Network Connectivity Troubleshooting: The Complete Checklist for IT Professionals -

Introduction

Your phone rings at 9:47 AM on a Tuesday. “The network is down!” a panicked user shouts. Your heart rate spikes. You have maybe 15 minutes before angry emails start flooding in, then management gets involved. In that moment, you don’t need theory—you need a systematic, proven approach to find and fix the problem fast.

Network connectivity issues are inevitable. What separates experienced IT professionals from frustrated ones is having a repeatable, methodical troubleshooting process that quickly isolates problems instead of randomly trying fixes. This guide provides exactly that: a battle-tested, step-by-step troubleshooting checklist that has resolved thousands of network issues.

Why Network Connectivity Fails

Before we dive into troubleshooting, understand the most common causes. Network problems don’t appear randomly—they’re symptoms of underlying issues:

Physical Layer Problems (40% of issues):

Loose, damaged, or unplugged network cables
Faulty network interface cards (NICs)
Power failures affecting network hardware
Broken fiber optic cables or connections

Configuration Issues (30% of issues):

Incorrect IP address settings
DHCP not functioning
Wrong gateway or DNS configuration
IP address conflicts (duplicate IPs)

Intermediate Network Issues (15% of issues):

Router or switch failures
Firewall rules blocking traffic
ISP outages or line problems
Routing table corruption

Application/Service Issues (10% of issues):

DNS server failures
DHCP server down
Firewall misconfiguration
Service not running

External Issues (5% of issues):

ISP outages
DNS provider issues
Malware or security threats
Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

The majority of problems (70%) are in the Physical, Configuration, or intermediate network layers—and that’s good news. These are the fastest to diagnose and fix. Before you waste time rebuilding servers or updating code, verify the fundamentals.

The 7-Step Troubleshooting Methodology

Professional network troubleshooters follow this proven methodology. It works whether you’re dealing with one user or the entire organization.

Step 1: Define and Document the Problem

Your first action: Stop. Don’t touch anything yet. Gather information.

Ask these critical questions:

What exactly is not working?
- Can’t access a specific website?
- Can’t connect to server?
- Extremely slow?
- Intermittent disconnections?
Why this matters: “The network is down” is vague. “Users can’t access the billing server” is actionable.
When did it start?
- Just now?
- This morning?
- For the past hour?
Why this matters: Problems that just started suggest recent changes. Long-standing issues might be configuration-related.
How many users are affected?
- One person at one desk?
- Entire department?
- Everyone in the building?
- Across all locations?
Why this matters: One user = likely workstation or local issue. Everyone = likely upstream (ISP, core network, or major device failure).
What was the last thing they did before it broke?
- Did they restart anything?
- Download or install something?
- Move to a different location?
- Change any settings?
Why this matters: Changes often trigger problems. Revert the change as a first test.
Is this a complete outage or degraded performance?
- Zero connectivity (can’t connect at all)?
- Or slow/intermittent (connects but sluggish)?
Why this matters: Complete outage suggests hardware/connection problem. Performance degradation suggests congestion or misconfiguration.

Document everything in a ticket or note. You’ll need this information for escalation and troubleshooting complex issues.

Step 2: Check the Physical Layer First

This is where 40% of problems hide. Most IT professionals overlook this and jump straight to commands, wasting precious time.

2A: Verify Network Cable Connections

Action items:

Check the connection at the device:
- Look at the network port where the cable connects to the computer/device
- Ensure the cable is fully inserted (you should hear/feel a click)
- Look for the connection indicator light on the network port
- If the light is off or amber instead of green, the connection isn’t established
Follow the cable:
- Trace the cable from the device to the switch or wall jack
- Look for visible damage: cuts, kinks, crushing, exposed wires
- Check for loose connections at both ends
- Verify it’s plugged into the correct port
Physical inspection:
- Check that the RJ45 connector (the plastic plug) isn’t cracked
- Ensure the clip on the connector is intact
- Look for bent pins inside the connector
If suspicious, test with a known-good cable:textProblem symptoms: No connection light Action: Swap the cable with one from a working device Result: → If connection works now: Original cable is bad → If still fails: Problem is elsewhere (NIC, port, switch)

Real-world example: A company experienced complete network loss in one office. After 30 minutes of troubleshooting router configs, someone noticed the network cable was partially unplugged. A quick push fixed it. Lesson: Always check physical connections first.

