Network TroubleShooting: Machine Checks

Standard Machine Checks for User and Target Machines

Often when a machine appears to have a network problem the problem is not at all related to software. Always remember to check the basics before assuming that the network is down or that there is a major problem. If possible, perform machine checks on the user's machine and the target machine. The basics include:

• Check Power: Is the machine turned on and plugged in?
• Check Connectivity: Are the network cable and transceiver (connector) firmly connected to each other. (On modern computers, the transceiver is inside the computer's case, but on old compters it was a box hanging off the back.) Do the lines physically connect to the computer at one end and to the wall jack at the other?
  • If the machine has a " twisted pair " (10BaseT) ethernet transceiver, verify that the link light is on. If the link light is not on, there is usually a physical problem. Possible problems include:
    • Cord connecting the machine to the wall is bad -- try replacing it.
    • Ethernet cables or transceiver bad, loose, not turned on (most do not have separate power cords, but some do) or otherwise faulty.
    • Jack is incorrectly wired or not yet activated. -- Contact netwkops@cats
• Restart Problem Machine: Does restarting the machine fix the problem? In the case of a printing problem, try restarting both the printer and the machine that is attempting to print. If this is a one time problem and restarting the machines fixes it, log but do not report the problem. If the problem repeatedly recurs after rebooting the machine contact the user's computer coordinator.
• Try Other Forms of Printing (printer problems only). If the problem is with a printer, try the following:
  • Print another document. Occasionally a document will become corrupted and will not print. If other documents print from the same machine, then the document that can't be printed is likely corrupted in some manner. Try copying the text of the message into a new document and re-printing.
  • Print to another machine. If you are successful printing to a separate machine, this indicates that the problem is with the original printer or your connection to it. Try the IP Network Check .
  • Print from another machine. Success printing to the same printer from a different machine indicates the printer is not the problem. Possible problems:
    • Bad network connection for first machine. Try the IP Network Check .
    • First machine is misconfigured machine or has corrupt software. Contact user's computer coordinator.