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No internet, printer failures, Bluetooth and sound problems

Find out where a lost internet connection has broken, get a stuck printer printing again, reconnect a Bluetooth device and bring back missing sound, on both Ubuntu and Windows.

30 minelementaryUbuntu/LinuxWindowsPractical task needs a laptop or desktop

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

By the end of this lesson you will be able to

  • Test a lost connection in order: the device, the Wi-Fi link, the router and the internet beyond it.
  • Clear a stuck print job and bring an offline printer back.
  • Remove and pair a Bluetooth device again.
  • Check volume, mute and the chosen output device when there is no sound.
  • Use a ping test to see whether the router or the internet is the part that is not answering.

Connections are where computers fail most often, because many separate parts have to work together: your laptop, the Wi-Fi signal, the router, your internet provider and the website at the far end. A printer, a pair of headphones or a speaker adds one more link each. When one link breaks, the whole chain seems dead. This lesson shows you how to test the chain one link at a time, so you find the broken link instead of changing things at random.

Think of a chain, then test it link by link

When a web page will not load, the fault could be in several places. Your laptop might have its wireless switched off. The laptop might be connected to the Router but the router might have lost its link to the Internet. Or only one website might be down. The trick is to test from the nearest link outwards. Each test either passes, so you move one link further, or fails, so you have found the area to fix.

Diagram

The links between a laptop and a website, with the test to use at each one.

Your homeInternet1 Wi-Fi12 Cable23 Provider3LaptopRouterModemWebsites
The links between a laptop and a website, with the test to use at each one.
Read this figure as text

A network diagram of a laptop, a router, a modem and the internet with numbered tests along the path.

A home zone contains a laptop, a router and a modem. An internet zone contains the internet cloud. Numbered links: 1, the laptop to the router by Wi-Fi (test: is Wi-Fi switched on and joined to your network, and is Airplane mode off?); 2, the router to the modem by a cable (test: are the router and modem powered and are their lights normal?); 3, the modem to the internet through your provider (test: does a second device also have no internet? If yes, the fault is the router, modem or provider). If only one device fails, the fault is that device. If all devices fail, the fault is the router, modem or provider.

No internet

Begin with the cheapest checks. Is Wi-Fi switched on, and is Airplane mode off? Airplane mode switches off all wireless radios at once, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it is easy to press by accident (some laptops have a key for it). Then ask: do other devices, such as your phone on the same Wi-Fi, have internet? The answer splits the problem in two.

  • Only this laptop fails. The fault is on the laptop or its link to the router. Toggle Wi-Fi off and on, forget the network and join it again, and restart the laptop.
  • Every device fails. The fault is the router, modem or your provider. Restart the router (see the power-cycle steps below) and check your provider's status or helpline.
  • Only one website fails. The website itself may be down. Try another site before changing anything.

Check your connection

The panels are named differently, but the checks are the same.

Ubuntu 24.04

  1. Step 1: Open the system menu

    Click the top-right corner where the Wi-Fi, volume and battery icons are. Look at the Wi-Fi entry and at whether Airplane Mode is on.

    You should see: You see the name of your network, or a note that Wi-Fi is off.

  2. Step 2: Open Settings

    Open Settings and choose Wi-Fi. Make sure the switch at the top is on and your network is listed as connected.

    You should see: Your network has a tick or the word Connected.

  3. Step 3: Forget and rejoin if needed

    Click the gear icon next to your network, choose Forget Connection, then choose the network again and enter the Wi-Fi password for your own network. Only enter your own network's password, never anyone else's.

    You should see: The laptop joins again and the Wi-Fi icon shows full bars.

A ping test: is it the router or the internet?

A Ping test sends a tiny message to another computer and waits for a reply. If a reply comes, the path to that computer works. Try the router first (it is usually 192.168.1.1, but the address is printed on the router or shown in your network settings), then a website name. The option -c 4 on Ubuntu means 'send only 4 messages'; Windows sends 4 by default. Ping only reads information and changes nothing on your computer, so it is safe.

Terminal (Linux) · you can run this on your own computer
ping -c 4 192.168.1.1
ping -c 4 example.com
Ubuntu: test the router, then a website (press Ctrl+C to stop if it keeps going)
Command Prompt (Windows) · you can run this on your own computer
ping 192.168.1.1
ping example.com
Windows: the same tests in Command Prompt or Windows Terminal
Simulated interface: not a real screenshot

Simulated output: the router answers but the website name cannot be found.

