There’s a quick an simple way to know if you have a connection a) to a network, and b) to the internet. The ping command is what you’ll use to send a signal out into the world to see if you’re connected and you’ll do it from the DOS comand prompt.
- In Windows Vista, press the Windows key (that key with the windows logo on it) and R simultaneously. This is how you get the Run dialog to appear.
- In Windows XP, click Start –> Run.
- Type CMD then press enter.
- You should see a command prompt with a flashing cursor. Type ‘ ping google.com ‘ then press Enter (omit the apostrophes.) You should see 4 responses with a strange IP address. If you see no response, you do not have a connection to the internet. Contact the system administrator or your ISP.