshooting tips and you’ll be up and running in no time.

1. Check Your Internet Settings

First, check your Wi-Fi settings. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Switch Wi-Fi to the On position.

Phones and tablets also have settings that turn Wi-Fi on and off. Make sure that it is turned on so you can connect to the network.

You also want to check if Airplane Mode is turned on.

2. Check Your Access Points

Check your WAN (wide area network) and LAN (local area network) connections. In layman’s terms, these are the Ethernet cables that go to and from your router.

If you suspect that the cables are the culprit, try swapping them out with new ones.

3. Restart the Router

Sometimes restarting the router can help fix connectivity issues. This is even truer in cases where the router has not been turned off in a while. A quick restart can jolt the router back into working like it used to.

If that doesn’t work, you might also consider resetting the router. But only do so if you’re okay with it being restored to its factory settings. You will have to reconfigure everything including the SSID and password.

4. Check the Wi-Fi Name and Password

Check the network name (otherwise known as SSID) and password of the network connection. If you’re used to connecting automatically when in range of a router but are no longer able to, changes may have been made to the network while you’re away.

It could be as simple as administrators updating the password or the SSID could have been changed to a different one.

5. Check DHCP Settings

Routers are usually set up as DHCP servers. This setting lets computers join a network automatically. With DHCP turned on, users will no longer have to mess with IP Address and DNS Server settings manually.

To edit your DHCP settings, go to Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Under Wi-Fi, click Manage Known Networks. Select a network and click Properties.

Under IP Settings, click Edit. From the drop-down menu, select Automatic (DHCP).

Note: Selecting Manual will let you set your DNS Server Address and IP Address settings manually.

6. Update Windows

Your network problems could be caused by your system. If that is the case, Windows could have possibly released a fix. Try updating your Windows machine to the latest release.

Go to Windows Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Click Check for Updates. If there are updates available, Windows will download and install them.

7. Open Windows Network Diagnostics

Windows has a tool called Windows Network Diagnostics that lets users troubleshoot connection issues.

Go to Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Status. Under Change Your Network Settings, click Network Troubleshooter.

Windows Network Diagnostics will run a couple of tests to see what’s possibly causing your Wi-Fi issues.

Contact Your ISP

Should all the above steps complete successfully, you’ve now verified that your equipment is working and confirmed you have a valid IP address from the router. Also, you’re sure that the problem is occurring outside of the network for multiple devices. If this is the case, your next best option is to find out if your ISP is having issues.

Using your smartphone will prove useful here, as you can look up an outage map (like Down detector.com) for your provider or check Twitter to see if others in your area are experiencing issues as well. If you don’t see anything of note online, try giving your ISP a call to see if there are known issues. Perhaps line issues are affecting a small area; a representative should be able to run tests to check.

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