Troubleshooting

Need a cable?

An Ethernet cable is required to connect your computer to the wired (Ethernet) campus network. BUMC IT does not sell cables but cables are available from most computer stores.

DNS Values

It’s likely that your computer will discover BU’s Ethernet settings automatically once you are connected.

However, sometimes people do need to enter them manually, in which case BU’s DNS values are: 
155.41.254.250
155.41.254.251

If possible, narrow down the problem to your computer vs. your connection.

If at all possible, try to narrow down the problem by (a) testing your computer with a different network jack or connection to see if the problem still exists or (b) testing another computer with your connection jack and/or cable. Information from that testing will determine how best to troubleshoot.

Renew your IP address.

Computers get their identification and access to the network using the address that is assigned to them. But this assignment can get stale or become misconfigured. A common fix is to release/renew your computers IP address:

Step 1
 Press windows key and X key at the same time. Then click at Command Prompt.
 Step 2
Type ipconfig /release at the Command Prompt window, press Enter, it will release the current IP configuration.
Step 3
Type ipconfig /renew at the Command Prompt window, wait for a while, the DHCP server will assign a new IP address for your computer.

Firewall Interference

Are you running a firewall? Try updating it with a built-in updater, or failing that, download a patch from the manufacturer’s website. If that doesn’t work, disable the firewall to see if that resolves the problem.

Spyware

Could you have a problem with spyware? Please make sure that you have scanned and protected your computer as described on our Spyware page.

Viruses

Could you have a virus? Please make sure that you have scanned and protected your computer as described on our Virus Protection page.