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ResNet Help Line: 608-262-8703 resnet@housing.wisc.edu
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ResNet Internet Connection Troubleshooting

New Residents or those connecting for the first time are encouraged to look at the Connection Guide for basic information, especially the Connecting your Computer to ResNet section.

  • Basic Troubleshooting
  • Opening a Support Case
  • Supported Operating Systems


        • Basic Troubleshooting

          • Try Restarting Your Computer. Many problems are fixed by simply rebooting.
          • Make sure that you have a data cable and it is plugged in securely at both ends. Check the connection to your computer's network card and the connection to the RED data jack in your room or apartment.
          • Check for flashing green and yellow lights near the network port on your computer. A green light on, yellow light flashing usually means the connection is working. If this is not the case, either the network card is not configured correctly, the RED data jack that you are plugged into is not working, or your data cable is bad.
          • Try plugging the data cable into another RED data jack in the room . It is unlikely that all the data jacks in the room/apartment are not functioning, unless there is a network outage. To check for network issues, visit the current news section of the ResNet home page, or the campus outage page.
          • Inspect your data cable, make sure there are no visible signs of damage. Try to borrow a different cable from a friend and try to connect using this cable.

          If you are still having problems please proceed to the Troubleshooting Windows or the Troubleshooting Macintosh sections.


          Troubleshooting Windows

          These are troubleshooting tips to be tried after CAREFULLY checking all of the steps in the Basic Troubleshooting Section.

          1. Release/Renew IP Address
          2. Scan for Spyware
          3. Scan For Viruses
          4. Verify Your Windows Settings

          Release/Renew IP Address

          For Windows 7/Vista/XP, click on the Start Menu and then click on Run. You should see a box like this:


          Type in cmd and click on the OK button. A black command prompt window with a flashing cursor will now appear. At the cursor, type in:

          ipconfig /release

          You should see a screen that lists the IP Address and Subnet Mask both as 0.0.0.0. Now type in:

          ipconfig /renew

          You should now see a screen that lists an IP Address of 146.151.X.X (or 172.16.X.X if you have not completed registration), where X is a number from 0 to 255. If you see this, you should be connected. Try opening up a web page now. If that works, you're done!

          Scan for Spyware

          Visit our Securing Your Computer page for information on installing and running anti-spyware software.

          Scan for Viruses

          Visit our Securing Your Computer page for information on installing and running anti-virus software.

          Verify Windows Settings

          For Windows Vista/XP, right click the My Network Places icon on the desktop and click on Properties. (You can also click on the Start Menu, go into the Control Panel and find Network Connections). You should now see a screen like this:

          Double click on Local Area Connection. You should then see this screen:

          Click on the Properties button. A window should show up which looks like this:

          Make sure that the “Show icon in notification area when connected” box is checked. In the “This connection uses the following items” list box do you see a check mark next to Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)? If you do not, please proceed to the “Opening a Support Case” section at the end of this page. If you do, click on it once, and then click on the Properties button. In the General tab, set both radio buttons to obtain automatically instead of specifying an address, giving you this screen:

          Now you can click OK, and then Close. Restart your computer and try to connect to the Internet again.

          If your connection still is not working, please proceed to the “Opening a Support Case” section.


          Troubleshooting Mac OS 10

          Getting a new IP address from the DHCP server

          1. Open System Preferences and click Network.
          2. Click Renew DHCP Lease.

          Connect/Reconfigure IP Settings

          1. From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
          2. From the View menu, choose Network.
          3. Choose Built-in Ethernet from the Show pop-up menu.
          4. Click the TCP/IP tab, if necessary.
          5. Choose “Using DHCP” from the Configure pop-up menu.
          6. Click Apply Now.
          7. Open a Web browser or other TCP/IP application to test your connection to the Internet.

            If your connection still is not working, please proceed to the “Opening a Support Case” section.

          Opening a Support Case

          Before calling for support, please be sure you have read the ResNet FAQ, the Connection Guide, and the Start Troubleshooting page.

          If you have tried everything, we will be happy to assist you. Please call the ResNet Help Line at (608) 262-8703, and choose option #1. Campus help desk staff will create a case for you and try to resolve your issue over the phone. If your problem cannot be resolved, your case will be forwarded to Housing IT where a ResNet Technician will contact you to schedule a house call.

          If you need to schedule a house call, please be sure to provide the following information:

          For University Residence Halls please have the following information ready:
          -Name
          -Room number
          -Residence hall
          -Times that you are available
          -Cell phone or number where you can be reached

          For University Apartments (Eagle Heights & University Apartments) please have the following information ready:
          (the caller must be 18 years of age or older to call the help desk)
          -Name
          -Apartment Letter
          -Building Number
          -Times that you are available
          -Phone number where you can be reached (cell phone or phone with answering machine)

          If you already have an open case, you can call the ResNet Help Line and choose option #3 to leave times that you are available for a house call. A Housing IT staff person will visit your room/apartment and work to solve your network connection problem. House calls are free of charge and won't last for more than an hour. You must be present during the entire house call.

          Because of staffing limitations, ResNet will only troubleshoot your network connection and the network card in your machine. Serious OS issues or problems with software applications are not part of ResNet's house call support. The DoIT Campus Help Desk is available to provide support for many OS and software issues. DoIt Repair and Desktop Support (RaDS) is also available for computer repairs (for a fee).


          Supported Operating Systems

          Currently ResNet offers support for the following operating systems: Windows Vista/XP/2000 and Mac OS 10.2 and higher. Residents are welcome to connect machines running other operating systems, but ResNet can offer no assistance in establishing or troubleshooting their data connections, other than verifying that your data jack is operational.

          Residents are not allowed to attach machines to the ResNet network that are running server OS's such as Novell Netware, Windows Server, or Red Hat Enterprise.