Common Network Issues: An Introduction

The internet is an ever-expanding network that provides individuals with the ability to work from home, play games online and purchase products and services online. As the number of people using computers and accessing the internet has sky-rocketed, so has the demand for networks. This article looks at some common issues that affect computer networks.

Connectivity Malfunctions

Physical connectivity malfunctions can be caused by bad cables or faulty equipment. An example of this would be your router not sending signals or computers losing connection with each other on your Wi-Fi. To fix physical connectivity problems, you should first check all of your cables and restart any devices which seem unresponsive. If this does not work, you should contact an IT professional to identify the problem and rectify it as soon as possible.

Wi-Fi Interference

Interference in the wireless network refers to radio signals being disrupted by other electrical appliances close by. Mobile phones, microwaves and cordless phones are known to cause interference, so you should consider moving these devices if your Wi-Fi starts to suffer. Interference becomes much more common as businesses expand into new buildings with different metal types inside them that can create radio frequency barriers. You can reduce this type of interference, such as switching off mobile phone data roaming, keeping your microwave usage times consistent and not enabling Bluetooth on your phone when you are using the Wi-Fi. A contractor can also work with you to minimise any interference on your wireless network.

DNS Errors

A DNS error is where a website address cannot be located, or an error code is displayed instead of the site's content. This can be caused by temporary DNS problems, network permissions issues or an incorrect IP address. If you are experiencing this issue a technician should be able to establish if the DNS error is occurring on your server or on a server that your machine is attempting to access or communicate with before carrying out a fix.

Malfunctioning Devices or Equipment

Malfunctioning devices and equipment refer to any malfunctioning computer components which can cause a loss of functionality on your network. This type of problem may be caused by a device overheating, a faulty power supply unit or issues with a wireless USB transmitter. If you cannot resolve your network problems yourself, then contact an IT professional who will be able to diagnose and fix the problem.

For more info, contact a network administration service.