Using the Linkrunner AT 4000 to Locate Network Errors - Carlo Zakarian

 A common problem network engineers and analyst run into are complaints about random slow Internet and performance issues.  Now I can’t tell you the number of times I get called into a project that involved network performance issues, network errors, tracking down application problems etc.

Take last week for instance, I was doing some network analysis at an accounting firm in Chicago and I was called in to track down random issues with their Internet and backup system.  The initial problem reported was that sometimes the Internet speed was fast and other times it was lagging.  The second issue was with their backup system failing to complete overnight.

 The management team informed me that they originally had multiple network engineers consulting at this office. Furthermore, the office had their Internet speeds increased, they also replaced an older firewall, tuned some router settings, but they were still facing the same issues.

After performing my own bandwidth and throughput tests, initially things appeared to be fine for a while, but then I noticed the slow Internet speeds everyone was talking about.  As you can imagine, this sort of issue is totally unavoidable since it has been ongoing for some time, despite hardware upgrades and frustrations brewing around the office.

In these types of situations, I carry with me one of my favorite Netally tools, the LinkRunner AT 4000.  I use this handheld diagnostics tool to perform network discovery, test network path and connectivity, collect valuable statistics from a network environment.

Follow along with me and watch how I use the LinkRunner AT 4000 to identify the concern, locate the network issue, verify and resolve the problem.

Carlo Zakarian is a network engineer with over 15 years of experience in the networking implementation, design, and diagnostics field, specializing in LAN, WAN, and Wireless.  Owner of NetFocus Technologies, an IT Managed consulting firm based in Chicago, specializes in setting up, configuring, and diagnosing software, hardware, and network infrastructure.

Carlo Zakarian is experienced in network packet-level analysis, application performance, and network diagnostics.  Expertise includes using commercial tools from Fluke Networks, NetScout, NetAlly, and ProfiTap to locate and fix network chaos.  He can be reached via his website at https://www.NetFocusTech.com

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