Network+ Guide to Networks
5th Edition
Chapter 13
Troubleshooting Network Problems
Objectives
• Describe the steps involved in an effective
troubleshooting methodology
• Follow a systematic troubleshooting process to
identify and resolve networking problems
• Document symptoms, solutions, and results when
troubleshooting network problems
• Use a variety of software and hardware tools to
diagnose problems
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Troubleshooting Methodology
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Proceed logically and methodically
Follow recommended steps
Use experience when necessary
Logical approach benefits
– Prevents wasteful, time-consuming efforts
• Unnecessary software, hardware replacements
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Troubleshooting Methodology (cont’d.)
• Troubleshooting steps
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Identify symptoms, problems
Identify affected area
Determine what has changed
Establish most probable cause
Determine if escalation necessary
Create action plan, solution
Implement solution, test result
Identify results, effects
Document solution, process
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Identify the Symptoms and Problems
• Ask questions
– Answers help identify network problem symptoms
• Avoid jumping to conclusions about symptoms
• Pay attention
– Users, system and network behaviors, and error
messages
– Treat each symptom uniquely
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Identify the Affected Area
• Determine affected area and group
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One user or workstation?
A workgroup?
A department?
One location within an organization?
An entire organization?
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Identify the Affected Area (cont’d.)
• Narrow down time frame
– When did the problem begin?
– Has the network, server, or workstation ever worked
properly?
– Did the symptoms appear in the last hour or day?
– Have the symptoms appeared intermittently for a long
time?
– Do the symptoms appear only at certain times of the
day, week, month, or year?
• Benefits
– Eliminates some causes; points to other
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Identify the Affected Area (cont’d.)
• Take time to troubleshoot correctly
– Ask specific questions
• Identify problem scope
– Filter unrelated user information
• Discover time and frequency of problem
– May reveal more subtle network problems
• Identify affected problem area
– Leads to next troubleshooting steps
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Figure 13-1 Identifying the area affected by a problem
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Figure 13-2 Identifying the chronological scope of a problem
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Determine What Has Changed
• Become aware of recent network changes
– Ask questions pinpointing problem resulting from
network change
• Possible actions if change generated problem
– Correct problem
– Reverse change
• Less risky, less time consuming
• Network change records
– Track what has changed
• Make records available to staff members
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Establish the Most Probable Cause
• Close to determining problem cause
• Verify user competency
– Ensure human error is not problem source
– Verify user is performing network tasks correctly
• Watch
• Connect using remote desktop software
• Talk over phone
• Results
– Catch user-generated mistakes
– Gain clues for further troubleshooting
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Establish the Most Probable Cause
(cont’d.)
• Re-create the problem
– Learn more about problem causes
– Reproduce symptoms
• Log on as user; log on under privileged account
• Follow same steps
– Ask questions
• Determine whether problem symptoms reproducible, to
what extent
• Ask user precisely what was done before error
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Establish the Most Probable Cause
(cont’d.)
• Verify Physical layer connectivity
– Half of all network problems occur at Physical layer
– Symptoms of Physical layer problems
• Segment, network lengths exceed standards
• Noise
• Improper terminations, faulty connectors, loose
connectors, poorly crimped connections
• Damaged cables
• Faulty NICs
– Software errors may point to physical connectivity
problem
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Establish the Most Probable Cause
(cont’d.)
• Verify Physical layer connectivity (cont’d.)
– Diagnosing Physical layer Problems
• Ask questions
• Verify connections between devices
• Verify soundness of connection hardware
– Swapping equipment: tests theories
• Exchange faulty component for functional one
• Change patch cable
• Better option: build in redundancy
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Figure 13-3 Verifying physical connectivity
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Establish the Most Probable Cause
(cont’d.)
• Verify logical connectivity
– Review questions identifying logical connectivity
problem
– Logical connectivity problems more difficult to isolate,
resolve than physical connectivity problems
– Software-based causes
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Resource conflicts with NICs configuration
Improperly configured NIC
Improperly installed, configured client software
Improperly installed, configured network protocols,
services
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Determine Whether Escalation is
Necessary
• Help desks
– Help desk analysts
• Proficient in basic workstation, network troubleshooting
• First-level support
– Network specialist
• Second-level support
– Help desk coordinator
• Third-level support personnel
• Know when and how to escalate
– Follow given procedure
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Create an Action Plan and Solution
Including Potential Effects
• Consider how solution affects users, network
functionality
• Scope
– Assess solution’s scope
• Before implementing solution
– Wait if not an emergency
• Trade-offs
– Restore functionality for one user group
• May remove functionality for others
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Create an Action Plan and Solution
Including Potential Effects (cont’d.)