Terminal (simulated)
  1. Marker 1: The router replies: laptop and Wi-Fi are working
  2. Marker 2: The name fails: the router has no working internet or DNS
Simulated output: the router answers but the website name cannot be found.
Read this figure as text

A simulated Ubuntu terminal where a ping to the router succeeds and a ping to a website name fails with a name resolution error.

A simulated terminal. First command: ping -c 4 192.168.1.1. Output shows four replies from 192.168.1.1 taking about 2 milliseconds, then a summary of 4 packets sent, 4 received and 0 percent packet loss (mark 1: the router answers, so the laptop and Wi-Fi are fine). Second command: ping -c 4 example.com. Output is the error 'ping: example.com: Temporary failure in name resolution' (mark 2: the name cannot be turned into an address, so the router has lost its link to the internet or its DNS service, and you should restart the router or contact your provider).

Read the two results together. Router answers, website name fails: your laptop is fine and the fault is beyond it, so restart the router and modem or contact your provider. Even the router does not answer: the laptop is not properly joined to your network, so check Wi-Fi, forget and rejoin. On Windows the matching messages are 'Request timed out' (nobody answered) and 'Ping request could not find host' (the name could not be turned into an address).

Restarting the router the right way

A Power cycle means switching a device fully off and on again. Routers run for months and can get into a confused state, so this fixes many 'every device has no internet' cases. It is safe, but everyone using the connection loses internet for a few minutes.

Power-cycle a home router

  1. Step 1: Warn others

    Tell anyone in the house, because their connection will drop briefly.

  2. Step 2: Switch off

    Use the router's power switch, or unplug the power cable from the router (and the modem if it is a separate box). Do not press a small reset hole: a reset button wipes the settings and is a different action.

  3. Step 3: Wait

    Wait 30 seconds, long enough for the parts inside to settle.

    You should see: All lights go out.

  4. Step 4: Switch on, modem first

    Power on the modem and wait until its lights settle, then power on the router.

    You should see: The internet light on the router turns steady after a minute or two.

  5. Step 5: Test again

    Try a website on your laptop and on a phone.

    You should see: Pages load. If not, contact your provider with your notes.

Printer problems

A printer is a small computer on its own. Your laptop sends a job to it, and the job waits in a print queue until the printer is ready. Most printer faults are one of four things: the printer is off or has a paper or ink fault, the laptop and printer are not on the same network or cable, a job is stuck at the front of the queue and blocks everything behind it, or the printer shows as 'offline' because the connection was lost. Check the printer's own display first: it often tells you the problem in words.

Diagram

A decision tree for a document that will not print.

  • Is the printer on, with no error or paper message on its display?
    • YesDoes the laptop show the printer as online and on the same network or cable?
      • YesIs an old job stuck in the print queue?
        • YesDo thisCancel all jobs in the queue, wait a minute and print again.
        • NoDo thisRestart the laptop and printer. If it still fails, ask for help: the driver may need reinstalling.
      • NoDo thisRestart the printer, reconnect it to Wi-Fi or the cable, and choose it in the print window.
    • NoDo thisDo what the display says: switch on, add paper, clear a jam or change ink. Then print again.
A decision tree for a document that will not print.
Read this figure as text

A yes or no decision tree that leads from a document that will not print through power, paper, connection and queue checks to a fix.

Start: the document will not print. Question 1: is the printer switched on, with no error or paper message on its display? If no, fix what the display says: switch on, add paper, clear a jam or replace ink, then print again. If yes, question 2: does your laptop show the printer as online and on the same network or cable? If no, restart the printer, reconnect it to Wi-Fi or the cable and check it is chosen in the print window. If yes, question 3: is there an old job stuck in the print queue? If yes, cancel the jobs, wait, and print again. If no, restart the laptop and the printer, then ask for help, since the printer may need its driver reinstalled.

See and clear the print queue

Ubuntu 24.04

  1. Step 1: Open Settings, then Printers

    Your printer is listed. Menu wording varies slightly between releases; look for the printer's gear icon, then 'Printer Details' or a way to show its jobs.

    You should see: You see the printer and whether it is ready.

