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Self-Help Resources

Network Troubleshooting Tips

Networking problems can be difficult to troubleshoot. Here are a few tips to consider before contacting your Internet Service Provider.

1. Are you or anyone in your office able to view an external web site, such as www.google.com?
   
   It is important to determine if you have an active internet connection. This will help isolate the problem to either your office network or to your Internet Service Provider. If no one can acess an external web site then you will need to contact your Internet Service Provider.
   
   Projects that reside within SDSU should contact Telecommunications & Network Services.
   
   Projects that reside outside the SDSU campus should contact their respective Internet Service Provider.
   
   Cox Communications
   AT&T
   TimeWarner Cable
   
   
2. Are you able to use a network resource such a printer or file server?
   
   If multiple users are having difficulty accessing a network resource the problem could be either the network device or the office network. If you are the only user having a problem the issue will often be with your workstation.
   • If the office network or an office resources seem to be the problem you will have contact your Project's IT support staff for further troubleshooting.
3. What to do if you think the problem could be your workstation.
   
   If you have reason to believe the source of the problem is a single workstation, ensure the network cable is properly seated both in the workstation and in the ethernet jack and restart your computer. If the problem persists and the hardware is on warranty you should consider contacting the vendor for assistance.
   
   See Vendor Contact Information for a list of contacts for common hardware vendors.

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