Despite The Best Efforts To Maintain The Stability And Performance Of The Network, Sometimes Certain Events Occur That Disrupt The Normal Operation Of The Networks.

This article looks at some common network problems tips for solving them quickly and preventing future problems.

1. Duplicate IP addresses

When two devices try to share a single IP address, they see that the address has already been used and will not connect to the network.

Solution: The cause of this problem is the default configuration of the DHCP router. DHCP is probably trying to assign an address to your new device at the beginning of the subnet. In contrast, another device may have already used these addresses as static IP addresses.

If you have just introduced a new device or server to your network, reviewing the DHCP server may not be a bad idea. All you have to do is disable the DHCP server, disconnect the devices from the web, enable DHCP again, and connect the devices to the network.

Precautions: By changing your router’s configuration to start assigning DHCP addresses near the end of the subnet, you can take a simple step to prevent IP address interference and reserve lower addresses for devices that require a fixed IP address.

2. IP address unavailable

To solve this problem, you must use the ipconfig command if a workstation or device on the network has an IP address that starts with 169. xxx means that no IP address is available from the DHCP server to be assigned to the client.

Solution: Users who use cable internet and do not have a local router will receive limited IP addresses directly from the ISP. The authorized IP addresses assigned by the service provider may have expired. You have to buy a router or use mobile Internet to get a unique IP address to solve this problem. In this case, you have a set of local addresses that devices within the local network can use and never run out.

If you already have a local router with DHCP, the default address set for your network may be too small. To solve this problem, you need to go to the router DHCP settings, check the range of addresses allocated by DHCP, and adjust it according to your network needs.

Precautions: Every network connected to the Internet must have a local router that works with NAT and DHCP so that there are no security problems and you do not face the problem of lack of address. The router should be the only device connected to the modem, and all other appliances should relate to the network through the router.

3. DNS problems

Errors such as network path not found, IP address not found, or DNS name missing can usually be caused by DNS configuration problems. The nslookup command-line tool can be used as a good tool for quickly viewing the DNS settings of workstations or clients.

Solution: Workstations and other network devices can be configured to use their DNS servers, regardless of the server dedicated by DHCP. To do this, you must check the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP / IP) settings of the adapter you are using to ensure that the DNS server is not misconfigured and automatically set it to the Obtain DNS server address.

Preventive Solution: Your local router may be configured to act as a DNS server and obtain a DNS through ISP servers. Change your network DHCP settings to access DNS servers directly.

4. A workstation is unable to connect to the network

Suppose only one workstation displays a “No internet” message when you open a web browser. In that case, we should assume that other network equipment and components are safe and focus on the hardware and software that displayed the message.

Solution: To solve this network problem, you should look for the factors that caused the connection to be lost, such as cable, poor WiFi signal, network card failure, or incorrectly installed drivers. Ensure the workstation network adapter is configured correctly with IP, subnet, and DNS servers.

If this does not resolve the issue, check the device’s firewall software to ensure that the required ports on the external network are open. Standard ports include 80 and 443 for web traffic, plus 25, 587, 465, 110, and 995 for email.

Precautions: It is usually best to change all the TCP / IP settings of the workstation to Automatically assigned. Use a DHCP server to provide a uniform configuration to all devices on the network. If a static IP is required on a particular workstation or server, most DHCP servers allow static IP mapping.

5. Cannot connect to Local File or Printer Shares

Sharing problems are among the most challenging network problems because the number of components that need to be appropriately configured is relatively large.

Conflicts between mixed security environments usually cause sharing problems. Even different versions of an operating system sometimes use slightly different security models, making it challenging to connect workstations.

Solution: We can solve the sharing problems in the best way by examining the probabilities in the following order

Make sure the required services are running. The server, TCP / IP NetBIOS Helper, workstation, and browser-related services must all run on Windows. Samba is a crucial component required for sharing with Windows systems on Linux machines.

Check your firewalls. It is widespread for a workstation firewall to be configured to block file and printer sharing traffic, especially if a new antivirus package is installed that introduces itself as a firewall. Firewall problems can also exist at the hardware level, so make sure routers or switches manage shared traffic on the subnet.

Make sure all workstations are on the same subnet.

This problem usually occurs only in complex networks. However, even simple networks sometimes have fixed IP equipment with inadequate subnets. The result is that external traffic is well transmitted, while internal traffic encounters unexpected obstacles.

All Windows network adapters require File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, Client for Microsoft Networks, and NetBIOS over TCP / IP enabled.

Once you have reviewed everything, another critical factor that causes this problem is the permissions. There are several layers to the Windows operating system that allow access to resources, and each has its user interface, so:

Examine systems that are configured with the wrong workgroup or domain.

Make sure HomeGroup is configured correctly.

The network type is set to Public.

NTFS permissions are not misconfigured.

6. The local network is not able to connect to the Internet

This condition can be intermittent or continuous. Often, the hardest part is investigating a problem with an external network. Sometimes such a problem may force organizations to turn to other Internet service providers.

Solution: Restarting the router and modem is the first step. Next, the tracert tool can use to identify communication interruptions. Take a screenshot, if necessary, and share it with your ISP.

Preventive action: The best solution ensures you get an internet connection from a first-class service provider. Some companies are intermediaries, receiving the Internet from the first companies and providing it to you slightly. So it would help if you eliminated intermediaries as much as possible to get a stable internet.

7. Slow internet performance

Slow performance is usually caused by congestion or sometimes by poor quality connections that can cause slow speeds or sudden outages. This problem is mainly seen in leased lines where dedicated bandwidth is received. Congestion may not be directly related to bandwidth reduction, as only one port on the switch or router can reduce network performance.

Solution: Use active websites in speed detection to conduct tests through remote geographic servers. The above approach can identify congested areas in the ISP network.

DNS servers are one of the most critical and essential components of the Internet and are often overlooked. Improper DNS servers can lead to routing congestion or load balancing problems. While you typically use your DNS ISP settings, they may redirect traffic through overloaded web caches. You can temporarily configure your DNS settings to use OpenDNS.

Preventive action: If the operation of the Internet is critical, you must provide various communication mechanisms. For example, give a combination of ADSL, VDSL, mobile, or fiber-optic Internet to quickly switch to another option when needed and when the network is down. The above method indeed increases the costs, but you will be sure that you can easily use the alternative option in case of poor network performance.

A local DSL operator may offer improved reliability at a slightly higher cost, but for consistent performance, you may find that an expensive lease line is required for your organization.