• Security
– Be aware of inadvertent security implications
• Network access, resource privileges addition or
removal consequences
– Before upgrade, patch installation
• Understand access changes for authorized,
unauthorized users
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Create an Action Plan and Solution
Including Potential Effects (cont’d.)
• Scalability
– Solution types
• Position network for future additions, enhancements
• Temporary fix organization will outgrow
• Cost
– Weigh options carefully
– Consider poor network performance identification
• Address those areas separately
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Create an Action Plan and Solution
Including Potential Effects (cont’d.)
• Use vendor information
– Manufacturer documentation
– Free online troubleshooting information
• Searchable databases
• Sophisticated web interfaces for troubleshooting their
equipment
• Vendor’s technical phone support
• Consult with others, within, outside your organization
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Implement and Test the Solution
• Implement only after proposed solution’s effects
researched
• Implementation
– Brief or long
– Requires foresight, patience
– Use methodical and logical approach
• Leads to efficient correction process
• Unless major problem – fix as quickly as possible
– Follow series of steps
• Implement a safe, reliable solution
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Implement and Test the Solution
(cont’d.)
• Roll out solution in stages
– Especially in large-scale fixes
• After solution implementation
– Verify problem solved properly
– Testing dependencies
• Solution itself
• Area affected by problem
• Inability to test immediately
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Identify the Results and Effects of the
Solution
• After testing solution implementation
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Determine how and why solution was successful
Determine solution’s effect on users and functionality
Avoid creating unintended, negative consequences
Communicate solution to colleagues
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Document the Solution and Process
• Always record:
– Problem symptoms and cause (or causes)
– Solution
• Justification for recording
– Impossible to remember each incident’s
circumstances
– Job changes
• Use centrally located database
– Accessible to all networking personnel
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Document the Solution and Process
(cont’d.)
• Call tracking system (help desk software)
– User-friendly, graphical
• Prompts for problem information
– Assigns unique problem number
– Highly customizable
– If not available, use simple electronic form
• Supported services list document
– Lists all supported service, software and contacts
• Follow-up with user
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Document the Solution and Process
(cont’d.)
• Notify others of changes
– Record resolution in call tracking system
– Communication
• Alerts others about problem, solution
• Notifies others of network changes made
– Many types of changes to record
• Not necessary to record minor modifications
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Help to Prevent Future Problems
• Avert network problems
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Network maintenance
Documentation
Security
Upgrades
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Troubleshooting Tools
• Utilities help troubleshoot network problems
– Ping
– Specialized tools
• Specifically designed to analyze, isolate network
problems
• Simple continuity testers
• Protocol analyzers
– Tool selection dependencies
• Problem being investigated
• Network characteristics
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Crossover Cable
• Crossover cable
– Reverses transmit and receive wire pairs in one
connector
• Directly interconnect two nodes without intervening
connectivity device
– Use
• Verify NIC transmitting, receiving signals properly
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Tone Generator and Tone Locator
• Ideal situation
– Telecommunications closet ports, wire terminations
all labeled properly
• Reality
– Telecommunications closet disorganized, poorly
documented
• Tone generator (toner)
– Issues signal on wire pair
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Tone Generator and Tone Locator
(cont’d.)
• Tone locator (probe)
– Emits tone when electrical activity detected
• Probe kit
– Generator and locator combination
– Fox and hound
• Testing requires trial and error
• Use
– Determine where wire pair terminates
• Not used to determine cable characteristics
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Tone Generator and Tone Locator
(cont’d.)
Figure 13-4 Use of a tone generator and tone locator
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Multimeter
• Tests cables for faults
– Isolates problems with network cables
• Multimeter
– Measures electric circuit characteristics
• Resistance and voltage
• Voltmeter
– Measures electric circuit pressure, voltage
• Voltage creates signals over network wire
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Multimeter (cont’d.)
• Resistance
– Fundamental wire property
• Dependent on wire’s molecular structure, size
– Measured in ohms
• Using ohmmeter
• Impedance
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Resistance contributing to controlling signal
Measured in ohms
Telltale factor for ascertaining where cable faults lie
Some required for proper signal transmission and
interpretation
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Multimeter (cont’d.)
• Multimeter
– Separate instruments for measuring wires
impedance, resistance, voltage
– Has several uses
– Sophistication, features, and costs vary
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Multimeter (cont’d.)
