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Network Registration Troubleshooting

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Troubleshooting

If you have walked through the steps to register your device and have been unable to get a connection, we have developed a few simple steps to attempt to fix common problems you may be having.  If you need assistance at any time, please feel free to contact our Help Desk at 253-535-7525.

First Action

Always release and renew your IP address before doing any further troubleshooting. This is the easiest and quickest way to cut your problem possibilities in half. To do this, follow these steps:

Windows XP/Vista/ 7

  1. Click the Start button on the Task bar.
  2. Select Run (Vista and Windows 7 users can simply select the search box).
  3. Type cmd and press ok to get a command line.
  4. Type ipconfig /release and hit enter.
  5. Type ipconfig /renew and hit enter.
  6. Then type ipconfig and hit enter to view your current IP address. Your IP address MUST start with 152 or 172, otherwise the address is invalid.

Mac 0S 10.x

  1. Select System Preferences > Network
  2. Click on the TCP/IP option.
  3. Make sure that "Using DHCP Server" is selected in the configure menu.
  4. Click on the "Renew DHCP Lease" if available.
  5. Close the window and click yes to save changes.
  6. Within 15 seconds or so, the information should be refreshed.

If you receive a valid IP address, then your computer is connected and everything should be working fine. Open a browser and try to connect to a site on the internet. If you are still having problems, continue to the "I Get an IP Address, but..." section in this troubleshooting guide.

I can't get a valid IP address

If you are getting an invalid IP address for a wired connection, or do not receive one at all, then one of a few things could be wrong:

  1. You have a bad ethernet cable
  2. Your port is not active
  3. There is damage to wiring behind the wall jack
  4. Your network card is not installed or setup properly 


To see if any of these are the problem, take a look at the connection light (link light) on the back of your Network Adapter (not available on all cards). If the LED is not lit, then you do not have a connection. If this is the case, do one of the following:

  1. If you are connecting through a hub or switch, cycle power on the device by unplugging the power cable from the wall, waiting a few seconds, then plugging it back in. Make sure that the connection coming from the wall is in the correct (uplink) port on the hub/switch. Then check the uplink button/switch on the hub to see if you get a connection light when changing it. This will also help to determine if the connection problem is from the wall to the hub, or from the hub to the computer.
  2. Replace the ethernet cable that connects your computer to the port on the wall.

Note:  The steps listed above do not apply to individuals connecting wirelessly.  To check for wireless connection problems, please ensure that your device has been enabled in your network settings and that the external switch is turned on if your device has one.

If these actions do not correct your problem, please call the Help Desk at 253-535-7525 for additional support.

I get a valid IP address, but I have no web access

If you get a valid IP address, but can not access anything on the Web, then follow the following steps:

  1. Open Microsoft Internet Explorer and click on Tools > Internet Options.
  2. Click on the Connections Tab.
  3. Click on the "LAN settings" button towards the bottom of the window.
  4. Uncheck ALL boxes pertaining to Automatic detection of settings or a Proxy Server.
  5. Click OK and test the internet connection.

Having problems connecting to a particular website? You can clear the cached files in Internet Explorer by going into Tools > Internet Options and clicking on the "Delete..." button under the Browsing History section.  You will then want to check the box that asks if you want to "delete all offline content" and select OK. Close all open browsers and then run Internet Explorer again. Return to the site that you had been trying to connect to and see if these steps fixed the problem.

If you still cannot access the internet after following these steps, please call the Help Desk at 253-535-7525. Let them know what the problem is and the troubleshooting steps that you have tried. They will do their best to help you over the phone and can schedule an appointment with a Network technician if you continue to have problems.