  2. Step 2: Look at the queue from the terminal

    Type lpstat -p to see each printer and whether it is idle or disabled, and lpstat -o to list waiting jobs. Both only read information.

    You should see: For example: 'printer Office_Laser is idle. enabled since ...'. If no jobs are waiting, lpstat -o prints nothing.

  3. Step 3: Cancel a stuck job

    Open the printer's jobs from Settings and cancel the stuck one, or note its name from lpstat -o (for example Office_Laser-12) and type cancel Office_Laser-12. This removes only that print job, not any file.

    You should see: The job disappears from the list and the next job prints.

Bluetooth devices

Bluetooth joins nearby devices such as headphones, a mouse or a speaker without cables. Two devices must be paired first. Pairing is a one-time introduction in which the devices agree to trust each other. Problems usually come from one of five causes: Bluetooth or Airplane mode is off, the device is not in pairing mode, its battery is flat, it is already paired with another phone or laptop nearby, or the saved pairing has become damaged.

Diagram

The order for fixing a Bluetooth device that will not connect.

  1. Step 1: Bluetooth on?And Airplane mode off
  2. Step 2: Charge itFlat battery is common
  3. Step 3: Pairing modeHold its button, keep close
  4. Step 4: Free itSwitch off other phones nearby
  5. Step 5: Remove and pairForget the device, add again
  6. Step 6: RestartLaptop, then ask for help
The order for fixing a Bluetooth device that will not connect.
Read this figure as text

A flow of six steps from checking Bluetooth is on to removing the device and pairing it again.

Six steps in order. Step 1, Is Bluetooth on: check that Bluetooth is switched on and Airplane mode is off. Step 2, Charge it: make sure the headphones, mouse or speaker has power. Step 3, Pairing mode: put the device in pairing mode, usually by holding its button until a light flashes, and keep it close. Step 4, Disconnect others: turn off Bluetooth on a nearby phone that it may have connected to instead. Step 5, Remove and pair again: delete the device from the laptop's list and add it again. Step 6, Restart: restart the laptop and try once more, and ask for help if it still fails.

Remove and pair a Bluetooth device again

Ubuntu 24.04

  1. Step 1: Open Bluetooth settings

    Open Settings and choose Bluetooth. Make sure the switch at the top is on.

    You should see: The page lists paired devices and nearby devices.

  2. Step 2: Remove the old pairing

    Click the device name and choose Remove Device (the wording may be 'Forget'). This deletes only the saved pairing.

    You should see: The device leaves the My Devices list.

  3. Step 3: Pair again

    Put the device in pairing mode and wait for it to appear under Devices. Click it. If a code appears on both screens, check that they match and confirm.

    You should see: The device shows Connected.

No sound

A computer can send sound to several places: the built-in speakers, headphones in the socket, a Bluetooth speaker, or a screen over its cable. If the sound is going to a place you are not listening to, it seems silent. Start with the simplest things: is the volume up, is the sound muted, is the volume of the particular app or video turned down, and are the headphones plugged in fully? Then check which output device is chosen.

Diagram

Three places where sound can be lost on its way to your ears.

Volume
  • System volume up
  • Mute key or switch off
  • App or video slider up

Check the three sliders.

Output device
  • Open the sound settings
  • Pick speakers or headphones
  • Not an unused screen or speaker

Choose where sound goes.

Connection
  • Plug fully in
  • Cable not damaged
  • Bluetooth speaker on and charged

Check the physical link.

Three places where sound can be lost on its way to your ears.
Read this figure as text

Three columns showing the volume level, the chosen output device and the physical connection as the three places to check for missing sound.

Three columns. Column 1, Volume: check the system volume, the mute switch or key, and the volume inside the app or video; a low app slider can silence a loud system. Column 2, Output device: open the sound settings and choose the right output, for example the built-in speakers rather than a screen or a Bluetooth speaker you left switched on in another room. Column 3, Connection: push the headphone plug in fully, check the cable and that a Bluetooth speaker is connected and charged. Test one thing at a time, playing a short video after each.

Choose the right output

Ubuntu 24.04

  1. Step 1: Check the volume

    Click the system menu at the top right and look at the volume slider. Drag it up if it is low or muted.

    You should see: The speaker icon no longer has a line through it.

  2. Step 2: Open Sound settings

    Open Settings, then Sound. Under Output, choose the device you want, such as Speakers or your headphones, and check the Output volume slider.

