troubleshooting software tools vs. professional test equipment
TRANSCRIPT
Troubleshooting
Software Tools vs.
Professional Test Equipment
LanXPLORER vs. Software Tools
and the Winner is... ?
Some examples for common network issues:
• No physical connection electrical
• No physical connection optical
• No functional connection
• No logical connection on Layer 3 (IP)
• Poor Network perfomance
• Poor Speech Quality
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Loading...READY
While a PC is still bootingA test device already has tested and displayed• Connection Type• Switchport Configuration• PoE• DHCP
let's start our testers!
A field tester takesSeveral seconds to Boot up
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Activ Network,WiFi
+Passive Cabling
+PoE(only U&I)
+Bandwith, LoadVoIP
=
A PC takes several minutes to boot up
No physical connection Eletrical
Possible Causes
Wrong Port on patchpanels Tone Generator
Faulty Cable Wiremap
Wrong Pinning Wiremap
Too long Cable (> 100m) Wiremap
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
No physical connection Optical
Possible Causes
Wrong Port Optical Interface
Errors of Fibers Optical Interface
Power Level is too high/low Statistics
Attenuation Statistics
Very quick identification if link can be established.With the Hub Blink function the LEDs of the switchports are flashing
Mostly Rx and Tx are twisted. This can easily be tried out.
The received an transmitted levels are detected
Attenuation can be evaluated when the fiber is looped at the far end
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
No functional connection
Possible Causes
Wrong Port Settings CPE Inline Mode(Customer Premises Equipment)
Wrong Port Settings far End Statistics(mostly on switches)
PoE is not delivered / too low Startscreen, PoE
PoE is on the wrong pins PoE Test
Easy scenario to see if the Interface configurations are matching
Does show what partner we are connected to, its link capabilities and its autoneg status
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
No logical connection (Layer 3 / IP)
Possible Causes
No DHCP Adress Assignment Statistics
Duplicated DHCP Server Statistics
Wrong CPE Configuration PC-Diagnostics(User Equipment, PC, Phone,...)
Does easily show if there are two or more DHCP servers. It happens often due to wrong configuration of network devices
Does show if the device (CPE) is getting its correct DHCP informations. CPE is connected inline and is not removed from the network
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Poor Network Performance
Possible Causes
Half Duplex due to wrong settings Statistics
Layer 2 Errors (Mac Layer) Statistcsdue bad cables / fibers
Wrong CPE Configuration PC-Diagnostics
Properties of the network adaptor. CPE must be removedEasy scenario to see if the
Interface configurations are matching (Inline)
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Bad VoIP Quality
Possible Causes
Packet Loss, Latency, Jitter VoIP
Network is utilized Inline Statistics
Link is errored Error Counters
Only limited options. Laptop can only work in Endpoint mode and replace the phone. A potential error source is therefore removed from the network
Very good, as the LanXPLORER is inline connected. It is observing from both directions (network and CPE)
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
ToneGen
Wiremap
Hub Blink
PoE
Loop
WiFi Scan
Netmap:
Netverify
Only limited funtionality with a software, e.g. Wireshark. No Top Ten functionality
A Laptop can only replace a CPE, but not look for its values
requires software and can oly replace a phone. A potential error cause is therefore removed. Troubleshooting is much more difficult.
only some things can be done with software. But o bandwith mesurments, Layer 2 Errors, Partner Configurations, ...
requires additional software
requires additional software
TopTen
Ping
Traceroute
PC-Diag
VoIP
Statistics
Autotest
Functional Summary
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Why we don't use laptops…
• Most companies do not accept foreign laptops in their network (virus risk)
• Layer 2 Bandwith evaluation is only calculated from higher layers down to layer 2 and not measured (e.g. freeware "Iperf")
• Most freeware tools are only free for private usage
• In many cases the Laptops firewalls have to be turned off (which is mostly forgotten and test are failing. The failed test are guiding us in the wrong direction.)
• If the firewalls are turned off then many times it is forgotten to switch them on again (virus risk)
• Laptops can only work with traffic which is arriving at all. They are testing on IP-Layer and can therefore not detect Layer 2 and Layer 1 issues
• Protocol analysis and monitoring requires manageable switches (port mirroring)
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
60% of the switches are unmanaged (Source Siemens)
X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX X X X
50% of the managed ones are secured, where the engineers havo no access rights
50% of the engineers do not have sufficient skills for the switchconfiguration
Monitoring with a Laptop can be done here:
Monitoring with the LanXPLORER can be done here!
Monitoring by portmirroring
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Simultaneous monitoring in the same network.105 Packets have been monitored with:
LanXPLORER Wireshark
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Simultaneous monitoring in the same network.105 Packets have been monitored with:
Wireshark
Very detailled inspection of the arrived packets
Expert Analysis of protocols, content and applications (its intention)
No detection of Layer 2 Network errors.
No detection of faulty connections and links.
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Simultaneous monitoring in the same network.105 Packets have been monitored with:
LanXPLORER
• Overview of the most spoken protocols
• No inspection of packets
• Very quick and easy overview about the network status (its intention)
• ARP on place two >>> misconfiguration in the network
• 105 Packets are monitored
• 46 Packets are lost due to FCS errors
• FCS errors are mainly caused by faulty cables or interfaces (Layer 1)
• 151 Packets were reveived in summary
• The lost traffic can not be detected by a Laptop
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Simultaneous monitoring in the same network.105 Packets have been monitored with:
LanXPLORER Wireshark
Not comparable
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Good for its job Troubleshooting: Good for its job network scanning:
LanXPLORER Perfect Network Scanner
Detailled netmap(enhanced in new release)
and other important things on layer 1 and 2:
LanXPLORER vs. Laptop
Good for its job Troubleshooting: Good for its job pinging
LanXPLORER Ping Plotter
Ping Test
and other important things on layer 1 and 2:
1.Time SavingFind network issues fast and easy
2.Cost SavingReduce the network dowtime Minimize the man-hours for fault finding
3.Easy to useThis product does not even require a manual
4.Clear readingsDefinitive answers to network issues
Main Product Benefits
Thank you