2B: Verify Network Device Power Status

Action items:

Check power on all network devices:
- Router (gateway) – Check power light
- Network switch (if you have one) – Check power light
- Modem (if separate from router) – Check power light
- Network printers – Check power status
Look for abnormal LED indicators:
- Green/steady = Good
- Orange/amber = Link established but no data flow (potential issue)
- Red or off = Problem
- Blinking rapidly = Processing (normal during startup/connection)
If devices appear powered but unresponsive:
- Try a power restart (wait 30 seconds before restarting)
- Check power cable connections
- Test the outlet with another device

2C: Check Network Card Status in Device Manager (Windows)

If the physical connection looks good but still no network access:

Steps:

Right-click the Start menu → Select “Device Manager”
Click the arrow next to “Network adapters”
Look for your network card (likely “Ethernet” or “Wi-Fi Adapter”)

What to look for:

Status	Problem	Solution
Green checkmark	Enabled and working	Move to Step 3
Yellow exclamation mark	Driver problem or misconfiguration	Update or reinstall driver
X or down arrow	Disabled	Right-click → Enable
Not visible	Hardware problem or removed	Check physical connection, restart computer

To update drivers:

Right-click the network adapter → “Update driver”
Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software”
Restart computer after installation completes

2D: Restart Network Equipment (The Nuclear Option)

Sometimes the simplest fix works best. A full restart clears memory leaks and temporary glitches.

Proper restart procedure:

Disconnect modem from power
2. Wait 30 seconds (important - allows capacitors to fully discharge)
3. Disconnect router from power
4. Wait 30 seconds
5. Plug modem back in
6. Wait 60 seconds for full startup (watch for stable lights)
7. Plug router back in
8. Wait 2-3 minutes for full boot
9. Try connecting again

Why 30 seconds? Network devices have capacitors that hold small charges. A quick on-off won’t clear memory issues. 30 seconds ensures a proper cold restart.

Common result: 70-80% of intermittent issues resolve with a proper restart.

Step 3: Check IP Configuration

At this point, we know the physical connection is working. Now verify the device has proper IP settings to communicate on the network.

3A: Run IPCONFIG (Windows) or IFCONFIG (Linux/Mac)

Windows:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Command Prompt → “Run as administrator”):

ipconfig

Expected output:

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix: company.local
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.45
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
                                  8.8.8.8

What each line means:

Field	Purpose	What to Check
IPv4 Address	Your computer’s address on network	Should start with 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x (not 169.254.x.x)
Subnet Mask	Network boundary definition	Usually 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway	Router/path out of network	Should match your router (usually 192.168.1.1)
DNS Servers	Address lookup service	Should match company DNS or public DNS (8.8.8.8)

Red flags:

Problem	Cause	Fix
IP is 169.254.x.x	DHCP failure, no auto-config	Restart, check DHCP server, manually assign IP
No IP at all	Network adapter disabled or not communicating with DHCP	Restart computer, check adapter in Device Manager
IPv4 Address is blank	DHCP never assigned address	Restart computer, wait 5 minutes for DHCP
DNS is blank	DNS not configured	Add DNS server in network settings

3B: Verify DHCP is Working

DHCP is the automatic IP assignment service. If it’s down, devices can’t get network addresses.

Test DHCP:

Windows Command Prompt (as Administrator):

ipconfig /renew

Watch the output:

If the command completes and shows an IP address assigned: DHCP is working
If you get “DHCP is not enabled” error: DHCP server is down or not configured
If IP doesn’t change: You might be statically assigned (not using DHCP)

If DHCP isn’t working:

Restart the DHCP server (if you have access)
Check that devices are set to obtain IP automatically
Verify router DHCP service is enabled
If widespread, contact your ISP or network administrator

3C: Check for IP Address Conflicts

When two devices have the same IP, both lose network connectivity.

