Troubleshooting Your Internet connection on Windows 98
Run Windows update.
Run updated Virus Protection.
Verify that the Network Connection Icon is present in the system tray. Hover over the icon to see the connection speed.
Un-plug the Subscriber Module power unit from the wall for at least one minute, if not longer. After at least one minute plug the Subscriber Module back into the wall.
IMPORTANT: If a router is being used, be sure to reboot your router by unplugging it for 1 minute then plug it back in. You can also route the Subscriber Module cable directly into the PC skipping the router. This will help isolate the problem by taking the router out of the loop.
Clean out all and any IP Addresses from the system by doing the following.
- Click the Start menu button on the Windows taskbar.
- Click Run
- Type "WinIPCFG" into the text field
- The IP Configuration dialog box appears on the screen
- Click the "Release All" button, wait a minute
- Click the "Renew All" button and wait a minute
- Click the "OK" button to exit the IP Configuration dialog box
Check the settings in the TCP/IP dialog box.
To display the TCP/IP dialog box follow these instructions.
- Click Start > Settings > Control Panel
- Double click the Network Icon
- Inside the "Network connections" box, select TCP/IP and click the Properties Button
- The TCP/IP properties dialog box appears.
There are only three main tabs we are concerned about: IP Address, Gateway, and DNS Configuration. Be sure to look over the other tabs just to be sure no strange. Verify that DHCP server and DNS server are set obtain addresses automatically. All of the text fields should be empty.
Make sure to plug the Subscriber Module back into the power supply.
Viruses and/or spyware are known to block access to the Internet. If you followed the steps above and still cannot access the internet -- it could be related to a virus attack or spyware. In these cases check your firewall software and make sure it allows you to connect to the Internet. To check this, temporarily disable your antivirus, spyware, and firewall software and check the connection again. If you can connect with these disabled, the problem is with your security suite. There may be an incorrect setting (consult the security documentation) or you may have a virus or spyware -- see Weekly Maintenance to help solve this.
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