Troubleshooting Tips

Troubleshooting tips assist in understanding the troubleshooting process. These tips are discussed in the following subsection.

Never neglect the tiny things

Tiny things implies a power switch in the inappropriate position, damaged cable, a non-functional card or port, not turning off the power, leaving the cable unplugged; overlooking these aspects can sometimes lead to humongous problems.

Always prioritise the problems

Prioritise the problems based on the severity of the problem. The higher the severity, higher the priority of the problem. For instance, the priority list can be:

• Network failure (highest priority)
• Workstation failure (intermediate priority)
• Minor issue such as wrong IP configuration on a system (lowest priority)

Examine the Software Configuration

As discussed earlier, configuration errors can result in the occurrence of network problem, thus, always check and examine software configuration such as DHCP configuration. Types of configurations that can be checked are:

• DNS configuration
  • DHCP configuration
  • WINS configuration
  • HOSTS file
  • The Registry

Consider Physical Conditions

While troubleshooting a network, do not avoid the physical conditions under which the network is operating. Scan for problems such as:

• Excessive heat
• Excessive condensation
• Low humidity
• Power problems
• Unplugged cables

Never Overlook Cable Problems

Wires are prone to breakage or shortening, hence, any damage to a cable can lead to a serious network problem. Check for following problems:

• Broken cables
• Fallacious connections
• Interference levels
• Cable length
• Problems in connector

Inspect for Viruses

All the software must be kept up-to-date and virus free. Run virus-definition update utility to keep the virus-definition file consistent.