How to Perform an IP Configuration in Windows Vista

Performing IP configuration in Windows Vista is almost the same as how you perfrom an IP configuration in Windows XP. It's just that, the way how to access the Command prompt is a little bit different though much easier.

HOW TO PERFORM AN IP CONFIGURATION IN WINDOWS VISTA
►Click the Windows Vista Orb ( or simply the round button in the lower left corner of your window)
►Now, there are 3 ways how to access the command prompt from the start menu◘ By typing "CMD" or "Command" in the "Start Seach" field box at the bottom part of the menu
◘ By clicking "All Programs", then select "Accessories", then choose "Command Prompt" from the accessories option panel
◘ There's also a "command prompt" icon on the start menu. just click it and you will be directed to the Command prompt window

►The Command Prompt window will appear or in layman's term, they called it the "black Window or black box"
►Now right where the cursor is blinking, just type "ipconfig"
► Then after a few seconds, the command prompt will response and it will provide you the "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection" info which includes the IPv6 address, Subnet Mask and the Default Gateway.


♫ You can also go to the control panel and choose the "Local Area Network Connection" icon. Right click the icon and select "Status" from the option. The "Local Area Connection Status" box will appear. Just click the "Support" tab and it will then provide you the IP information

How to Perform an IP Configuration in Windows XP

We're done discussing some troubleshooting steps for some modem issues. Now, we are going to a more detailed part of troubleshooting. I will begin it with "How To Perform an IP Configuration" for different Operating Systems like Windows XP, Vista and Macintosh.

We will start with Windows XP.
Why do we need to perform an IP Configuration? First, IP Configuration will provide you a detailed information and will help you to locate the following:
◘ IP Address - is a numerical label that is assigned to devices participating in a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol for communication between its nodes.
◘ Subnet Mask - is a logically visible, distinctly addressed part of a single Internet Protocol network.
◘ Default Gateway - is a node (a router) on a TCP/IP Network that serves as an access point to another network.

Other uses of IP Configuration
◘ Fix some IP related problems (169 IP addess for example)
◘ Renew / Release Ipo address
◘ Flush DNS Control
◘ Ping modem and websites
◘ Fix Winsock Error

Now, let's start with the basic which is how to track the IP ADDRESS.

HOW TO PERFORM AN IP CONFIGURATION IN WINDOWS XP
►Click the "Start" button
►From the start menu click "RUN"
►The "Run" box will appear
►On the text box, just type "CMD" or "COMMAND"►The Command Prompt window will appear or in layman's term, they called it the "black Window or black box"
►Now right where the cursor is blinking, just type "ipconfig"
► Then after a few seconds, the command prompt will response and it will provide you the "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection" info which includes the IP address, Subnet Mask and the Default Gateway.



♫ You can also access the "command Prompt" by choosing "Accessories" from the start menu, then another panel will appear, then choose "Command Prompt".
♫ Or go to the control panel and choose the "Local Area Network Connection" icon. Right click the icon and select "Status" from the option. The "Local Area Connection Status" box will appear. Just click the "Support" tab and it will then provide you the IP information
♫ You can also click the "Local Area Network" icon from your system tray". Right click and choose "Status' from the options. The "Local Area Connection Status" will appear

Evolution of Technology

Technology evolves from time to time and it’s very uncontrollable. We can do a lot of stuffs using the internet. From a simple Search engine, it turns out to become a multi-purpose tool for everyone. Some used the Internet for business purposes while others used it for fun and entertainment. For game lovers, we can download computer games with a great and wide selection using the net. You can also buy mac games if you’re using Macintosh. For music lovers, there are sites that offer great production music online and allow you to download music files for your mp3. For aspiring writers, there are plenty of social networking sites that offer micro blogging that allows them to express their thoughts and share their articles online. We can do a lot of things through Internet and I wonder what will happen to this technology ten years from now.

