Handling networking problems from other location is often frustrating, since there many things that are likely to go wrong. Are you dealing with the problem at the client end or the server end? How to tell if the problem is in a cable, connection, switch or router? The complexities are endless.
Here we have rounded up some ways network troubleshooting can be made faster and more streamlined. Although some tricks may not work as some networks are different, taking an organized approach will get you closer to the solution.
Start from the Client Machine First:
Although it sounds like a basic piece of advice, many administrators jump to the server when the problem occurs. The process can be organized if they start from the client machine. For example, ask your clients if they access the Internet or internal network. If they are not sure about that, tell them to open up a browser to view Google.com. If they can see that, tell them if the mapped drives they have on the machine can be viewed. This way, you know the point where you need to go first.
Get Systematic with the Problem:
If there is no network, try another client machine. If the network is available on that machine, the problem is the first machine. Don’t jump-start to something complex. Start from the basic things first.
For example, make sure the machine is plugged into the network. If it is, try the wireless network to rule out the hardware problem. Also, reboot into Safe Mode (with networking) to eliminate the possibility of infection. if the things still seem alright on the machine, bring in a laptop and plug it into their network to make sure it isn’t the problem of cables or jack.
The point is here to narrow down the problems. This way, you can find the problems without facing a lot of complexities at once.
Reboot Switches and Modems:
The problem hasn’t been resolved yet? OK. Move to the next step in narrowing down the issue—without moving to the server. See if the switches are working properly.
If the client machine is working fine, and a new machine can’t access the network from the client’s network drop, there may be problems in other things. In this scenario, move to the switches, modems, and routers. This step is beneficial for the clients relying on cable or DSL. Besides, it is also useful when giving instructions over the phone.
Tell your client to restart the modem, router, and switch. Then, look for connectivity again. If it is not working, tell the client to do it again. Also, tell them to restart the computer. If that doesn’t make any difference, the problem may be from the side of their vendor. In this case, tell them to call the vendor or do it yourself. If the vendor informs all is fine, it’s time to go an extra mile.
Move to the Server:
It’s time to turn to the server, especially if the server conducts DHCP or DNS. However, most clients are not familiar with the settings of the server. So you need to be their eyes and fingers.
Tell them to log into the server, open up a browser and open Google.com. If they can’t, you need to go deeper. Ask them to enable or disable the network interface. If it’s not working, the last step in this blog can help you out.
Restart the Server:
This is the last resort to fix the network. Ask your client to disconnect everyone from the server. Or it is better if each connected machine can be shut down. Once you are sure these steps are taken, tell the client that the server will take 15-30 minutes to reboot. After the server has finally restarted, get the client restarted a single desktop machine and try again.
If it is not still working, then it’s time to pay a visit to the site of your client.