How To See if your Wireless Router is Working

A wireless router is an external device that you can connect to your computer to allow computers belonging to your network to access the Internet. Wireless routers have been in use since 1999. With the router being wireless, there is no need for long cables to connect each individual computers to the router. It is a great productivity tool but there are times when it can also fail to function. It a wireless router is used in a small business setting, the downtime can be costly. Most homes with broadband connection and have several family members using their own computers, this is a very good tool to have to eliminate the use of long and messy cable setup. Below are some ways to check if your wireless router is working.

• If you are experiencing trouble and have lost Internet connection despite checking all the possible normal causes of lost connection, turn off your computer. This will fully disconnect your system from the router. After a few minutes, reboot your computer and allow it to initialize and connect to the router once again.
• Click the Windows logo on your keyboard to launch the Start Menu or click Start icon on your desktop. Either way, you will open the start menu. Click the Control Panel link to open it and look for the icon for Network Connections. A small icon can also be found on the system tray located on the right hand corner of your computer.


• Click the Network Connections link or icon and check that you are connected to the Internet. Launch your web browser and search for anything. Click on a website to open it and then click the refresh button on the main menu of the browser page to see if the webpage will reload. If it does it indicates that you wireless router is working just fine.
• If you cannot get a connection, turn off your router and your modem for at least ten minutes. Check that all the cables are attached firmly to the back of the modem, the router and the PC and the plugs are connected to a power source. Turn on the modem and let it on for a few minutes before you turn on the wireless router. Now check the connection by trying to open a web page that has not been cached on your computer. If the web page can be refreshed, your wireless router is working just fine.
• Refer to the wireless router manual for troubleshooting common problems. Most wireless routers have websites that will allow you to link and check your router. Turn off the router and connect the modem directly to your computer to access the website and check to see what seems to be the problem.

Sometimes the signal can be affected by some gadgets that operate on the same frequency level as your wireless router can deteriorate the performance of a wireless router. You should place cordless phones, microwaves and other electronic gadgets that may interfere with the wireless router signals at least one meter away from the access point. This will ensure that your router will work better.