Troubleshooting Infrastructure Hardware
If you are looking for a challenge, troubleshooting hardware infrastructure problems is for you. It is often not an easy task and usually involves many processes, including baselining and performance monitoring. One of the keys to identifying the failure of a hardware network device is to know what devices are used on a particular network and what each device is designed to do. Some of the common hardware components used in a network infrastructure are shown in Table below.
Common Network Hardware Components, Their Function and Troubleshooting StrategiesNetworking Device | Function | Troubleshooting and Failure Signs |
---|---|---|
Hubs | Hubs are used with a star network topology and use twisted-pair cable to connect multiple systems to a centralized physical device. | Because hubs connect multiple network devices, if many devices cannot access the network, the hub might have failed. When a hub fails, all devices connected to it will be unavailable to access the network. Additionally, hubs use broadcasts and forward data to all the connected ports increasing network traffic. When network traffic is high and the network operating slowly, it might be necessary to replace slow hubs. |
Switches | Like hubs, switches are used with a star topology as a central point of connection. | The inability of several network devices to access the network can indicate a failed switch. If the switch fails, all devices connected to the switch cannot access the network. Switches forward data only to the intended recipient enabling them to better manage network traffic that hubs. |
Routers | Routers separate broadcast domains and connect different networks. | If a router fails, network clients cannot access remote networks connected by the router. For example, if clients access a remote office through a network router and the router fails, the remote office would be unavailable. Testing router connectivity can be done using utilities such as ping and tracert. |
Bridges | Bridges are commonly used to connect network segments within the same network. Bridges manage the flow of traffic between these network segments. | A failed bridge would prevent the flow of traffic between network segments. If communication between network segments has failed, it can be due to a failed bridge. |
Wireless Access Points | Wireless access points provide the bridge between the wired and wireless network. | If wireless clients cannot access the wired network, the AP might have failed. However, there are many configuration settings to verify first. |
In this tutorial:
- Troubleshooting Procedures
- The Art of Troubleshooting
- Troubleshooting Servers and Workstations
- General Troubleshooting Considerations
- Troubleshooting Methods and Procedures
- Step 1: Information Gathering-Identify Symptoms and Problems
- Information from the Computer
- Information from the User
- Step 2: Identify the Affected Areas of the Network
- Step 3: Determine if Anything Has Changed
- Changes to the Network
- Changes to the Server
- Changes to the Workstation
- Step 4: Establish the Most Probable Cause
- Step 5: Determine if Escalation Is Necessary
- Step 6: Create an Action Plan and Solution Identifying Potential Effects
- Step 7: Implement and Test the Solution
- Step 8: Identify the Results and Effects of the Solution
- Step 9: Document the Solution and the Entire Process
- Troubleshooting the Network
- Where the Cable Is Used
- Crosstalk
- Open Impedance Mismatch (Echo)
- Managing Collisions
- Troubleshooting Infrastructure Hardware
- Configuring and Troubleshooting Client Connectivity
- Troubleshooting Incorrect VLANs
- Identifying Issues That Might Need Escalation
- Troubleshooting Wireless Issues
- Troubleshooting Wireless Signals
- Troubleshooting Wireless Configurations