Step-by-step instructions for the most common issues our clients run into. Written by Klearlogic — no jargon, just what to do.
NetworkingVPNUpdated January 2025
How to flush DNS — fix Remote Desktop after VPN connects
If your VPN connects successfully but Remote Desktop (RDP) still can't reach the office server, the problem is almost always a stale DNS cache. Your computer is looking up the server name and finding an old, incorrect address from before the VPN connected. Flushing the DNS cache forces it to look up the correct address fresh — and usually fixes the problem instantly.
Make sure your VPN is connected first.
Click the Start menu and type cmd into the search bar.
Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator."
In the black Command Prompt window, type the command below and press Enter.
You should see: "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache."
Try connecting to Remote Desktop again. It should work now.
Command Prompt (Run as Administrator)
ipconfig /flushdns
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If you see "Access Denied," you didn't run Command Prompt as Administrator. Close it and repeat step 3, making sure to right-click and choose "Run as administrator."
Make sure your VPN is connected first.
Open Terminal — press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, and press Enter.
Type the command below and press Enter.
You'll be prompted for your Mac password. Type it (you won't see characters appear — that's normal) and press Enter.
You should see: "Successfully flushed the DNS cache."
On older macOS versions (pre-Monterey) the command may be slightly different. If this doesn't work, email us and we'll walk you through it.
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Still not connecting after flushing DNS? Try restarting the Remote Desktop app entirely and reconnecting. If it's still down, contact us or use the SOS support link.
NetworkingVPN
VPN troubleshooting — first things to check
Before calling support, run through this checklist. Most VPN problems have one of these causes and can be fixed in under two minutes.
Are you connected to the internet? Open a browser and try loading google.com. If that doesn't work, the issue is your internet connection, not the VPN.
Is the VPN client showing "Connected"? Open the VPN app and confirm. Sometimes it looks connected but has silently timed out.
Try disconnecting and reconnecting. Click Disconnect, wait 10 seconds, then Connect again.
Flush your DNS cache after reconnecting. (See the guide above.)
Restart your computer with the VPN disconnected, then reconnect after reboot.
Locked out of Outlook or Microsoft 365? Here's how to reset your password from the Microsoft login page — no IT help required for the basic reset flow.
Go to login.microsoftonline.com in your browser.
Enter your email address and click Next.
On the password screen, click "Forgot my password."
Select "I forgot my password" and click Next.
Microsoft will send a verification code to your backup email or phone number on file.
Enter the code, then create a new password. Passwords must be at least 8 characters and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.
Sign in with your new password.
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If you don't have a backup email or phone number set up, or if your account is locked by an administrator, self-service reset won't work. Contact us and we can reset it for you.
Microsoft 365Outlook
Clear the Outlook autocomplete / name cache
If Outlook is suggesting wrong or old email addresses when you start typing a name, you need to clear the autocomplete cache. This is the quick fix.
Open Outlook and click File → Options → Mail.
Scroll down to the Send Messages section.
Click "Empty Auto-Complete List" and confirm.
Restart Outlook.
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To remove just one bad suggestion without clearing all of them: start typing the address in the To field, hover over the bad suggestion in the dropdown, and click the × that appears on the right side.
GeneralBrowser
Clear your browser cache and cookies
If a website is behaving strangely — old content, login loops, broken pages — clearing your cache usually fixes it. Takes about 30 seconds.
Press the shortcut, or go to the hamburger menu → History → Clear Recent History.
Set time range to "Everything."
Make sure Cache and Cookies are checked.
Click OK.
GeneralPerformance
PC running slow — first steps before calling support
Before escalating a slow computer to us, run through this checklist. Often one of these fixes it completely.
Restart your computer. Not sleep, not shut down from a sleep — a full restart. This clears memory and applies pending updates. If you haven't restarted in over a week, do this first.
Check for Windows/Mac updates. Pending updates can cause significant slowdowns while they're waiting to apply. Let them install and restart.
Check what's using your resources. Windows: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Mac: open Activity Monitor from Spotlight. Look for anything using high CPU or Memory.
Close unused browser tabs and applications. Browsers are notoriously memory-hungry. Close tabs you aren't using.
Check your storage. Windows: open File Explorer, right-click C: drive → Properties. Mac: Apple menu → About This Mac → Storage. If you're below 15% free space, that will cause slowdowns.
If none of these help, email us with a description of when it started and what's slow. We can dig deeper remotely.
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Can't find what you're looking for?
These guides cover the most common issues, but every situation is different. Reach out and we'll help directly — no ticket required for quick questions.