Chapter 16: Configuring and Troubleshooting Connectivity for Applications

The Configuring and Troubleshooting Connectivity for Applications objective domain focuses on configuring and troubleshooting network connections in Microsoft Windows XP. Users of applications often require connectivity so that they can access documents located on a network, share documents with colleagues, and use e-mail. As a desktop support technician (DST), you should be able to isolate the cause of the problem when a user reports a loss of connectivity. Specifically, you should be able to configure network connectivity in Windows XP, as well as troubleshoot problems related to network adapter cards, network configuration, firewalls, and name resolution. In addition, you should be able to determine the best course of action to take when users report that they cannot access locally attached devices such as printers, scanners, mice, and so on.

Tested Skills and Suggested Practices

The skills that you need to successfully master the Configuring and Troubleshooting Connectivity for Applications objective domain on the Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System exam include:

• Identifying and troubleshooting name resolution problems.

  • Practice 1: Use the ipconfig /all command to determine the Domain Name System (DNS) servers used by your computer.

  • Practice 2: Use the Properties dialog box for a network connection to determine whether the connection is configured to obtain DNS server addresses automatically.

• Identifying and troubleshooting network adapter configuration problems.

  • Practice 1: Use Device Manager to find out what kind of network adapter is used on your computer.

  • Practice 2: Using Device Manager, disable the network adapter and restart your computer. Try to establish a network connection. Re-enable the network adapter.

  • Practice 3: In Device Manager, open the Properties dialog box for your network adapter. On the Power Management tab, configure Windows XP so that the computer is not allowed to turn off the device to save power.

• Identifying and troubleshooting LAN and Routing and Remote Access configuration problems.

  • Practice 1: Configure a network connection in the Network Connections window to obtain an Internet Protocol (IP) address and DNS server addresses automatically.

  • Practice 2: Configure a network connection in the Network Connections window to use a static IP address.

  • Practice 3: Use the ipconfig /all command to determine the current Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) settings for a computer.

  • Practice 4: Familiarize yourself with the other tools available for troubleshooting network connections, including ping.exe, pathping.exe, and tracert.exe.

• Identifying and troubleshooting network connectivity problems caused by the firewall configuration.

  • Practice 1: Enable Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) on a connection using the default settings.

  • Practice 2: Configure ICF so that it allows the following inbound traffic: FTP Server, Telnet Server, and Web Server (HTTP). After you configure ICF in this manner, be sure to change the configuration back to its default.

  • Practice 3: Turn on security logging for ICF (if it is not already on). After using the Internet for a period of time, look through the log and become familiar with the entries.

  • Practice 4: Configure ICF so that it allows incoming ECHO requests.

• Identifying and troubleshooting problems with locally attached devices.

  • Practice 1: Install a Plug and Play device such as a digital camera or scanner into a computer running Windows XP.

  • Practice 2: Determine the version of the driver software used by your display adapter. Determine whether a more recent version of the driver is available from the manufacturer.

  • Practice 3: Determine whether there are any FireWire ports available on your computer.

  • Practice 4: Determine the number of serial and parallel ports available on your computer.