Symptoms:

Computer says “IP conflict detected”
Network connects then disconnects within seconds
Only works when one computer is off

Check for conflicts:

Open Command Prompt and run:

ipconfig /all

Look for your IP address and MAC address. Then search for duplicates on your network. This requires network administration tools or contacting IT.

Common cause: A static IP device (printer, server) conflicts with DHCP range. Solution: Adjust DHCP range to exclude static IPs.

Step 4: Test Basic Connectivity with PING

PING tests if devices can reach each other. This is your primary diagnostic tool.

4A: Ping Your Default Gateway (Router)

This tests local network connectivity:

Windows Command Prompt:

ping 192.168.1.1

Or with your actual gateway IP (from ipconfig):

ping [your gateway IP]

Expected result:

Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 1ms

What it means:

Success (all replies received): Local network is working
All timeouts (“Request timed out”): Can’t reach router – likely network cable problem or router down
Some packet loss: Intermittent connectivity or congestion

4B: Ping an External Address (Internet Connectivity)

If gateway ping works, test external connectivity:

ping 8.8.8.8

Google’s DNS server is usually available and reliable for testing.

Expected result:

Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=52
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=52
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=52
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=52

Ping statistics for 8.8.8.8:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 23ms, Maximum = 25ms, Average = 24ms

Interpretation:

Result	Problem	Location
Gateway works, 8.8.8.8 fails	ISP connection down, modem issue, or firewall blocking external traffic	Between you and ISP
Gateway fails, never get to 8.8.8.8	Local network problem	Your equipment
Both work but very high latency (200ms+) to 8.8.8.8	Congestion or routing issue	Your connection or ISP

4C: Ping a Domain Name (DNS Resolution)

If 8.8.8.8 works but websites don’t load, the problem is likely DNS:

ping google.com

What happens:

If it works: DNS resolution is working, internet connectivity confirmed
If it says “Ping request could not find host google.com”: DNS is broken (next step)
If it resolves to an IP but then timeouts: Gateway routing problem

Step 5: Test DNS Resolution

DNS translates domain names (google.com) to IP addresses (142.251.41.14). If DNS is broken, internet access is broken.

5A: Use NSLOOKUP to Query DNS

Windows:

nslookup google.com

Expected output:

Server: 192.168.1.1
Address: 192.168.1.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: google.com
Address: 142.251.41.14

What to check:

Does it resolve to an IP address? (Success)
Does it say “Can’t find google.com: Non-existent domain”? (DNS server not responding)
Does it say “Timed out”? (DNS server down or unreachable)

5B: If DNS Fails, Check Your DNS Server

Your system is configured to use a specific DNS server for lookups. If that server is down, DNS breaks.

Check current DNS server:

Windows Command Prompt:

ipconfig /all | findstr /c:"DNS Servers"

Output example:

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
                                  8.8.8.8

5C: Try a Different DNS Server

Sometimes your configured DNS server is down. Google provides reliable public DNS:

nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8

If this works but your regular DNS doesn’t:

Your company’s DNS server is down
Contact IT or network administrator
Temporarily use Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)

Permanently change DNS (Windows):

Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced network settings
Click “Change adapter options”
Right-click your network adapter → “Properties”
Double-click “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”
Change DNS servers (or have IT do this)
Click OK and test connectivity

Step 6: Trace the Network Path with TRACERT

If ping works but you have intermittent problems or extreme slowness, use TRACERT to see the path packets take:

Windows:

tracert google.com

Expected output:

Tracing route to google.com [142.251.41.14]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1     2 ms     2 ms     2 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    12 ms    12 ms    12 ms  10.0.0.1 [ISP Gateway]
  3   *        *        *        Request timed out.
  4    35 ms    34 ms    34 ms  142.251.41.14
  
Trace complete.

What it shows:

Each hop (router) between you and the destination
Round-trip time to each hop
Where the connection fails (if it does)

Red flags:

Timeouts at one specific hop: That router or ISP segment has issues
Very high latency (200ms+) at one hop: Congestion at that point
Connection drops before reaching destination: Problem between you and destination

Real example: A company had slow access to their cloud provider. Tracert showed that ISP’s fourth hop was timing out, then recovering. This indicated ISP backbone congestion. After reporting to ISP, they remedied it.

