Faculty and Staff

Help With Network Problems

Last updated August 11, 2009 9:16:20 AM PDT
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If you're having trouble with the computer network, check the following list for possible solutions.

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You're having trouble connecting with the network.

Try one or more of the following strategies:

  • Check the Network Status page from a working Internet connection. All known campus network problems will be listed there.
  • Close and restart the affected application(s).
  • Restart your computer.
  • If your entire area or department is down, contact your system administrator or departmental security administrator (DSA). If you do not have a system administrator or DSA, or don't know who that person is, call the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.

The network is very slow.

Try one of the following strategies:

  • Check with your system administrator or DSA to determine if slowness is also affecting your area, department, or the general campus. If you do not have a system administrator or DSA, or don't know who that person is, call the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.
  • If possible, try to log in at another desktop. This will help determine if your problem is local or if it is a LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network) disruption.
  • Close affected applications and re-start those applications.
  • Restart your computer.
  • Before you contact the ACT Help Desk, please write down any onscreen messages you received when the slowness began. Also note the application you were running and the screen you were on. Then call the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.

You cannot access the Internet.

Try one or more of the following strategies:

Note: Before contacting the ACT Help Desk for help, write down any messages that have appeared on your screen. Also note the application you were running and the screen you were working in when the problem occurred.

  • Check with your system administrator or DSA to determine if your problem is departmental, area, or campus related. If you do not have a system administrator or DSA, call the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.
  • See if you can you use other network applications besides the Internet, such as accessing e-mail or the UCSD mainframe.
  • Make sure you are completely logged into your server. Carefully read any messages that come up. Check your username and password. Call ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853 if you don't know your username and password.
  • Close affected applications and re-start them.
  • Restart your computer.
  • If possible, try to log in from another workstation. This will assist ACT in determining the scope of your problem.

All workstations are down.

Try one or more of the following strategies:

  • Contact your system adminstrator or DSA to determine scope of outage.
  • Please have the following information available:
    • Name of the application that you are trying to connect
    • Names of other applications (inside and outside the department) to which you've tried to connect
    • The number of workstations that are down
    • Your building and room number
    • A contact person and phone number
  • If you have not already called your DSA or system administrator, call ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.

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For more information, contact the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.