At Rio IT, we know that a business network is the lifeblood of your operations. It’s the digital artery that powers your organisation, enabling everything from emails to critical applications and cloud services. When network issues arise, they can severely impact productivity, leave customers frustrated and ultimately damage your bottom line. This is why troubleshooting network issues as efficiently as possible is a top priority.
The team at Rio IT are experienced in assisting our customers with these common network problems quickly. The insights from our support process give tips for troubleshooting network issues and share some of the “behind the scenes” steps we take when a support ticket is raised with the team.
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How the Rio IT Team Identify a Problem with Network Issues
When a Support ticket is raised with us, the first (and most crucial) step is to fully understand the nature of the problem. This is done by fact-finding, asking the right questions and using system-generated logs to narrow down potential causes.
Determine the Scope
Is the problem affecting a single user, a group, or the entire network? If one user is affected, our attention will turn to their device. If a group or the entire network is down, we’ll start to look at core networking equipment.
Ask the Right Questions
We start with questions to establish a picture of the issue. Any additional detail we can gather from the user/s will allow for a quicker resolution to the problem.
Check the Monitoring Systems at Rio IT
Our monitoring systems are set up to alert us of an issue, and based on priority, will be allocated to an engineer to action. Monitoring is a vital part of our available services as it helps us proactively manage your environment.
2. Check Physical Connections
Often, network issues can arise from simple physical connection problems. As part of our service, Rio IT can check, or guide customers to check, cables, ports, and power sources to rule out easily fixable issues.
Check Cables and Ports
We ensure that cables are securely connected and undamaged. Swapping out cables and testing them on other devices helps us confirm they’re functioning properly.
Verify Power Sources
Power issues are another common cause of network failure. We check all equipment, from routers to switches, ensuring they have power and restarting them if necessary.
Inspect Network Devices
We monitor and validate networking equipment (routers, switches, access points, radios) are functioning as expected.
3. Test Network Connectivity
At Rio IT, we conduct thorough network connectivity tests to identify whether the problem is device-specific or network-wide.
Use Ping and Traceroute
These tools help us identify where the network issue is. Depending on the result, we’ll likely find the issue is related to a network switch, or an external fault with an ISP.
Test with Different Devices
Testing with different devices on the network helps us determine whether the problem is isolated to one device or the whole network.
Check Wi-Fi Signal Strength
Weak Wi-Fi signals can be a source of network issues. We use Wi-Fi analysers to check signal strength and identify potential interference.
4. Analyse Network Configuration
Network misconfiguration and clashes can often lead to network problems. Adjustments can be made to the network configuration to mitigate these types of issues from occurring.
Check IP Settings
We verify that devices connecting onto the network are allocated the correct network information. This is commonly done through static addressing for static devices (workstations, switches, servers, routers) and dynamic addressing for roaming devices (laptops, mobiles).
Review DNS Settings
DNS settings are crucial for accessing websites and services. We ensure DNS configurations are correct and that reliable servers are in use.
Inspect Router and Switch Configurations
Routers and switches are checked and settings are set to best practice to ensure there are no misconfigurations.
5. Monitor Network Performance
To pre-empt future network issues, the team at Rio IT uses specialised monitoring tools to track network performance and identify potential bottlenecks before they become problematic.
Use Network Monitoring Tools
These tools provide valuable insights into traffic patterns, bandwidth usage, and emerging issues that we can track.
Check for Bottlenecks
High traffic or congestion can slow down your network. By analysing usage trends, the team can recommend optimisations to improve data flow.
Look for Interference
For wireless networks, interference from other devices or environmental factors can disrupt connectivity. We help businesses reduce interference by changing channels or frequencies.
6. Ensure Security and Updates
Keeping your network secure and updated is crucial for preventing issues. At Rio IT, we take a proactive approach to securing networks and ensuring that all software and firmware are up to date. At Rio IT, we take a proactive approach ensuring all firmware is up to date and you have the necessary security software to protect you against malicious threats.
Update Firmware and Software
Regular updates keep your network stable and secure. We ensure all devices have the latest updates installed.
Scan for Malware
At Rio IT, we ensure our customers have the necessary security tools in place to scan and prevent a malicious attack.
Could Rio IT Could Help to Optimise Your Business Network?
As a trusted provider of IT managed services in East Anglia, the team at Rio IT is here to support your network running smoothly and avoid costly downtime. Whether you’d like to troubleshoot, optimise, or secure your network, our team is ready to help.
Contact us today for a chat about improving your network’s performance, reliability and security.