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Well, I believe in the kiss principle, so I am going to keep this simple. What is a modem? A modem is the piece of equipment that your internet provider has supplied, which will allow you, the user, to connect to the World Wide Web.

Whether your provider is a phone company, or a cable television operator, the modems work pretty much the same way. If you aren't able to sign onto the web, first check all the obvious.

1. Make sure all your equipment is plugged in and power is on.

2. If using a phone provided modem, make sure your phone line is solidly plugged into the input of the modem.

3. The same goes for the cable modem. Make sure the round RG-6 cable is securely screwed onto the connector on the rear of the modem.

4. If you are using an Ethernet card or you have an on-board Ethernet connection, be sure the Ethernet cord is secured. The cord will have a connector on both ends that looks like a very large phone connector. If using a USB cord, be certain it is plugged into the proper location on your computer. It will be the cord that has a flat wide connector on one end.

5. Once you have confirmed everything is properly connected and you still can't sign onto the net, then it is time to check your internet options. First click on start, click on control panel, click on internet options, and then click on connections. If you haven't set the connection up before, click on never dial a connection, and then click on LAN connections, and click on the Automatically Detect Settings box. Click on ok.

6. If you can't get on the internet at this point, then it is time to start power cycling your equipment. Power down your computer. Then turn off your modem by pulling the power cord from the modem itself and leave the power off for at least a minute. This will allow the modem to lose anything that it might have in memory.

7. Turn on your modem first and wait and see if your power light, sync, receive, and send lights are on. If everything is correct, then turn on the power to your router if you have one. If all lights on router are lighted, then power up your computer.

This should get you back on the internet. If it doesn't work, then you should make sure you computer is recognizing both the modem and the USB drivers. You can check for these things by going into control panel and then clicking on system. Anything that is not working properly should have a yellow exclamation mark or something similar. It might be necessary to re-load drivers for these items.

There is very little written in stone when trying to troubleshoot your internet connection. Don't be too impatient and follow the steps and you should be able to re-establish the connection. Like a good friend of mine once told me, when all

else fails, read the directions. You can also call the service center of your internet provider. These people are usually very well trained and can more times than not, walk you through any problems you may have.

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