Most computer users feel like they have no idea what to do when their computer decides to stop doing whatever it is supposed to be doing. They aren’t very comfortable with troubleshooting, and frankly some don’t feel like they have the time. However, there are a few easy things you can try before you decide to take a hammer (or keyboard) to your desktop.
This series will examine four areas where knowing some basic troubleshooting steps can help you find and fix what is wrong and may help mitigate some of the stress that comes along with dealing with a malfunctioning PC.
In part 3 of our series, we talked about smartphone troubleshooting. In this final week of the series we will discuss device connectivity.
Today it is commonplace to have multiple devices connected to the same home or small office network. Take a family of four, for example. Each member could have a cell phone and a computer or laptop, you’d likely have at least one printer in the house, a smart TV, one or more streaming devices, a few tablets, maybe a smart refrigerator, a smart speaker…the list can go on. You can already see how quickly the number of devices begins to add up. More devices means more opportunities for a device to not connect properly or see other devices on a network. Diagnosing connectivity issues can be a little complex even in the simplest of networks, so we are going to make a few assumptions in this blog in order to keep it simple:
Your network has AT MOST one router/modem that can broadcast on two different bands and that you may have two different service set identifiers, or SSIDs, for each band. SSIDs are the names you see when you try to connect a device to a wired or wireless network.
Your network isn’t currently set up with any additional Wi-Fi extenders or repeaters. Repeaters and extenders are physical devices that help extend the range of your wireless network. Troubleshooting with these devices on the network would involve similar steps you’d use for a bare bones network, but they have their own steps for setup and access and we’d have to address connectivity issues with those additional steps in mind.
One of the first things you’ll want to check if a device like a printer isn’t showing up on the network is to see if it is turned on and has power. This seems silly, but we take it for granted that our devices are always on and the problem could be something as simple as a power strip’s switch might have been turned off by mistake or the device was unplugged for some reason and wasn’t plugged back in. Next, you’ll want to check your internet connection. If your internet is down, you’ll want to refer to part 1 of our series. Check with other devices to see if they can see the printer in question. Try to print from your phone or another computer. If they can see it, then you know it isn’t a problem with the network. Confirm that the device you’re trying to connect to the printer is on the same network. If you have your network split with two or more different SSIDs for the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, check both device’s Wi-Fi settings to make sure the printer isn’t one one network and the device is on another. Is the printer on Joe Bob’s 2,4 GHz Wi-Fi and the device on Joe Bob’s 5 GHz Wi-Fi, for example? Keep in mind some older devices will only allow them to see the 2.4 GHz network and newer devices can see both 2.4 and 5 GHz networks; you will want to set up your devices accordingly.
For streaming devices that use AirPlay or Google Cast, you’ll need to ensure that both devices are on the same network in order for them to see the other. Apple uses AirPlay and Android uses Google Cast and they can’t play together, so keep that in mind when purchasing a streaming device. Any other smart devices like thermostats, smoke detectors, webcams and the like are going to follow the same principle of needing to be connected to the same network in order to speak to one another. NOTE: As for smart TVs, refrigerators, and other new devices that have the ability to connect to the internet, I would personally recommend against giving these devices connectivity if you can at all avoid it. Your smart TV may be the only way you can access Netflix, Hulu, and the like, so it’s possible you may not be able to. If you can avoid it, however, it would be one less way companies can have access to your viewing and spending habits. The user agreements for connecting these devices are usually VERY one sided and allow a company access to most, if not all, of your data and can even involve keeping track of what you watch and when. Worse still, these devices have their own IP addresses and default settings for access for the device which almost no person ever changes, so individuals with malicious intent can easily hack these devices and take them over without your knowledge.
If you have a tablet, phone, laptop, or other device that you set up to be viewable on your network, you’ll want to check your operating system’s network settings (usually labeled “Network Connections” or “Internet Settings” to see if a recent update changed a setting you’ve made. Sometimes an operating system update can change or even turn off your network sharing settings and these changes will not be explicitly stated in the patch notes. If you’re having connectivity issues that are more complex and you can’t solve them on your own, you may need to consider hiring a professional.