CHAPTER 7

NETWORK
TROUBLESHOOTING

7.1 BASIC
TROUBLESHOOTING
METHODOLOGY

-TROUBLESHOOTINGProcess of identifying,
locating and correcting
problems that occur.

 There are
structured
techniques that
can be used to
determine cause
& problems
When
troubleshooting,
proper
documentation
must be
maintained

This
documentation
should include
as much
information as
possible about:

The problem
encountered
Steps taken to
determine the
cause of the
problem
Steps to correct
the problem and
ensure that it
will not reoccur

7.1.1
Steps Involved in Basic
Troubleshooting
Methodology

Steps for troubleshooting

network problems : Identify the symptoms and problems
Record what you learn from people or
systems that alerted you to the
problems and keep that
documentation handy.

Contd

Identify the affected

area.
Are users across the entire network
experiencing the problem at all times?
Or, is the problem limited to a specific
geographic area of the net- work, to a
specific demographic group of users,
or to a particular period of time? Are
all of the symptoms related to a single
problem, or are you dealing with
multiple problems?

Contd

Determine what
has changed.
Recent hardware or software changes
could be causing the symptoms.

 Establish the most

probable cause.
Do the following steps:1. Verify user competency.
2. Re-create the problem, and ensure that you can
reproduce it reliably.
3. Verify the physical integrity of the network connection
(such as cable connections, NIC installations, and
power to devices), starting at the affected nodes and
moving outward toward the backbone.
4. Verify the logical integrity of the network connection
(such as addressing, protocol bindings, software
installations, and so on).

 Determine whether
escalation is necessary.#
If a problem appears to affect a large
group of clients and you suspect a
router is involved, for example, you
might need to contact one of the
engineers responsible for maintaining
routers on your network.

 Create an action plan and solution

and be prepared for all potential
effects.

For example, if you have to reassign IP

addresses, how will the change of an IP
address on a server affect its clients?
Or, in another case, if you upgrade the
type of client software used on a
workstation, how will that affect a users
daily routine?

 Implement the
solution and test
the result.
Has your solution solved the problem?

 Identify the results

and effects of the
solution.
For example, if you had to replace a
switch, did the new switch affect
network performance, VLAN status, or
client access to the network?

 Document the
solution and process.
Make sure that both you and your
colleagues understand the cause of the
problem and how you solved it. This
information should be kept in a centrally
available repository, such as an online
databa

7.1.3.
Assess Common
Physical Problems in
Network

The Sense of Sight

Vision is used to detect problems such
as improperly connected or poorly
constructed cable, including:
1. Cables which are not connected
2. Cables connected to the wrong port
3. Loose cable connection .
4. Damage cables and connectors

The Sense of Smell

Smell can alert which

components are
overheating. The smell of
burning components is very
distinct and is a sure sign
that something is seriously
wrong

The Sense of Touch

Trouble-shooter can use touch to feel
for overheated components as well
as to detect mechanical problems
with devices such as cooling fans.
These devices usually create a small
vibration in the component that can
be detected using touch.

The Sense of Hearing

Hearing is used to detect major

problems such as electrical issues
and the proper operation of cooling
fans and disk drives.
All devices have characteristics
sound
Any change from the normal sounds
usually indicate a problem of some
sort.

Software Utilities for Troubleshooting

Connectivity
A number of software utility programs are available that
can help identify network problems. Most of these
utilities are provided by the operating system as
command line interface (CLI) commands. The syntax for
the commands may vary between operating systems.
Some of the available utilities include:
1. ipconfig - Displays IP configuration information
2. ping - Tests connections to other IP hosts
3. tracert - Displays route taken to destination
4. netstat - Displays network connections
5. nslookup - Directly queries the name server for
information on a destination domain

QUESTIONS ?

1. Which of the following is

NOT the software utilities for
troubleshooting connectivity

A. Ipconfig
B. Ping
C. zennon
D. Nslookup

2. Which statement should NOT be

included in the documentation for
troubleshooting process?
A. Initial problem
B. Final problem resolution
C. Test the connections to other IP
hosts
D. Preventive measures

3. What process involves in

troubleshooting?
A.Identifying, locating &
correcting problems
B.Identifying, locating & Restart
C.Test connection
D.Restart & Test Connection

4. Give the function of TRACERT?

A.Displays IP configuration
information
B.Displays route taken to
destination
C.Displays network connections
D.Test connection to other IP
hosts

5. Assess Common Physical

Problems in Network involves :
A. Overload connection
B. Wrong IP Address
C. Sense, Smelling, Sight, Listening
D.Make an observation

6. Give the function of

NSLOOKUP?
A. Directly queries the name
server for information on a
destination domain
B. Displays route taken to
destination
C. Displays network

Thank You