Internet Light is Red/ Off or Blinking

We're heading down to the last light in your Modem. We're done with the Power Light, Ethernet Light and DSL Light, now we're moving forward to the Internet light. Internet is quite different from the first three lights in terms of Trouble Shooting. Troubleshooting the power, Ethernet and DSL involves hardware issues and it deals mostly with the physical connection. In other hands, internet, as the word suggest, deals with Software issues.
When the Internet light in your modem is Off/Red/ or blinking Green, these are the possible reasons:
◘ Modem Configuration Error
◘ Bad IP Address
◘ Browser Issues
◘ Firewall Settings

MODEM CONFIGURATION ERROR
This error mostly occurred in all newly installed modems and if the internet light is RED. There are two ways to install your Modem - it's either through the Installation Cd or installing it manually. As a part of this installation process, you will be required to establish your own user name and password for your modem's Graphical User Interface or GUI. In some cases, Installation cd failed to update your newly made personal information like the username and password in your Modem's GUI which causes the sudden lost of connection. As long as you know your username and password, there's nothing to worry about it, all you have to do is to access the modem's GUI by typing the Default Gateway (you can get this information by performing an IP Configuration) in your address bar, then it will take you automatically to the modem's interface. There should be a section or button in that web page that says "Login". After clicking the Login button, it will then take you to the Authentication page where it will require you to enter your username and password. If the username and password fill box are blank, simply enter the necessary information then hit "connect". If there's something written in both fill box and there's a "disconnect" button below, then hit the "disconnect" button, then it will now allow you to edit those information to your newly updated username and password, then hit connect. The internet light must turn from Red to a solid Green Light. ( i will discuss this in much detailed information soon)

BAD IP ADDRESS
If you got a bad IP address or simply a 169 IP Address, there's a big possibility that the problem is on your firewall settings or the computer is corrupted, affected by virus and other malicious softwares and more. This problem required a support from an expert and professional Techinician.

BROWSER ISSUE
There are websites that contains viruses that may harm your computer and the best way to troubleshoot this is to optimize your browser, clear the private date, clear cache, cookies and browsing history. Check if the browser is secured againts malicious software like "Rouge Software" which will really harm the entire system of your PC. ( i will disccuss this muchj further soon)

FIREWALL SETTINGS
There should only have one Antivirus and other related software installed in your PC. Multiple softwares will just give conflicts to each other which will cause a sudden lost of Internet connection.

OTHER CAUSES
Internet connection will be affeced by some radio signals especially from cellular phones. It would be better to place your modem 2 feet away from any other EMI or RFI devices. Burglar alarma may also cause an internet interuption.

The DSL Light is not Lit

Before we proceed to the troubleshooting steps, let me have a short recap of all the things we tackeld before about the Modem Sync. We're done discussing about how to troubleshoot your modem if the Power Light in Your Modem is OFF, and so as the Ethernet Light.

The third and next Light after the Ethernet is the DSL Light which is considered as the most important light among all the lights you have in your modem. Westell 2100 and other old version of its kind, DSL is labeled as "Ready Light" while in 2wire 1800 (and other old versions) , DSL is labeled as "Local Network"
But what is DSL? And why do we considered it as the most important light in your Modem? DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. ADSL or Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line or DSL for short is a high speed internet service that provides online access and allows you to use the Internet. DSL operates over the standard phone lines just like the dial-up service but it is way much better than the dial up knowing that DSL works much faster and does not tie up with the phone line. Meaning to say, you can use your Internet and your phone at the same time unlike the dial-up system.
You suppose to see three cables connected at the back of your modem; The Power Adapter which is connected to the Power Outlet; The Ethernet Cable which connects your modem to your computer; and the last one which is the Phone Line that connects your modem into the wall Phone jack. From the Phone jack, the computer's digital signal will be sent across the telephone lines in to the central office or what they called DSLAM. DSLAM is the central hub that acts as a switchboard for local DSL clients, routing requests and responses between each client’s computer address and the Internet.
By checking the lights in your modem, if you see that the DSL light in your modem is blinking or not lit at all, there might be a problem in your server. However, there are cases that the problem is also in your part and that is what we are going to discuss.