Step 7: Performance Monitoring and Long-Term Issues

For intermittent problems that don’t show up during basic testing, continuous monitoring is essential.

7A: Monitor with Network Diagnostic Tools

Manual ping commands are great for one-off testing, but production networks need automated monitoring. This is where dedicated tools become invaluable.

What to monitor:

Ping latency to critical devices (baseline should be consistent)
Packet loss percentage (should always be 0%)
Availability of key services (DNS, email, file shares)
Internet connection uptime

Example scenario: A company experienced sporadic slowness throughout the day. Occasional ping tests showed normal latency. Only by setting up continuous monitoring did they discover that latency spiked to 300ms during 11 AM-1 PM when employees used the backup system. They then scheduled backups to off-hours.

7B: Using Steelsonic Ping Monitor for Continuous Monitoring

For ongoing network reliability, Steelsonic Ping Monitor provides automated, 24/7 network connectivity monitoring.

How it helps with troubleshooting:

Rapid Problem Detection: Instead of waiting for user complaints, monitoring immediately alerts you to:

Connectivity drops to critical servers
Latency spikes on your ISP connection
Availability issues with cloud services
Packet loss indicating network congestion

Historical Data for Root Cause Analysis: When problems occur, you can examine the monitoring data to see:

When exactly the problem started
Whether it was gradual (degradation) or sudden (outage)
Patterns (e.g., always happens at 3 PM, always affects one location)
What else was happening at that time (correlate with other events)

Real-time Alerting: Get notified immediately when issues occur:

Email alerts for your team
SMS/Phone notifications for critical issues
Webhook integration with Slack or other platforms
Automatic escalation if issues persist

Key capabilities for troubleshooting:

Ping monitoring to track uptime and latency
Port monitoring to verify specific services (email, web, databases)
Keyword monitoring to check if web services are actually responding correctly
Historical graphs to spot trends and patterns
Multi-location monitoring to identify if problems are local or widespread

Real-world troubleshooting scenario using monitoring:

Symptom: Remote office users complain of slow connectivity

Without monitoring: Guess and check
- Maybe the ISP is slow?
- Maybe the server is overloaded?
- Maybe the WAN link is congested?
- Waste 2 hours troubleshooting

With Steelsonic Ping Monitor:
- Check historical latency data
- See that latency to remote office is normal (5ms)
- But latency to cloud services spiked from 45ms to 250ms
- Check when this started: 10:15 AM
- Look at what changed at 10:15 AM: Someone started a large file transfer
- Problem identified in 5 minutes, fix implemented immediately

Recommended monitoring setup:

Monitor these critical points from your network:

Your default gateway (router) – Verify local network health
Your DNS servers – Catch DNS failures immediately
Your ISP gateway/connection – Track external connectivity
Business-critical servers – Email, file storage, applications
Cloud services – If you use Office 365, Salesforce, AWS, etc.
Important websites – If clients need to access them

Complete Network Troubleshooting Checklist

Use this checklist for systematic troubleshooting:

Physical Layer Check

Network cable fully connected (both ends)
Cable visible damage check (cuts, kinks)
Network connection light on adapter is green
Network device (router/switch) power is on
All cables are accounted for and secure
Restart network equipment (modem and router)

IP Configuration Check

Run ipconfig and verify IPv4 address exists
Verify IP is NOT 169.254.x.x (that’s failed DHCP)
Verify gateway IP is correct
Verify DNS servers are listed
IP is not 0.0.0.0 (completely unconfigured)
Run ipconfig /renew to get fresh IP

Connectivity Test

Ping gateway (e.g., ping 192.168.1.1) – expect 0% loss
Ping external IP (e.g., ping 8.8.8.8) – expect 0% loss, latency <100ms
Check for packet loss (should be 0%)
Check latency is reasonable for your network

DNS Test

nslookup google.com resolves successfully
DNS server listed in ipconfig is reachable
Ping domain names (e.g., ping google.com) works
Try alternative DNS if company DNS fails (e.g., nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8)

