I work in IT and see this question a lot. The short answer is yes, it's worth doing. The long answer depends on your specific setup. What operating system are you running? That makes a big difference in the approach.

This is actually a really common misconception. The technology works differently than most people think. I'd recommend reading HowStuffWorks.com for a good beginner explanation before diving into the technical details.

I dealt with this same issue last year. The key thing is to make sure you're using the latest version of your software and check forums like Slashdot or Ars Technica for specific fixes. Technology changes so fast that advice from even 6 months ago can be outdated.

Honestly the manual that came with it explains this pretty well if you actually read it. I know nobody reads manuals but for once it's worth flipping through. The troubleshooting section in the back covers the most common problems.

I posted this exact question on a newsgroup a while back and got a ton of helpful replies. Don't sleep on Usenet — comp.* groups are full of people who actually know what they're talking about, way more than some web forums full of script kiddies.