HOW IF THE DSL LIGHT IN YOUR MODEM IS NOT LIT

►If the DSL Light is not working, the first thing that you have to do is to check the physical connection. As long as you have a steady green light in Power and Ethernet, you can go directly and check the Phone line that connects your modem to the phone jack.
►Do a Sequence Power Cycle
►Make sure that you have a Dual filter installed in your phone jack. Dual Filter acts as a separator, filtering both phone signal and DSL signal. Without a dual filter installed in the phone jack will interrupt your connection.
►Check the other Phone Jacks. Check if all the phone jack is working properly. To test if the phone jack where your modem is currently connected is working, you can bypass your modem temporarily and connect it in each Phone jacks you have in your house. If the DSL lit up, the Phone jack that you're using is the one that causes the trouble. It is advisable to contact a technician to fix the line for you.
►Check other devices connected in all the phone jacks you have. Some devices may interupt the connection. If you're using a TiVo box for example, this may interrupt the DSL signal especially if you don't have any filter installed in each of the phone jacks yu have.
►Bypass the dual filter. To check if the Dual Filter is the one that causes the interruption, bypass the dual filter and connect the DSL cable directly to the phone jack. If the DSL lit up, then the dual filter is either busted o not working properly. Replacement of the dual filter is advisable.
►If you're done with all the steps above and still, the DSL light is OFF, There's a possibility that the modem is not configured correctly.
►In order to configure your modem, we have to enter its GUI or Graphical User Interface.
►Do an IP Configuration to check if we have the correct IP address and Default Gateway. Open the command prompt, type "ipconfig" and get the IP Address and the "Default Gateway"
►If you got the correct IP address, then take note of the Default gateway.
►Leave or close th command prompt and open a browser. (You are not connected yet, so expect to see a "Page Cannot Be Displayed Error" in your webpage. Type the Default Gateway in the address bar (192.168.1.254 for example)
►You must see now the GUI of your modem. The configuration of a modem depends upon the type of modem that you're using. If you don't know how to operate the GUI, it is better to ask for an assistance from your respective ISP or manufacturer.
►After doing all the process above, you should now be connected unless you have this following issues
◘ Conflict with the firewall settings
◘ There's an Outage in your Area
◘ Billing Issue
◘ Newly Installed Modem. After the installation of your modem, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are now connected. It may also takes time depending upon the time frame povided by your ISP.
◘ Disconnected in Error. Contact your ISP

Our next and last Modem Light to discuss is the Internet Light!

The "Ethernet light" is not working

Last time, we discussed how to perform basic troubleshooting if the Power Light in Your Modem is OFF and not working properly, Now, we are going to proceed to another Light next to Power Light which is the ETHERNET LIGHT.
Before we proceed to some basic troubleshooting steps, Let us discuss first what is the meaning of Ethernet. What's the difference between Ethernet and Internet? And what is this Ethernet for?Ethernet Cable is also known as RJ45 cable, cat5 cable or in some layman's term, it is referred to us as " the Fat Cable" because it is fatter and bigger compare to other cables connected at the back of your modem. This Ethernet Cable may comes up with different colors and design but with one standard size. Ethernet cable is responsible for transmitting signal from your modem to your PC and vice versa. Or if you have a router, Ethernet cable is also used to connect your modem to your router to all the other PC connected into it.



Ethernet cable is classified as a Category 5 cable or Cat5 cable which both ends are connected into a standard 8P8C connector or often called as the RJ45 connector. So how can you identify which port in your modem and in your PC tower this Ethernet cable should be connected?
First, there should be a label at the back of your modem that says "Ethernet" or if there's no label indicating an Ethernet Port, simply look for this symbol.
This is the same symbol that you have at the back of your computer tower.



This is the how the Ethernet cable should be connected. Since the RJ45 connector have the same size, you can always switch both ends of the Ethernet cable.

Now going back to our main topic, How if
THE ETHERNET LIGHT IS OFF WHILE OTHERS ARE WORKING.

Basically, if the Ethernet light is not working, DSL, INTERNET, and ACTIVITY lights should not be working as well. Remember as i've mentioned before (Check "Modem Sync") You can never established DSL and the rest of the lights unless you established a steady light in your ETHERNET
If the Ethernet Light is Off, the first thing that you have to do is to check the physical line. As long as you have a solid green light on you Power, you can go and check the Ethernet cable directly.
Check if the cable is securely plugged in each port. If it's still not working, then try to switch both ends of the cable (meaning to say, the one which is connected to your modem should be the one that you're going to connect to your PC and vice versa).
If you're done checking the lights and still, the Ethernet Light is not working, then check the IP Address by doing an IP Configuration. This will determine if there is a solid connection between your modem and your PC or not.
By doing an IP Configuration, all you have to do is to click the "START" button on the lower left corner of your screen(if you're using a Windows XP) or click the round Window "Orb" if you're using a Windows Vista. Safari is quite complicated so i will discuss it in a separate post soon.
(WINDOWS XP) So after you click the "Start" button, the Start menu will appear. Just Click "Run" and then a separate textbox will appear. Just type "cmd" or "Command." A black window or the "command prompt" will appear. Now right where the cursor is blinking, just type, "ipconfig" then press "enter" (WINDOWS VISTA) For Windows Vista, simply type the word "command" or "Cmd" right at the bottom part where there is a text box"
Now, there are 5 possible response here as you press the enter key.
►Limited or No Connectivity
►Network Cable is Unplugged
►169 IP Adress (169.254.x.x)
►The correct ip address like 192.168.1.254 (etc)
►o.o.o.o IP Address

