System and method for assisting user in troubleshouting network connection problems

• US 8,773,979 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: D-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Chueh, Aaron, Huang, Ya-Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hanh N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kading, Joshua A
• Application Number:
  US13/064,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a system for assisting a user in troubleshooting network connection problems, which includes a main terminal device (e.g., a computer) and a mediation device (e.g., a router) connected to the main terminal device and storing an assisting web page. Upon receiving a web page request instruction from the main terminal device, the mediation device redirects the web page request instruction to a website address. When the mediation device determines that itself is not connected to the Internet (i.e., a network connection problem occurs), the mediation device will send the assisting web page to the main terminal device. The assisting web page is displayed by the main terminal device through a browser thereof, so as for the user to troubleshoot the network connection problem according to the steps specified in the assisting web page (e.g., to perform a line inspection, a light signal check, etc.).

Claims

1. A system for assisting a user in troubleshooting network connection problems, the system comprising:

a main terminal device;

a mediation device provided with a storage unit, wherein the storage unit stores an assisting web page, and the mediation device is connected to the main terminal device, is adapted to send a web page request instruction received from the main terminal device to the Internet according to a website address contained in the web page request instruction, and is adapted to send the assisting web page to the main terminal device upon determining that the mediation device itself is not connected to the Internet; and

an auxiliary terminal device having device information stored therein and being wirelessly connected to the mediation device, said auxiliary terminal device being adapted to connect to the Internet through the mediation device, wherein, when the mediation device is connected to the Internet and determines that the auxiliary terminal device cannot connect to the Internet through the mediation device, the mediation device retrieves the device information from the auxiliary terminal device, connects to a service server corresponding to the device information through the Internet, downloads a support web page corresponding to the device information from the service server, and sends the support web page to the main terminal device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the assisting web page contains steps for troubleshooting network connection problems, the steps comprising:

verifying whether a splitter connected to the mediation device is connected to a wall jack;

verifying whether the mediation device and the splitter are properly connected to each other;

verifying light signals of the mediation device; and

restarting the mediation device.

3. A system for assisting a user in troubleshooting network connection problems, the system comprising:

a main terminal device;

an auxiliary terminal device having device information stored therein; and

a mediation device connected to the main terminal device and wirelessly connected to the auxiliary terminal device, said auxiliary terminal device being adapted to connect to the Internet through the mediation device, wherein, when the mediation device is connected to the Internet and determines that the auxiliary terminal device cannot connect to the Internet through the mediation device, the mediation device retrieves the device information from the auxiliary terminal device, connects to a service server corresponding to the device information through the Internet, downloads a support web page corresponding to the device information from the service server, and sends the support web page to the main terminal device.

4. A method for assisting a user in troubleshooting network connection problems, the method being applicable to a mediation device, wherein the mediation device stores an assisting web page, is connected to a main terminal device, and is wirelessly connected to an auxiliary terminal device having device information stored therein, said auxiliary terminal device being adapted to connect to the Internet through the mediation device, the method comprising the steps, performed by the mediation device, of:

receiving a web page request instruction from the main terminal device;

when the mediation device determines that the mediation device itself is not connected to the Internet, sending the assisting web page to the main terminal device;

when the mediation device is connected to the Internet and determines that the auxiliary terminal device cannot connect to the Internet through the mediation device, retrieving the device information from the auxiliary terminal device;

connecting to a service server corresponding to the device information through the Internet;

downloading a support web page corresponding to the device information from the service server; and

sending the support web page to the main terminal device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the assisting web page contains steps for troubleshooting network connection problems, said steps comprising:

verifying whether a splitter connected to the mediation device is connected to a wall jack;

verifying whether the mediation device and the splitter are properly connected to each other;

verifying light signals of the mediation device; and

restarting the mediation device.

6. A method for assisting a user in troubleshooting network connection problems, the method being applicable to a mediation device, wherein the mediation device is connected to a main terminal device and is wirelessly connected to an auxiliary terminal device having device information stored therein, and the auxiliary terminal device is adapted to connect to the Internet through the mediation device, the method comprising the steps, performed by the mediation device, of:

when the mediation device is connected to the Internet and determines that the auxiliary terminal device cannot connect to the Internet through the mediation device, retrieving the device information from the auxiliary terminal device;

connecting to a service server corresponding to the device information through the Internet;

downloading a support web page corresponding to the device information from the service server; and

sending the support web page to the main terminal device.