Troubleshooting Checklists


In a real-world networking environment, you will be expected to be able to troubleshoot client connectivity in many different areas. As a result, you can expect to be tested on them on the CompTIA exam. The following sections provide some troubleshooting checklists that can help you review some of the various troubleshooting areas in preparation for the exam.

Troubleshooting Cabling Problems

Cable accounts for a great many of the problems on a network. There are many places to look when you suspect a cable-related problem. If you suspect that cable is at the bottom of your network troubles, consider the following areas:

  • Loose connections You need to verify that cables are securely attached and that they are attached to the correct ports.

  • Poorly crimped or bent cable Sometimes a chair running over a cable or a cable that has a poor crimp can cause problems.

  • Incorrect cable length Recall from Chapter 2, "Cabling and Connectors," that cables cannot exceed a specified maximum length.

  • Cable placement Care must be taken when cables are run too closely to strong electrical devices. If cables are run too closely to electrical devices, you need to ensure that they are designed for the task.

Troubleshooting Operating System Connectivity

If you are struggling with operating system connectivity issues, consider the following:

  • Username/password Make sure that users are logging on to the network with the correct username/password combination.

  • Configuration It might be necessary to confirm that the network settings on the client computer have not changed.

  • Account activity You need to verify that the user has an active account on the network and that it has the correct permissions set. Log on with a known working account from the client's system, which will allow you to isolate the problem to the computer or the user account.

  • Physical connections You should check to see if a cable has come unplugged from the client's system.

  • NIC To confirm that a card is working, you might need to swap out the card with one that is known to be working.

Troubleshooting Network Printing

Printing is one of the services that network users expect to be working, and it is the administrator's job to make sure that it is available. When trying to get printing back up and running on the network, confirm the following:

  • Printer online status You should confirm that the printer is online and ready to go. If there is a problem with the printer itself, the printer might display error messages on an LCD panel or use LEDs to indicate a problem.

  • Printer functioning Nearly all printers have a test print feature. You can use it to make sure that the printer itself is functioning correctly.

  • Printer connectivity Verify that the printer is visible to the network. If the printer is connected directly to the network using TCP/IP, for instance, you can ping the printer to test for connectivity.

  • Client configuration Ensure that the computers that are trying to access the printer are configured correctly to use that printer.

  • Permissions On many operating systems, it is possible to set permissions to allow or deny users access to a printer. You need to verify that the correct permissions have been set.

  • Check logs Network operating systems log printer activity. Monitoring printer logs can often provide clues as to the source of a problem.

  • Driver software If you are having problems isolating a printing issue, consider reinstalling or replacing the printer driver.

Troubleshooting Data Access

The inability to access data is not always a result of connectivity errors. If a user is unable to access data, there are a few key areas to verify:

  • Proper network login Sometimes people use a shortcut or try to access data without being properly logged on to the network. You should verify that users are correctly logged on to the network and that any necessary network drives are connected.

  • Permissions When you are troubleshooting data access, ensure that the permissions are set correctly.

  • Connectivity You need to verify that the system that maintains the data is available. You need to confirm that the server is available. What can seem like a problem accessing a file can mask a potentially larger problem such as a disk or server failure.

  • Data integrity Sometimes data itself can be corrupt. This is the worst-case scenario, and the robust nature of today's file systems ensures that it occurs rarely. This is when you need backups.

  • Viruses In some cases, viruses might be your problem. You can use a virus-checking program to determine if indeed this is the problem.

Troubleshooting NICs

When NICs are configured correctly and verified to be working, very little goes wrong with them. When you are troubleshooting a NIC, you should consider the following:

  • Resource settings NICs require specific computer resources in order to operate. After you install a card or add new devices, you should check for device conflicts.

  • Speed settings If you are not getting the expected speed from the NIC, you should confirm the speed settings and, if applicable, the duplex settings.

  • Protocols In order for the NIC to work on the network, it must have a valid protocol assigned to it, and all addressing information needs to be in place.

  • Faulty card Some NICs are faulty when they ship from the manufacturer, and some are damaged through poor handling. To test for this, you can swap the card with one that is known to be working.



    Network+ Exam Cram 2
    Network+ Exam Cram 2
    ISBN: 078974905X
    EAN: N/A
    Year: 2003
    Pages: 194

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