Knowing a minimum of the command prompt is absolutely necessary to make those first tests to verify the functionality of the computer. In particular, to solve any internet problems, you need to know how to use the ipconfig command .
This is not an abstruse computer science concept, understandable only to technicians and professionals, but a command that everyone should know and whose use is as simple as it is useful.
Ipconfig is that command that is made by the technician who is called when the internet connection does not work at home.
So, before turning to the various call centers and losing a lot of time and patience, it is better to try to restore the connection yourself, following these simple instructions.
First of all, to enter the command prompt, just go to the Start menu -> Run and write cmd or you should find it from Start -> Programs -> Accessories .
When a fearsome black window appears with a flashing white cursor, you shouldn't be afraid; it is only a window from which to launch handwritten commands with the keyboard.
To try, write ipconfig / all and press Enter to read all the main network parameters of the computer, namely: IP address, Subnet Mask, Mac Address, Gateway, DHCP Server, DNS and other details regarding the network.
The IP address is basically the identifier that is assigned, automatically by the DHCP server, to the computer when you go on the internet or connect to an internal computer network.
A first type of test to check your internet connection is to write the ping google.com command.
If you knew that the IP of the DHCP server (usually the same as the default gateway) is 192.168.1.1 you can go to the command prompt and type ping 192.168.1.1 .
If you get an answer from Google, it means that the internet works; if Google does not respond but the gateway does, it means that you are connected to the server and any internet problems do not depend on the network provider (therefore the call center cannot do anything and there is a problem on the computer used).
If the gateway or the DHCP server did not respond and if, by writing ipconfig / all, an IP address like 0.0.0.0 is obtained, it means that the fault is certainly the fault of the network provider (Fastweb, telecom and so on), unless you have a broken router / modem.
This lack of connectivity is indicated on the desktop, near the clock, with a limited or absent connectivity warning and a yellow exclamation mark.
If the red cross appeared it would mean that the cable is not connected.
Before running for help, however, you can try to restore the network yourself using the ipconfig / release and ipconfig / renew commands that are used to ask the server to release a new automatic private IP address
The responses to these commands immediately indicate whether they were successful or not.
If the internet still doesn't work, you can run the ipconfig / flushdns command to clear the contents of the DNS client cache.
In this way, any incorrect DNS associations are deleted, which is nothing more than the Internet address book where websites are associated with their names.
Likewise the ipconfig / registerdns command is used to re-register names.
That's it, these are the basic steps to verify your network connection and are also the first things a computer technician does.
In addition to the ipconfig command, other methods, already explained in detail, can be used to restore the internet connection if the PC does not connect .
I understand that, who is not an expert, when reading guides related to the ipconfig command cannot grasp its meaning, the important thing is to know how and when to use it because it can save a lot of trouble.