I will discuss 2 of these reponse which are the "Limited or No Connectivity" and the "Network Cable is Unplugged"
►NETWORK CABLE IS UNPLUGGED
◘ Check the ethernet cable if it is plugged in correctly to the appropriate port
◘ Switch both ends of the cable
◘ If it's still not working, and if you have an extra cable with you. Bypass the old Ethernet cable and replace it with the new one
◘ If it's still not working, then the problem might be on the port (either the modem port or the PC)
◘ If you have a router, bypass your modem then try to plug the router directly to the pc. Check the Ip Address by doing an ip configuration, and if you get the IP address of your router, then it only means that the problem is with the modem. The port is either busted or not functioning properly. In this case, Replacement is much advisable.


►LIMITED OR NO CONNECTIVITY
◘ If you received a Limited or No connectivity error, then the problem must be on the driver.
◘ Checking the driver is quite complicated to discuss so i will discuss this topic in a separate post.
◘ For the mean time, let's give focus first on the modem lights.

THE ETHERNET LIGHT IS BLINKING
In this scenario, there are 2 possible reason why you're Ethernet light is blinking. First, if you do not have a solid connection between your modem and your PC (troubleshooting is required) and Second, the modem is communicating with your PC and the reason why it's blinking is because there's an activity going on.

The next post is all about the most important light of them all~ The DSL Light
Once again, thanks for dropping by and have a great day!

The "Power Light" in my modem is not working!

If the power light in your modem is not working well then, it's pretty obvious that the problem comes from the power outler. However there are different scenario of why was the power light is OFF.
POWER LIGHT IS OFF SO AS THE OTHER LIGHTS

This is the most common scenario. If the power light is OFF means there's no power source flowing to your modem. The best way to troubleshoot this issue is to check the power outlet.

• Check if the Power Adapter is securely plugged in into the power outlet.
• Check if the power outlet if it is active or not.
• Check the cable if there's no any damage
• If you have an extra Power Adapter with you, it is advisable to bypass the Power adapter and replace it with the new one. If this procedure solved the problem, the old power cable is either defective or not functioning properly. If not, then there's a big tendency that the problem occurs with your power line or the power outlet itself. In this case, you must try to look for another power outlet and plugged your modem in (only the modem) to test if its really the power outlet that causes the problem. After doing this step and still, the modem is not working and if you see that all the other appliances in your house are working properly then the Modem is either defective or not functioning properly. The modem needs a replacement, you may contact your ISP if their service includes a replacement for defective modem.

THE POWER LIGHT IS OFF WHILE OTHERS ARE WORKING
If the power light is off while others are working and if there's no problem in your internet connection, then there's a possibility that only the power led is not functioning properly. But if the power light is Off or blinking while others are not, and if you're losing your internet connection intermittently, then the modem is either defective or not functioning properly.

How if the Ethernet light is not working? This is what are we going to discuss in my next post!
Have a great day and happy blogging!

Modem Sync

The first thing that you have to check once the Internet connection had lost are your modem lights. These modem lights will determine the exact issue. Now you have to know what "sync" means. The word "sync" is used to describe a steady light on your modem. Just like what you see in the image below.

Checking the modem lights should be done by order. You should follow this order.

• Power Lights
• Ethernet Light
• DSL Light or Ready Light (for Westell Modem)
• Internet Light
• Activity Light

If you're using an old 2 modem (Model 1800). You should follow this order

• Power
• Broadband Link
• Local Network

I will discuss how to troubleshoot each lights in my next post!