Internet Connectivity Test

tracert google.com completes without excessive timeouts
All hops reply (or acceptable number of timeouts)
No unusually high latency at any hop
Connection completes to destination

Service Verification

If email broken: Email server reachable and responding
If intranet broken: Web server reachable and responding
If file sharing broken: File server reachable and responding
Services responding on expected ports (use Steelsonic Port Monitoring)

Documentation

Symptoms recorded
When problem started noted
Number of users affected recorded
Troubleshooting steps taken logged
Resolution documented for future reference

Common Troubleshooting Scenarios and Solutions

Scenario 1: Single User Can’t Connect

Symptoms: One person at one desk has no network

Likely causes: Local to that device

Troubleshooting order:

Check physical cable connection
Restart their network adapter (or computer)
Run ipconfig – verify they have IP
Ping gateway from their computer
If all pass, but other sites fail: DNS issue

Typical fix: Restarted network adapter or reboot computer (90% success rate)

Scenario 2: Entire Department Can’t Connect

Symptoms: 20+ people on same network segment can’t connect

Likely causes: Switch, router, or network segment failure

Troubleshooting order:

Check power on network switch
Verify internet connection still works (via WiFi or another device)
Run ping from a working computer to gateway
If fails: Network connectivity problem (ISP or device)
If passes: DHCP server may be down

Typical fix: Restart network switch or contact ISP (if internet is down)

Scenario 3: Intermittent Connectivity

Symptoms: Connection drops randomly, comes back on its own

Likely causes: Faulty cable, overheating hardware, interference (Wi-Fi)

Troubleshooting order:

Inspect cable for damage, run tests during “down” periods
Check device temperature (restart if overheating)
If Wi-Fi: Check signal strength, move closer or adjust access point
Enable continuous monitoring with Steelsonic Ping Monitor to catch pattern
Identify if pattern correlates with time of day or specific activity

Typical fix: Replace faulty cable or power down overheating device

Scenario 4: Very Slow Network (But Connected)

Symptoms: Connected but speeds are 1/10th normal

Likely causes: Congestion, bandwidth-heavy process, or interference

Troubleshooting order:

Ping gateway – should be <10ms (if not, congestion)
Check Task Manager for high network usage
Run tracert to see if problem is local or upstream
Use bandwidth monitor to see what’s consuming data
If ISP line: Contact ISP, may need bandwidth upgrade

Typical fix: Identify bandwidth-consuming process and stop it, or upgrade link

Scenario 5: WiFi Works, Ethernet Doesn’t (or Vice Versa)

Symptoms: One connection type works, other doesn’t

Likely causes: Adapter driver, device-specific issue

Troubleshooting order:

Check Device Manager for yellow warnings on failed adapter
Update drivers for failed adapter
Disable then re-enable the adapter
If Ethernet fails: Check physical cable, swap with known-good cable
If both fail: Network configuration issue

Typical fix: Update driver or swap cable

Pro Tips for Faster Troubleshooting

Keep a baseline: Document normal latency times to your gateway and important servers. Deviations indicate problems.
Use continuous monitoring: Set up Steelsonic Ping Monitor to catch problems before users notice. Historical data makes root cause analysis much faster.
Divide and conquer: Test one thing at a time. If you change multiple things simultaneously, you won’t know which fix worked.
Document everything: Keep notes of problems and solutions. You’ll encounter similar issues again.
Know your network: Understand normal latency, typical device IP ranges, and critical services. This helps you spot abnormalities quickly.
Test from multiple locations: If possible, test from different computers and locations. This helps isolate whether the problem is device-specific or network-wide.
ISP status page: Bookmark your ISP’s status page. Check it when you suspect external problems.
Restart as last resort, not first: While rebooting fixes many issues, it shouldn’t be your first step. Understand the problem first.

