Business whether they are small or an enterprise, a network is a crucial element for their technological operations. We have seen many of them struggling with common network issues like connectivity problems, unauthorized access, slow speed, etc. These issues sometimes become a significant cause of disruption in completing tasks.
IT professionals are always the first responders whenever such a network-related issue arises. This blog post will discuss five network issues and how IT professionals can troubleshoot them using advanced tools and techniques.
1. Unauthorized Network Access
Unauthorized network access is among the most critical concerns in any IT environment. It involves unknown or rogue devices being connected to a network without permission. Unauthorized network access by a device can pose serious threats such as:
- Data breaches
- Malware injection
- Traffic overload
- Malicious attacks
Such threats usually come from hackers exploiting vulnerabilities.
Solution – MAC Address Lookup
Occasionally, conducting a MAC Address audit is the best way to protect your network from unauthorized access. The MAC Address Lookup tool can help you in this regard. Using the said tool, one can identify the devices connected to a network and verify the origin of their MAC addresses. Once they get the information related to those connected to a network, they need to compare it with the list of authorized ones. This way, they can spot and remove unauthorized devices from their network, ultimately enhancing security.
2. IP Address Conflicts
Every device connected to a network needs a unique IP address to communicate with the internet and the other devices on the same network. But sometimes, people manually change a device’s IP address that got matched with another one connected to the same network (can be both intentionally & unintentionally).
So, when more than one device connected to a network has the same addresses, a conflict arises, usually termed IP Address conflict. This conflict affects the devices and interrupts them from communicating with the network efficiently, causing network disruptions. The key reasons that cause such conflicts are:
- Static IP misconfigurations
- DHCP server issues
- Device cloning
Solution – Advanced IP Scanner
If IP address conflict is the issue an IT professional is facing, the Advanced IP Scanner tool can be helpful. Using this tool, they can perform the entire network scan and get detailed information about all the devices connected to it, including:
- Device name
- IP address
- Mac address
Once the information is retrieved, the IT professional can easily detect what IP addresses are causing the conflict. Once identified, they need to assign new IPs and resolve the issue.
Note: This tool does not function online, so you must download and install it on your device to perform a scan.
3. DNS Resolution Failures
DNS (Domain Name System) resolution failures occur when a network fails to translate a domain name into an IP address. This issue can make websites and their emails inaccessible to users and disrupt a business’s operations.
The DNS resolution failure usually occurs due to the following reasons:
- Delay in propagation
- Misconfigured DNS settings
- Domain records expired
- The network is misrouted
- DNS server outages
These failures may present as “Server not found” in browsers.
Solution – DNS Propagation Checker
By running a domain through the DNS Checker tool, one can find out how it is resolving across different servers around the globe. Using the data provided by the tool, IT professionals get an idea of how other servers in various regions of the world are picking up DNS records.
By doing this, professionals can verify whether all the records are correctly propagated. In simple terms, they know whether a record is causing the issue. Once the root of the problem is spotted, they can correct it easily.
4. Slow Network Performance
Slow network performance is one of the most common issues IT professionals have to deal with. A slow network causes many disruptions in the work routine. For example:
- Lag in video conferences or meetings
- Slow file transfers/uploads/downloads
- Delay in sending emails
- Slow website loading speed
A slow network performance occurs because of various reasons, mainly:
- Low bandwidth
- Network congestion
- Wireless interference
- Outdate hardware
- Background processes
- Malware infections
- ISP throttling and many more.
Solution – Network Protocol Analyzer
Professionals use a network protocol analyzer tool to troubleshoot slow network performance. They capture and analyze the traffic to a network so a professional can pinpoint the source causing a delay or congestion.
Such tools also let professionals inspect data packets that traverse the network in real-time. It helps professionals find anomalies, bottlenecks, and unauthorized traffic.
Moreover, using the said tool, professionals can assess whether the issue is coming from local traffic on the network or if there’s a delay in the external server response.
5. Intermittent Connectivity
Intermittent connectivity refers to network access that works sometimes but not consistently, because some issues are resolved automatically. Symptoms include:
- Connection drop (especially Wi-Fi)
- Random disconnections
- Too many fluctuations in internet speed
The cause of intermittent connectivity is difficult to spot for IT professionals because the issue often disappears before being identified. The common culprits that are thought to be behind intermittent connectivity include:
- Weak wireless signals
- Flaky cables
- Firmware issues
- Faulty routers
- Microwaves interference
Solution – Traceroute
IT professionals use tracerout tools to diagnose intermittent connectivity issues by tracing network paths. They map the path data packets between two devices from the source to the destination.
This information is invaluable for identifying where delays or failures occur along the route so professionals can easily resolve them.
Final Talk
Network issues are among the significant hurdles that impact the continuity of business operations very badly, especially those in the IT field. The five problems we highlighted in this post are some of the issues. Addressing them promptly is essential for IT professionals. Addressing them can maintain a stable and secure network environment, smoother business operations, and fewer disruptions. If you ever face such a network problem in your work routine, try out the solutions we discussed for troubleshooting. We are confident they’ll help you eliminate the problem.
