So you think your internet is not working? Well, here are a few simple ways to ascertain if you have a working internet connection.
1. Visit Any Website
This might sound like a pretty obvious check but it is by far, the most effective and easiest route. Simply fire up your favorite web browser, type in a URL, then hit Enter. Most of us (yours truly included) tend to go for the biggest search engine, Google to check for our internet connection. If you’re met with Google search’s homepage, you’re in business. If any other screen pops up, then there’s an issue. Other websites, apart from Google, that can tell you whether your internet is working or not include, well, IsMyInternetWorking. This can be used to check if your internet is working every few seconds so it might be worth keeping this one bookmarked in your browser.
2. Check the Lights on Your Router
If you’re experiencing symptoms of a poor internet connection, quickly check your router to see if it working correctly. You might have to consult your router’s user manual for this as various makes and models have various light configurations that mean various things. For most consumer-grade routers, a solid green light on the internet connection indicator means you have internet. A blinking or a red/orange light indicator could mean there’s an issue with your connection. Again, different routers have different ways of showing you this so consult your user manual first. Read More: 7 Most common reasons why your internet is not working
3. Check Your Device Indicator
Most modern operating systems give users an indication for internet status via an easily identifiable icon, often located in the system tray. Should there be an issue with your internet connection, you should see the icon change to indicate the same. Be it with a yellow exclamation mark or a question mark depending on your operating system.
4. Use the Command Prompt or Terminal Ping Service
Another way to quickly check if your internet connection is working is by firing up your Command Prompt (for Windows) or Terminal (for Mac) and pinging a server. This is as simple as typing in ping <website.com> for example: This should send a call out to the website and listen for the response from the said server. You should get results like the ones displayed above. If the results return a Request timed out or Network is unreachable error, then you’re probably offline. You can contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or call the tech-support guy to help you troubleshoot what could be causing your broken internet.
