Step by step diagram for how to troubleshoot a wireless connection by yourself. Provided by www.7tutorials.com.

1. Troubleshoot Wireless Network
Connection Problems by Yourself

2. START
Connecting your laptop to
a Wireless Network
Does your laptop see
No
the wireless network?
Yes
Do other devices (laptops, netbooks,
mobile phones, etc.) see the wireless Yes
network and connect to it?
No
Go to page 4
And follow the
diagram shown there.
Are you less than 10-15 meters Is the Wireless
away from your router? Switch On/Enabled
No on your laptop?
Yes
No Yes
Turn on the
Wireless Switch on
your laptop.
Your router is not
Get closer to your
functioning (check if it is Did you install the latest
router(preferably in the
plugged in, if it works, drivers for your wireless
same room with it).
etc). network card?
Yes
No
Go to page 3 (next page) Install the latest drivers for
And follow the diagram shown your laptop’s wireless
there. network card.

3. START
Latest drivers for your wireless
network card are installed
Were you able to detect and connect to
other wireless networks (in café’s, airports, Yes
No
other people’s house, etc)?
Does your laptop’s wireless card support the mode used by the
There is a problem with your laptop’s router to transmit the wireless signal (802.11b, 802.11g or
wireless network card. Use the warranty 802.11n)?
to have it repaired.
No
Yes
Change the wireless mode on
your router so that it is
compatible with the wireless
network card on your laptop.
Is Mac Address Control
No Yes
enabled on your router?
Add your laptop’s wireless network card MAC to the MAC
Did you install the Address Control settings of your router. Set the router to
latest firmware on your allow wireless network access to this MAC address.
No router? Yes
Go to the website of your router’s Your router is incompatible with your laptop’s wireless
manufacturer, download the latest firmware network card. You must change the router(if it is an old
plus the upgrade manual, and upgrade the model 3+ years) to a newer model or your laptop, so that it
firmware on the router. includes a more modern wireless network card.

4. START
Your laptop sees the wireless network
Can you connect to
No Yes
the wireless network?
Is wireless security enabled on your
router (WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK)?
Yes
Limited
Connectivity No
Error?
Can you access
Do you know and did you type Yes the Internet?
No
the correct security key?
No Yes
No
Obtain and type the Everything is OK. No
correct security key of the issues.
wireless network. Do you have a proxy
Yes set on your internet
browser? Yes
Is the laptop’s wireless
Did you install the latest network card set to
Yes Remove the proxy settings and
drivers for your wireless automatically receive an allow direct connection to the
network card? IP Address? internet for your internet
browser.
Yes
No
No
No
Go to page 3 (previous page) Install the latest drivers for
And follow the diagram shown your laptop’s wireless
there. network card. Clear your current IP, DNS settings on Possible Internet Outage of your
your laptop’s wireless network card and Internet Service Provider or Internet
let them be set automatically. connectivity problems for your router.

5. For more help, go to:
www.7tutorials.com/wireless-networks