Nine typical network issues and solutions

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Some of the most frequent network connection problems that IT departments need to solve include slow network speeds, weak Wi-Fi signals, and damaged cabling.

Due to the complexity of business networks, many things can go wrong and cause performance issues. End customers frequently express their dissatisfaction with what appears to be subpar application performance, and there may be a variety of causes for these hiccups. Here are nine of the easiest network problems to fix.

1 sluggish network

The network is too slow, according to users. A network that in the past gave its consumers adequate performance may now be annoying them for a variety of reasons. For instance, a new application, like online training videos or video conferencing, may have been installed. Traffic may choose to go around a switch port or connection that isn’t working, which can cause another link to get too busy.

In other circumstances, the network could be a component of a bigger network of organizations. Because of this, responses from applications that live in the cloud have slowed down because of a change in the larger network that has led to more traffic at the internet connection point.

If employees want to download high-definition videos while at work because it is quicker to do so than use their personal internet connection, this could pose another network speed issue. Any of these typical network problems can be resolved using a network monitoring tool.

2. A shaky WiFi connection

Nearly everything may have a strong Wi-Fi signal, but there are certain places where it may be weak or nonexistent. When moving furniture in an office space, the wifi signal may become weaker than it was previously. A file cabinet, for instance, can completely block the Wi-Fi signal.

Wi-Fi signals can also be hampered by gadgets like cordless phones, Bluetooth, and microwave ovens. The root of the issue can be located with the aid of a Wi-Fi network test tool.

3. Problems with physical connectivity

Physical connectivity problems might cause a network connection to abruptly terminate. When a network cable is damaged or knocked loose, it is frequently an issue. Cables can be added or taken away from a switch, and one of the other cables can come loose by accident.

Another scenario is when a cable is damaged while being pulled around a sharp edge to repair the heating or air conditioning pipes. Which cable was harmed should be obvious from the impacted network section. However, it could take some effort to locate the issue along a cable that runs over the ceiling.

4. Extended CPU Usage

The first tool you should use to determine which application is consuming a significant amount of system resources, such as CPU, memory, or disk space, is the Task Manager.Since certain programs may be carrying out intricate calculations, receiving high-speed video, or dealing with vast databases, this first stage in troubleshooting could not identify a problem. Make sure your antivirus software is up to date because viruses can use up resources as well.

An application may slowly leak resources if it has been running for a while. Stopping and restarting the application is the quickest option to increase performance, though occasionally you might also need to stop and restart the whole system. Device driver updates may also enhance performance.

Additionally, Task Manager shows programs that you were unaware were running in the background. One illustration would be Windows starting up with games. This issue can be fixed by editing startup files.

5. Slow DNS queries

The DNS compares a network request’s internet address with the common name that is used to match server or service names. For frequently used names, the DNS cache of the system likely already has the matchup, making the query rapid. For less popular names, the matchup might be kept in a cache that is farther away, such as the root server for the top-level name, like.com or.org, or a country-specific root, like.uk.

Before sending a request to the following DNS server along the path, each server first checks its cache. The procedure is repeated while the next server checks its cache. A slow server or a slow or overloaded link in the path could be the cause of a slow lookup. Your local network administrator can change local routers to send requests to a faster network of servers.

6. Extra and permanent IP addresses

No two systems on a network can have the same internet address. Both systems are unable to reliably access the network if there are duplicate internet addresses. When systems on the local network are booted up using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), the addresses for the majority of network devices are assigned. Each system is given a distinct address from the pool of addresses that DHCP manages for the local network.

Workstations are given a temporary address using DHCP rather than a permanent one. Before the timer expires, systems re-request and typically get the same address. When the timer expires and the system shuts down without re-requesting, it loses this address and might get a new one when it restarts.

Some network devices, such as printers or web servers, may be given static IP addresses by the DHCP administrator since external systems won’t be updated if an address changes. One problem is that, when users set up a private web server to support a hobby, they occasionally do it without telling the network administrator and assigning it a static address. In a business or home network, both share a DHCP server. Thus, the network is disrupted if the static address matches the one given by DHCP.

A lot of the time, these private web servers use a lot of network bandwidth to upload and download legal audio or video.

7. Exhausted IP addresses

There are not many available Internet addresses. A supply is issued to each service provider based on the anticipated number required. The IPv4 addresses, which were once believed to be sufficient such that every system could be assigned one, are the most well-known. But because smartphones and other devices are so popular, many networks have had to switch to IPv6 addresses with 128 bits.

Network Address Translation (NAT), a feature frequently included in routers, is a widely used technique to increase the number of available addresses. Everybody receives a unique internet address chosen from the global pool of addresses. Private addresses are assigned to linked local networks by their internal DHCP server; these networks are often Ethernet or wireless.

On 32-bit IPv4 networks, private addresses often start with either 10 or 192.168. Addresses can be saved since these address ranges are reusable. To connect to the internet, the NAT server maps traffic to its global address. The private addresses are used to map back responses.

8. The printer won’t connect

The first thing to check when people can’t connect to a printer is whether it’s plugged in, switched on, and has paper. Additionally, confirm that the printer is listed under Windows’ Devices and Printers. If it does, click to see if the file is in the queue.

The program that saves files until the printer is prepared to print them, known as the print spooler, occasionally has to be stopped and restarted. Also, check the printer vendor’s website because some models can be downloaded with apps that can find and fix problems.

Check Microsoft.com to see if the firm is aware of a problem if the OS was recently upgraded, or search for other people who are experiencing a similar issue, or both. Turn the printer back on after turning it off. Turn off and back on your system as well.

Update your OS and printer drivers last. You might occasionally need to briefly turn off your antivirus program. Make sure a wireless printer is plugged into the signal.

9. VPN and VLAN problems

Look for problems with incorrect VLAN (virtual LAN) settings. Examine the settings on each switch and compare them carefully to make sure the switch configurations are compatible.

The most common VPN issue is a connection failure. Check to verify whether you can successfully log in to the service and double-check that your account is current and that you are using the right credentials. Check the firewall’s settings next. You must let some ports through. By momentarily turning off your firewall, you can see if that is the issue. Restart your machine to finish.

Try using a different network to access the VPN, such as switching from Wi-Fi to Ethernet at the router. If the problem keeps happening, check the firewall’s documentation for more ways to fix it, or call the VPN vendor’s support.

In conclusion, networks are complicated, and issues do arise. These are but a few of the most common types of network issues. Search the internet for solutions when other network issues arise, or get in touch with network service providers or device vendors for support.