Category Archives: Troubleshooting

Easy Steps to Network Troubleshooting | Part 2

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In part 1 you have to prepare, create documentation, conduct a physical check, try to reboot and make the chronology of events. The following steps are the steps the next alternative.

 

Talking To User

Does the user have to change their system configurations? Installing new software? Do they use the new IP address? If the IP address that they take existing uses, then it could cause problems.

While identifying what is happening, try to think to happen outside the technical side. Human behavior may also be involved. For example, your colleague came after office hours with a laptop. Because no port is empty, he pulled out without telling. But he forgot to connect it back after the next day and you are shocked that the network be down. At first, of course you will consider this complex and mysterious.

 

Where Problems Arise?

Try to identify where problems arise. Is the problem appeared on only one application or all applications? Is the trouble only on one computer or all computers on the network also experienced the same problem? If only one computer, it stands to reason that the problem is the computer, instead of the network. Try restarting the system, and see if the troule still exists. What is the error message? Just look at the system log.

For example, suppose the NFS problem that we mentioned earlier. What just happened? Electrical surges so that all systems must be restarted. This means that the problem associated with all system restarts. Which applications are problematic? Only on NFS. All works fine. This means the problem is obvious NFS.

 

Use Ping

Still a problem? You do a physical check, it turns out all is fine. Among the network analysis tool, ping is the most useful tools. As you may already grasp, the ping can denote whether you can reach the connections on the other side, including computers, gateways, and printers. If you have, you will indeed be proficient to identify network problems and then find the solution.

 

Still Have a Problem?

The steps that have been done are adequate to conclude most of the problems, but not all. If you’re still having troubles, try to make sure the following points. Damage hardware: network cards, hubs, adapters and other components can be and sometimes are damaged. Try to identify the problem using ping and if necessary try to replace it with a hardware that is definitely working.

Easy Steps to Network Troubleshooting | Part 1

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Prepare Yourself

This job requires a calm mind, although this situation makes you panic. For example: deadlines are waiting, users are complaining to the boss angry. However, we do not get carried away. Rest assured that you can certainly solve the problem. Moreover, the network was able to function. The question is why not now? There must be the cause and you will find it.

 

Create Documentation

Whatever makes your network down, there is a possibility it will happen again. Are you going to remember what happened and how to fix it? Write down the symptoms you can see, the error message you receive, the test you’re doing and what you do to fix the problem.

 

Perform Physical Checks

Most of the problems causes on the network that previously always associated with physical functioning. Take time to check the following things: Is the network card installed properly? Encouragement from the cable network could make the network card a little loose, especially if you don’t fasten it with screws.

Check the LED light on the network card. The green color on the ethernet card shows that he is connected properly to the computer and network. If the LED blinks when you receive or send data, it is also auspicious. Perform the same checks on the hub, cable modem or DSL. While checking, make sure all is connected properly and getting enough style.

Replace the cables to ensure they are functioning. Maybe the cable is broken for no apparent reason, and the new network could function again after the cable replaced. Keep in mind, the LED may remain green, although one or more wires are no longer conduct current. You should be more watchful, chiefly when the cable is too bent. Is there a large motor electric that run close to the ethernet cable? Electromagnetic waves can disrupt the network signal. Make sure the problem exists on your side. Contact your ISP and see if there was a problem on their backbone.

 

Try Rebooting

Found no problem with the physical connection? There may be errors of software. Try to restart all systems are problematic. Often this can fix the problems.

 

Create a chronology of events

If the network is still down after you do a physical check and reboot the system. Try to remember again what events occur before the last time the network function? Did you restart the server? Is the power goes out? Maybe one of these was the cause of the network down.

Hopefully these five steps above have been able to resolve your network problems. If still having problems follow part 2.

 

Networking Troubleshooting

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Determining Troubleshooting Method.

Network troubleshooting is when you resolution troubles by identifying and resolving problems. Example if you treat the servers to send directories to the client. Since the power goes out, then a server and a client go down. When the power is on, reboot both devices. After logging in the client, you necessitate to access the directory on the server, but can not. What happened?  There are quite a few methods that you can apply:

I. OSI Model

The basis of each method of troubleshooting here is OSI Model reference. If you don’t grasp what the OSI model, in a nutshell it is a network model that consists of seven layers, where the structure of the uppermost layer is:

  1. Application
  2. Presentation
  3. Session
  4. Transport
  5. Network
  6. Data Link
  7. Physical

The workings of the OSI model is run from the Application to the Physical layer, then headed to the Physical layer receiver via an intermediary network with a physical medium (such as an Ethernet cable). From there, data goes to the upper application layer to the receiver.

When data has arrived, the receiver turn into the sender. And the sender to the receiver. The retort from the receiver goes back and forth the contradictory path, and retrace to the primary sender. Hence, but there is one layer that is not performing, then the data could not run. For case in point, if the Session layer does not function, then the data will not be able to proceed from the Network layer to Transport layer.

II. Bottom-Up

This method starts from the bottom layer, the Physical Layer, a new upward toward the Application Layer. Physical Layer includes a network cable and network card. So, if there is a network cable is disconnected, then do not always do the troubleshooting. You should fix the problem first before proceeding to the Physical Layer. Having solved the problem, check it whether there is still interference. If yes, continue troubleshooting to display the data links. For example, if for example there is an entry the same MAC on the switch MAC address table, then fix the problem first before checking on the network layer (eg. IP address or routing).

III. Top-Down

The same as the bottom-up method, only the top-down methods, troubleshooting starting from the uppermost layer, the layer of new Application heading down to the Physical Layer.

IV. Divide and Conquer

This method takes a bit of instinct. This method can be started from anywhere, if you get by the cause of the problem. From there, you can go up or down.

 

So which method is chosen? Follow your intuition, where about problems that occur. For example, if the user can not browse the internet, and you think it’s because of the many browser setting, afterward you be able to use a top-down method. In contrast, if the user has just connect the notebook to the network and can not browse the internet, you can use a bottom-up method because the user is most likely the network cable is damaged or because of similar problems.