Troubleshooting Wired Connections
- Colin McNeil
- Sarah Nguyen (Deactivated)
- Former user (Deleted)
This guide is meant to help faculty, staff, and students troubleshoot their wired network connection. This connection is facilitated by an ethernet cable that runs from your device to a network switch or a router.
Background
Your router will have at least two ethernet ports. One of these ports is specifically meant to connect to your Modem, the device that translates and communicates with the outside world. If you need more ports than are available on your router, a network switch will be added. A switch can be equated to a power plug strip; it occupies one outlet to give you many more. The router is responsible for assigning every device in your house an IP address; this address tells the data where to travel within your network. Once given addresses, some devices can talk directly to each other through a common switch. Together, a router and switch(es) can form a large network of connected devices. Be sure that your device is connected to either a switch or your router.
Connection
Make sure your ethernet cable is plugged in on both ends. On the network side, make sure the port is lit with a green link light. The green light represents an established link between the two devices, while an amber light means data is being transmitted.
If the cable is connected and you see a green link light but cannot reach the internet, or you see a solid amber light and no green light, continue below. If you are sure the cable is connected on both ends but do not see the port lighting up, the cable may be damaged; please try another cable.
Click on the Network icon that sits at the right end of the Taskbar. The icon looks like a computer monitor with an ethernet cable rising up the left side of the monitor.
If you instead see an icon that looks like a globe with a smaller, bisected circle, that means your computer does not see a cable connected. If your cable is connected to your computer but not connected on the other end, your computer cannot tell that a cable is connected. Double-check that your cable is connected on both ends and that you see a lit, green light on the switch/router.
If the cable is connected and you see a green link light but cannot reach the internet or you see a solid amber light and no green light, continue below.
If you see a solid amber light but no green light, the network adapter may be turned off.
Right-click on the Network icon, and choose Open network & Internet settings.
Under Advanced network settings, click Change adapter options.
Right-click on the appropriate network adapter; it will likely have "Ethernet" in its name.
You may try the Diagnose option before restarting the adapter.
Chose Disable and wait for the computer to process the change or choose to Enable the adapter if it was already disabled.
If you disabled the adapter, Enable it to turn the adapter back on.
If you see a green link light but cannot reach the internet, your network adapter's configuration may need to be returned to its normal values.
In the same menu that was used in Step 3, right-click on the Ethernet adapter and choose Properties.
In the pop-up window, double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) to open the properties.
Make sure that both automatic options are chosen. This allows your network's router to assign your device an IP address in order to send/receive data.
Note: The non-automatic choice is used to connect directly to specific devices over the network without the help of a router.Click Okay and then Okay again to close the pop-up windows. The network adapter will automatically restart in order to apply your settings.
If you are still having issues, please visit techsupport.uconn.edu to participate in a live chat or to open a ticket (email correspondence) and let them know that you have followed this guide to expedite your experience.