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Applies to all editions of Windows 7

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Open networking troubleshooters

Troubleshooting connection problems can be a challenge because there are so many possible causes. If your computer is having problems connecting to the Internet, or to other computers on a network, try using one of the networking troubleshooters to fix the problem. For more information, see Troubleshooting in Windows.

You can run the Network troubleshooter first to see if it can help diagnose and solve your problem.

Open the Network troubleshooter by right-clicking the network icon in the notification area, and then clicking Troubleshoot problems.

You can also run specific troubleshooters to focus on a particular network or connectivity problem. For example, if you are unable to connect to the Internet, or access a particular website, there might be a problem with your Internet connection. Your network adapters might not be working correctly, or your computer might not have a unique IP address. Try using the Internet Connections troubleshooter to fix the problem.

Open the Internet Connections troubleshooter by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under Network and Internet, click Connect to the Internet.

If you can't connect to a computer on your home network, or on a corporate network, there might be a problem with your computer's network adapter. The network adapter might need to be reset, or the adapter driver might need to be updated. Try using the Network Adapter troubleshooter to fix the problem.

Open the Network Adapter troubleshooter by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Click View all, and then click Network Adapter.

If someone else using another computer is having problems connecting to your computer remotely, there might be a problem with your Windows Firewall settings. Try using the Incoming Connections troubleshooter to fix the problem.

Open the Incoming Connections troubleshooter by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Click View all, and then click Incoming Connections.

If you have granted other users access to specific folders on your computer over a network, but they can't connect to those folders, there might be a problem with your network security settings, or with the folder path you've provided. Try using the Shared Folders troubleshooter to fix the problem.

Open the Shared Folders troubleshooter by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under Network and Internet, click Access shared files and folders on other computers.

Article ID: MSW700031

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