Tools Reference

Windows Command-Line Tools

Command	Purpose	Example
ipconfig	View IP configuration	`ipconfig`
ipconfig /all	Detailed IP info	`ipconfig /all`
ipconfig /renew	Get new IP from DHCP	`ipconfig /renew`
ipconfig /flushdns	Clear DNS cache	`ipconfig /flushdns`
ping	Test connectivity	`ping 192.168.1.1`
tracert	Trace network path	`tracert google.com`
nslookup	Query DNS	`nslookup google.com`
netstat	Show connections	`netstat -an`
getmac	View MAC address	`getmac`

Linux/Mac Command-Line Tools

Command	Purpose	Example
ifconfig / ip	View IP configuration	`ifconfig` or `ip addr`
ping	Test connectivity	`ping 192.168.1.1`
traceroute	Trace network path	`traceroute google.com`
dig	Query DNS	`dig google.com`
nslookup	Query DNS (alternative)	`nslookup google.com`
netstat	Show connections	`netstat -an`
route	View routing table	`route -n`
ifdown / ifup	Control interfaces	`sudo ifdown eth0`

Graphical Tools (Windows)

Device Manager: Check network adapter status
Task Manager: Monitor network usage
Settings > Network & Internet: Configure connections
Network Diagnostics: msdt.exe -id NetworkDiagnosticsNetworkAdapter

Automated Monitoring

For production environments, manual testing isn’t enough:

Steelsonic Ping Monitor

24/7 monitoring of network connectivity
Real-time alerts via email, SMS, or Slack
Historical data for trend analysis
Port monitoring for service availability
Affordable pricing for unlimited hosts
Perfect for small to mid-market organizations

When to Escalate

Not every problem requires advanced troubleshooting. Know when to escalate:

Escalate to ISP when:

tracert shows failures at ISP hops
External sites unreachable but internal sites work
ISP status page indicates outage
Modem unable to establish connection

Escalate to vendor when:

Hardware shows physical damage
Device repeatedly fails even after restart
Error messages indicate hardware failure
Device not functioning despite driver updates

Escalate to application team when:

Network connectivity confirmed OK
Problem specific to one application
Application logs show errors
Other applications on same network work fine

Escalate to management when:

Extended outage likely (>1 hour)
Multiple departments affected
Business-critical systems down
External communication needed (customer notification)

Creating a Network Baseline

Proactive monitoring prevents most problems. Establish a baseline of normal network performance:

Steps:

During a normal business day, ping your gateway 100 times and record results
Document normal latency (usually 1-5ms for local gateway)
Record normal packet loss (should be 0%)
Test external connectivity and record latency (usually 20-50ms to major ISPs)
Document normal speeds with speedtest
Record DNS lookup times (usually <100ms)

Once you have baseline:

Any deviation of >50% indicates potential problems
Latency doubling suggests congestion
Any packet loss is abnormal and should be investigated

Use this data to:

Set alert thresholds in your monitoring tool
Train support staff on what’s “normal” for your environment
Justify upgrades to management (“See how latency has increased 60% since 2022?”)

Compliance and Documentation

Many organizations must prove uptime and network reliability:

Requirements often include:

Proof of network monitoring (24/7)
Documentation of outages and resolution times
Evidence of network maintenance
Response procedures for network failures

Steelsonic Ping Monitor helps with compliance by:

Generating uptime reports automatically
Logging all alert events with timestamps
Providing historical data for audits
Showing maintenance windows and issues

Summary: Your Troubleshooting Superpower

Network problems are inevitable. But with a systematic approach, you transform from frantically trying random fixes to confidently isolating and resolving issues in minutes instead of hours.

Your new process:

Define the problem clearly
Check physical layer first
Verify IP configuration
Test basic connectivity with ping
Verify DNS works
Trace the network path if needed
Implement continuous monitoring

Follow this process, and you’ll resolve 95% of network issues yourself without escalation.

Next steps:

Bookmark this page for reference
Share the troubleshooting checklist with your team
Test your network connectivity today using the ping and ipconfig commands
Implement continuous monitoring with Steelsonic Ping Monitor for 24/7 visibility
Create your network baseline so you know what “normal” looks like
Document your company’s network topology (what’s connected where)

The best time to prepare for network problems is before they happen. Monitoring and documentation are your insurance policy.

Additional Resources

About Steelsonic

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