Wireless technology runs our world and runs your business!  When your internet is down, it's a near catastrophe of epic proportions. Don't worry, DHT is standing by with some quick tips on how to identify your equipment for troubleshooting in order to help our technicians get you up and running as soon as possible.

Internet is Down, is it the Modem?

Your ISP service/Modem forms the core of connection between your network and the outside world.  They are installed and operated by your ISP or Internet Service Provider and depending on the type of connection, have a round cable with a small thumb screw on the end to tighten it into the port.  On this modem you will also have at least one Ethernet or Network Cable going from that device to your Firewall which, monitors all network traffic from the internet to your network and from your network to the internet.  Your modem is subject to several issues that may result in losing internet.

ISP Service Outages:

ISP service outages are the most common cause of your internet going down.   These happen often after a storm or inclement weather or can be caused by any number of factors out of your control.   Usually a quick call to your ISP will determine if there is an outage in your area.

Device Fault:

Another issue may be a fault inside of the device itself.  This can also be caused by a number of factors and generally under troubleshooting by your IT provider you will be asked to do what is caused a Power Cycle on the Modem.   This action will allow the device to clear the errors internally and allow it to recommunicate with the ISP to attempt to restore service (process below).

Age of the Modem:

Modems are designed to last, however technology progresses quickly. If you have a modem that is 5 or 6 years old and is no longer reliable or provides the speed that you are expecting, you should contact your ISP or IT provider to investigate whether the modem should be upgraded.

Pro Tip: Power cycle

To perform a Power Cycle locate the Modem. After verifying that it is indeed your modem,  remove the power cord from the modem.  Make sure that all lights are off on the modem itself (Some have battery backups) and wait with the cord out for 30 seconds.    Please note: During this time you WILL lose Internet Connection from your network if you haven't already.

After the 30 seconds are complete, plug your modem back in and watch the lights come up.  It will take a few minutes to communicate with the ISP, but be patient and once that modem is back up troubleshooting can continue.

Internet is Down, is it the Wireless Router?

Wireless Routers are a different story than your ISP.  While ISP modems provide the entire connection from your network to the internet, wireless routers/wifi provides the internal wireless communication.

These devices range from a singular device that is sitting in your office or your network closet to one more circular transmission devices called WAPs, or wireless access points.   These can be a bit more difficult to identify since they will usually have only a network cord plugged into the back of them and in most cases, with the exception of circular devices mentioned above,  will have a power cord plugged into the back of it.  If you have these devices and you lose your wireless signal itself, no need to panic.  Contact your IT provider to assist you in diagnosing your issue.

*you can attempt to do a Power Cycle of these devices as well.

Please note: This only applies to devices that have an independent power plug in.  Often times WAPs have power routed through the network cord, are generally mounted on walls or ceilings, and it would be wiser for a trained professional to troubleshoot if it is determined it is the device itself that is at fault.

A Power Cycle on a wireless modem is the same procedure as that of the ISP modem.    These can be rebooted by removing the power cord from the device, holding out for 30 seconds, then plugging back in.

Internet is Down, How to Identify the Source

To determine what the issue is, you need to identify what signals are or are not available.  If you have a cell phone that can see the wireless signal but have no internet connection that would indicate that it's the modem itself.  If you're hard-wired computers are able to get on the internet but you cannot see a wireless connection on your mobile device that would indicate that it's a wireless connection issue and not the ISP.

Contacting your IT provider and working with them to determine the symptoms of the problem will assist in getting you up and running as quickly as possible.

About Darkhorse Tech

Whether you're just starting out or a well-established organization, Darkhorse Tech has the experience and technology to help get you moving, cut costs, and streamline your operations via unlimited IT support. We are here to help you do what you do best: focus on providing top-notch care and service for patients - not dealing with IT problems, lag time spent talking with technical support, or complicated technological mishaps. Unlimited IT support services help the whole team work efficiently without worrying about significant system issues or constant interruptions.

Our additional security services include:

• Unlimited Remote and/or On-Site IT Support of All Your Hardware and Software
• Improved Network Performance and Security
• HIPAA Compliant Off-Site and Local Backup Service (Darkhorse Secure Backup)
• Managed Antivirus, Anti-Malware, and Anti-Ransomware (Darkhorse Security Products)
• Compliance & Security Laws Standards
• Microsoft Security Patch Management
• Vendor Management: We will be on the phone, not your employees
• Secure, Remote Access to Your Office
• Firewall Management
• Network Management
• Long Term Planning and Budgeting

Contact us anytime if you want to learn more about our dental-specific solutions and unlimited support packages. Our friendly customer service team will get back to you in no time.

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Darkhorse Dental IT Is Here For You

We understand that caring for your patients is your top priority. Dealing with a computer issue, slow IT response time or HIPAA compliance requirements just aren’t high on your list of to-do’s. That’s where Darkhorse Dental Tech comes in. Our team of Dental IT specialists are experts when it comes to running a great, secure and successful practice —and so much more. Whether you’re looking for IT services for startups, or existing support and security services for your practice, Darkhorse can do it all for you, so you can get back to your patients.

Have questions? Looking for ideas? Just want to talk teeth? Drop us a line at sales@darkhorsetech.com to get the conversation started! Or head to our Contact page to send us a message. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

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