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Dead Net connection? Use the power of the Windows command prompt to get back online fast.
hen you start up Firefox or Internet Explorer, the last thing youwant to see is a plain, white screen declaring 'The page cannot bedisplayed'. But if you ever do encounter one, we have the fix. Whetheryou work in Windows XP or Vista, tracking down connection failures canbe a simple, methodical process. Both XP and Vista are supposedto be advanced, graphical operating systems, but when your connectiongoes down,
you'll find the solution in the command prompt--specifically, the Ipconfig command. Short for "InternetProtocol configuration,"
Ipconfig is key to establishing andreestablishing your Internet connectivity. Invariably, this command,with its array of appended parameters, is what your ISP's tech supportrep will tell you to try when you're having difficulty getting online.
Here are five ways that you can raise your IP IQ and troubleshoot your connection yourself.
Web Connection Woes? Refresh Your IP Address
Ifyou use DSL or cable broadband, you probably have a dynamic IP(Internet Protocol) address, which means that your PC's In?ternetaddress changes each time you log on. Your IP address should beassigned by DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol).
From time totime, however, this process doesn't be?have as dynamically as its nameimplies: Sometimes it doesn't assign a new address at boot-up, andyou're stuck with the previous address. Since a fresh IP address isnecessary to reach the Internet, when you open your browser, all yousee is an error screen stating that the PC cannot establish aconnection to the Internet.
Whether your system connects directlythrough a modem or via a router, the first step in getting an IPaddress assigned is to right-click the network icon in the system tray.From the resulting menu, select Repair. Windows willautomatically flush the old ad?dresses and request new ones from yourrouter or Internet service provider, depending on how your PC isconnected.
Most of the time, this op?eration works like a charm.But when it doesn't, you'll have to troubleshoot the situationmanually, and this is where knowing the ins and outs of Ipconfig canhelp you get your connection up and running.
Click Start, Run and type cmd. In Vista you can save a step simply by typing cmd in the Start Search box.
At the command prompt, type ipconfigto see your currently known IP address, the subnet mask, and thedefault gateway for all adapters. Other adapters might in?clude Wi-Fiand Bluetooth cards, although they may be listed as disconnected.
Byitself, Ipconfig does nothing more than display information. (Click theimage here for a detailed view of Ipconfig's output.) To make itactually do something--like refreshing your IP address--you must addparameters preceded by a space and a forward slash. The two parametersthat do the most effective job of repairing your Internet connectionare '/release' and '/renew'.
Typing ipconfig /releasein?structs the DHCP server to erase the existing IP address for alladapters, be they ethernet or wireless. The process should take a fewseconds, confirmed with a display in the DOS box showing all zeros forthe IP address and subnet mask.
Now type ipconfig /renew.If the command is successful, a new IP address, a subnet mask, and thedefault gateway will appear along with the DNS suffix (basically yourISP's address).
[ Last edited by apit_skynet at 3-2-2008 07:16 PM ] |
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