Wireless Tips for the Less than Tech Savvy Individual

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Has this ever happened to you? You log onto your computer and try to launch your wireless Web browser to complete a work-related task, only to find yourself without a wireless connection? I’ll admit, it has happened to me before, and trust me, it is an extremely uneasy feeling knowing that you need to complete your responsibilities by a certain time yet can’t connect to the Internet. While I will admit that technology just doesn’t like me at times, it appears that I’m not the only one that has encountered this obstacle at some point.

I recently had the chance to speak with George Otte, CEO and founder of Geeks on Site, who revealed five helpful points that all Internet users should keep in mind next time they just can’t seem to connect wirelessly. But before we get into this invaluable information really anyone with a pulse can leverage, how about we first talk about what type of company Geeks on Site is?

Founded in Miami, Fla. originally under a different name back in November 2003, the computer repair and technology support expert provided only local service until 2005, where it really started expanding in 2006, having strategically acquired Geeks on Site out of Texas. Currently, the business has technicians in over 150 cities that work from home and travel to customer’s homes and offices alike in order to overcome an array of network problems.

According to Otte, “A percentage of our calls both from residential users and business customers are that their wireless Internet went down. In certain cases, customers can overcome these issues on their own and that’s where we devised these tips from as these are five things people can do on their own or can select to hire people to do all of this for them and more.”

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into those five crucial tips for troubleshooting Wi-Fi problems when at home.

1.       Ensure your modem and router are plugged in correctly and have power.

Although you may be saying a big, fat “duh” in your head right now, this first step on our list is actually very common. As your modem and router both need electricity to work as well as a signal from the phone line, making sure your physical connection is set up as it should be could be the difference between finishing that assignment from your boss on time and receiving a lashing of sorts for not being productive. In addition, testing the network before you actually have to use it could prove to save you some frustration down the line.

2.       Check to see that your router’s wireless feature is working. If it isn’t, remember to try to restart it before panicking.

Sometimes, wireless connectivity just doesn’t want to work and connect with routers for various reasons, even though they are getting power. However, it is key to take a deep breathe and before freaking out, do a power restart and then wait a few seconds. It is likely that this could be the trick you need to get it up and running again.

3.       Did your wireless feature become disabled? Check it out!

Geeks on Site officials commented, “To see if the problem lies from the source of the connection, you should proceed by plugging the Ethernet cable into the router and the router to your computer. If you can access the internet then it’s likely your router has lost its configuration but the modem is fine. You can attempt to fix this by typing the standard IP address ‘192.168.1.1’ in your Internet browser’s address box.”

On the router itself, you can go into the wireless router configuration options, as many routers have a default address. In certain scenarios, there are settings available where you can disable transmission of the signal. Just making sure everything looks right could prove to be the difference between using your Wi-Fi or shedding some tears.

4.       Verify there are no devices that may interfere with your Wi-Fi signal.

Something you should be aware of that is that things that emit a heavy transmission, such as a cordless phone or a microwave, can cause signal interruptions. Keep in mind that is a best practice to relocate these devices as far away as possible from your modem/router to give yourself peace of mind that this couldn’t possibly be the reason for your disconnection.

5.       Test that your PC isn’t the actual problem by using another device to access the wireless connection.

If you are down and can’t log on to the Wi-Fi connection with your favorite computer, a helpful hint is to try connecting to the network via another device. You can then determine if the Wi-Fi or if the computer itself is the problem.

As we have recently embarked into a New Year, don’t let your 2013 be highlighted by anguish due to your lack of technological knowledge. Instead, remember to stay calm and carry on all while eliminating the reasons why your network is failing.




Edited by Allison Boccamazzo
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TechZone360 Web Editor

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