I can't Sign-In with my Yahoo! Mail!

I got so much trouble Signing-in with my Yahoo Mail this past few days. I was able to reach the page where they ask me to enter my email address and my password as well. However, after filling up those information, the page went back and redirected me to same login page. This is quite frustrating in my part because i am barely relying on my Yahoo mails. I just can't live a day without peeking out my mails.
I checked my Antivirus settings to know if this software blocks me out from yahoo mail. I also checked my firewall setting if it is set-up correctly, but the issue still persist.
Luckily, a friend told me to visit a site that will allow me to view my mail without logging in into YahooMail.com. The site is http://us.m.yahoo.com/.
Unlike Yahoo! the navigation of this site is largely different from the usual Yahoo mail. Just click on the link that says "Mail" in the upper right corner of that web page and then it will take you to a page where it will ask you to enter your user information( email address and password)
I was able to sign-in in my account and was able to view my mails. Take Note that Spam Mails or Junk Mails is not visible in this site.

One of the reason why we cannot sign-in with our Yahoo Mail is because of a Browser issue. If you are using Internet Explorer and it doesn't allow you to sign-in for your Yahoo account, then try another browser like Mozilla Firefox. It is the same procedure if you are using Safari as your browser. Mozilla Firefox is pretty easy to download and it will just took less than 30 minutes to finished the downloading process.
However, If the problem occured in your Mozilla Firefox, then try to sign in using your alternate browser which is either Internet Explorer or Safari.

If the procedures above didn't work out and the problem still persist, there is a big possibility that the problem is in Yahoo! and the best option that we have is to contact them and have them resolve this issue for you!

Check the Lights!

After you have learned the basic steps of Sequence Power Cycling, It's time for you to perform another basic step which is done simply by Checking the Modem Lights!
Before you proceed to any troubleshooting steps, you must ensure first that the DSL modem and DSL cables are set up correctly.
Before doing any steps, it is advisable to check first the status of your modem lights!
Through checking the status of the lights, you can identify what exactly the problem is like No Sync, No Surf, and more.

Let say for example, you have a Motorola 2210, there should five Lights namely,POWER,ETHERNET,DSL,INTERNET AND ACTIVITY.(in order from left to right)
Just Take note that establishing Solid Green Lights means establishing Solid Connection and Everything works properly.If one of the lights is OFF there must be a problem and must provide necessary troubleshooting steps.

Lights on the modem should not be check randomly.
Checking for the lights should follow a sequence.

• POWER
• DSL
• ETHERNET
• INTERNET
• ACTIVITY

"You should not proceed in troubleshooting the Ethernet light without establishing Solid Green Lights on the DSL Light.

Start it with the Basic: Sequence Power Cycle

Before consulting a repairman or technician, make sure that you have done all the basic process in troubleshooting. This basic steps will not require you to be a techie savvy person. For example, you lost the connection to the internet. Before reporting this to your respective ISP, make sure that you have done all necessary actions in your part.
Check the cables if they are plugged in securely in each ports. After checking the ports and still, you're not connected, try to perform a process called "Sequence Power cycling."
Sequence Power Cycling is just a matter of refreshing the connection. "Sequence" as the term suggest, which means you have to do it logically or by following a certain pattern.
Here's the procedure:

• Turn off you monitor. Its either by plugging it out from the power socket or simple turning it off manually in the computer by pressing the power button.
• Turn off the modem by unplugging it from the power source (if in case you are using an IFITL type of modem or built-in modem inside your System Unit Case, skip this process and proceed to the next step)
• If you are using router wired to your modem, just turn it off by pressing the on/off button on the side or simply plugging it out from the power source.
• now that everything is completely turned off and unplugged, you may now begin performing the second part of the "Sequence Power Cycling" but this time we will do the process in reverse.
• Turn on the router followed by the modem, then followed by the PC.
• After doing a simple and basic power cycle, check again the connection. If there's no connection still, there might be some problem with your ISP, Software issue, hardware issue, browser, or in your third party softwares like Anti-virus and more. (I will tackle all of these from time to time.)

For now, let's just stick to what we have learned for today which is the "Sequence Power Cycling"
Til' next time buddies, It's me Bluedreamer, pretending to be a techie,,LOLS