Figure 13-5 A multimeter
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Cable Continuity Testers
• Cable checkers (continuity testers, cable testers)
– Tests whether cable carrying signal to destination
– Tests cable continuity
• Copper-based cable tester
– Consists of two parts
• Base unit generates voltage
• Remote unit detects voltage
• Series of lights, audible tone
– Signal pass/fail
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Cable Continuity Testers (cont’d.)
• Verify UTP, STP wires paired correctly
– Not shorted, exposed, crossed
• Fiber optic continuity tester
– Issues light pulses on fiber
– Determines whether pulses reached other end
– Tests the cable
• Test all cables to ensure meeting network’s required
standards
– Homemade or purchased
• Offer convenience: portable, lightweight, low cost
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Cable Continuity Testers (cont’d.)
Figure 13-6 Cable continuity testers
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Cable Performance Testers
• Determines if cable carrying current
• Continuity testers versus performance testers
– Sophistication and price
– Performance tester accomplishes same continuity,
fault tests
– Continuity testers perform additional tasks
• Sophisticated performance testers
– Include TDR (time domain reflectometer)
• Issue signal, measures signal bounce back
• Indicate proper terminator installation, function, node
distance
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Cable Performance Testers (cont’d.)
• Fiber-optic connections testers
– Use OTDRs (optical time domain reflectometers)
• Transmit light-based signals of different wavelengths
over fiber
– OTDRs
• Measure fiber length
• Determine faulty splice locations, breaks, connectors,
bends
• Measure attenuation over cable
• Expensive
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Cable Performance Testers (cont’d.)
Figure 13-7 A cable performance tester
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Voltage Event Recorders
• Voltage event
– Any condition where voltage exceeds or drops below
predefined levels
• Voltage event recorder
– Collects data about power quality
• Downloaded to workstation
• Analyzed by software
– Cost up to $5000
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Voltage Event Recorders (cont’d.)
Figure 13-8 Voltage event recorder
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Butt Set
• Lineman’s handset, telephone test set
– Butt into telephone conversation
– Rugged, sophisticated telephone
• Uses
– Determine if line functioning
• Receiving signal, picking up noise affecting signal
– Sophisticated butt sets
• Perform rudimentary cable testing
– Detecting dial tone on line
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Butt Set (cont’d.)
Figure 13-9 Butt set
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Network Monitors
• Software-based tool
– Continually monitors network traffic from server,
workstation attached to network
– Interprets up to Layer 3
– Determine protocols passed by each frame
– Cannot interpret frame data
• Included in NOS
– Microsoft’s Network Monitor
• Purchase or free download tools developed by other
software companies
– All use similar graphical interfaces
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Network Monitors (cont’d.)
• Network adapter
– Must support promiscuous mode
• Common terms for abnormal data patterns, packets
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Local collisions
Late collisions
Runts
Giants
Jabber
Negative frame sequence checks
Ghosts
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Protocol Analyzers
• Protocol analyzer (network analyzer)
– Captures traffic, analyzes frames
• Typically to Layer 7
• Variety of protocol analyzer software available
– Wireshark
• Same features as network monitor
– Few extras
– Generates traffic
• Sniffer (packet sniffer) hardware
– Older term
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Protocol Analyzers (cont’d.)
Figure 13-10 Traffic captured by a protocol analyzer
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Protocol Analyzers (cont’d.)
• Offers versatility in information type, depth
– Could collect more information than can be
reasonably processed
– Set filters to avoid
• Before using network monitor or protocol analyzer
– Learn what network traffic normally looks like
• Capture data for time period on regular basis
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Wireless Network Testers
• Tools containing wireless NICs, running wireless
protocols
• Workstation wireless network connection properties
– Shows a little about wireless environment
• Connection duration, signal speed and strength,
number of packets exchanged
– Only applies to one workstation
• Programs scan for wireless signals
– Discover access points, wireless stations transmitting
– Free
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Wireless Network Testers (cont’d.)
• Commercial tools advantages
– Portability
– Installed with wireless network analysis tools
– Contain more powerful antennas
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Wireless Network Testers (cont’d.)
Figure 13-11 Wireless network testing tool
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Summary
• Methodical, logical troubleshooting methodology
– Key to solving network problems
• Troubleshooting tools
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Tone generator and tone locator
Multimeters
Basic cable continuity testers
Cable performance tester
Voltage event recorder
Butt set
Network monitors and protocol analyzers
Wireless network testing tools
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