    You should see: The chosen device is highlighted. Playing a sound produces output from it.

  3. Step 3: Test

    Play a short video and watch the level bar in the Sound settings move.

    You should see: The bar moves and you hear sound.

Common mistakes

  • ✖ Instead of: Restarting the router while others are using it, without telling them.

    ✔ Do this: Tell people first, then power-cycle the router. It drops everyone for a few minutes.

  • ✖ Instead of: Holding the router's Reset button to 'restart' it.

    ✔ Do this: Use the power switch or unplug it for 30 seconds. Reset erases settings.

  • ✖ Instead of: Sending the same document to print again and again.

    ✔ Do this: Check the queue. Repeated presses add more jobs behind the stuck one.

  • ✖ Instead of: Changing several settings at once when the sound disappears.

    ✔ Do this: Change one thing, test, and note what happened.

If something goes wrong

Wi-Fi says 'Connected, no internet' or 'No internet, secured'.
The laptop joined the router, but the router cannot reach the internet. Check another device, then power-cycle the modem and router and contact your provider if all devices fail.
The printer shows 'Offline' but is switched on.
The laptop lost contact with it. Restart the printer, make sure it is on the same Wi-Fi network (or the cable is firm), then cancel stuck jobs and print a single test page.
The Bluetooth device does not appear in the list.
Put it into pairing mode again (it usually times out after a minute or two), move it close, charge it, and switch Bluetooth off and on on the laptop.
Settings says 'No output devices found' or there is no sound device.
Restart the computer first. If it persists after an update, run the sound troubleshooter on Windows or check for system updates on Ubuntu, then ask for help.

Key terms

Airplane mode
A setting that switches off all wireless radios, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, at once.
Ping
A test that sends a tiny message to another computer and waits for a reply, to show whether the path to it works.
Power cycle
Switching a device fully off, waiting briefly and switching it on again to clear a stuck state.
Print queue
The waiting list of documents sent to a printer, printed in order.
Pairing
The one-time introduction in which two Bluetooth devices agree to trust and connect to each other.

Practise it for real

Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.

Guided exerciseNeeds a laptop or desktop

Test your connection in order

On your own laptop, find where your router's address is shown (Settings, Wi-Fi, then your network's details). Run a ping to the router, then a ping to a website name such as example.com. Write down both results in your own words: which link passed, which failed, and what the result would mean if it had failed. Do not change any settings.

You have succeeded when:
Independent challenge

Challenge: write a fault card

Choose one of the four problems in this lesson (no internet, printer, Bluetooth or sound). On one page, write a fault card in your own words: the symptoms you would see, the first three checks in order, how you would tell whether each check worked, and the point at which you would stop and ask someone for help. A friend should be able to follow your card without you.

You have succeeded when:

Knowledge check

7 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.

  1. Question 1.Your laptop has no internet, but your phone on the same Wi-Fi works normally. What does this tell you?
  2. Question 2.Amina runs ping -c 4 192.168.1.1 and gets four replies. She then runs ping -c 4 example.com and sees 'Temporary failure in name resolution'.What is the best next step?
  3. Question 3.Pressing the small Reset hole on a router is the same as switching it off and on.
  4. Question 4.Put these printer checks in a sensible order.
    1. Restart the laptop and printer
    2. Cancel any stuck jobs in the print queue
    3. Check the printer is online and connected
    4. Ask for help with the driver
    5. Read the printer's own display for errors
  5. Question 5.Match each symptom to its most likely first check.
  6. Question 6.A Bluetooth mouse worked yesterday but does not connect today, even though Bluetooth is on. Which action is the best next step?
  7. Question 7.Cancelling a stuck print job deletes the document from your computer.

Summary

  • Test a lost connection one link at a time: laptop, Wi-Fi, router, internet.
  • If other devices work, the fault is on the laptop. If none work, the fault is the router, modem or provider.
  • A ping to the router and a ping to a website name separate those two cases.
  • A stuck print job blocks the queue; cancelling it does not delete your document.
  • Bluetooth problems are usually fixed by checking power, pairing mode, then removing and pairing again.
  • For no sound, check volume, the chosen output device, then the connection.

Checklist: can you do these?

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

Related lessons

References and further reading

Official sources for details that can change between versions.

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