Troubleshooting Networks Lesson 002: Network Performance Issues Part 2

Besides duplex issues, what other issue is common when troubleshooting network performance issues?

Mismatch in the speed setting.

Apart from figuring out which duplex setting to use, what else happens during the auto-negotiation process?

The NIC and switch port interface will figure out what speed to operate at.

What characteristic do all NICs share?

Backwards compatibility.

What will happen during the auto-negotiation process if a switch can’t operate at the same speed that a client NIC can?

The NIC will downgrade itself on that connection to ensure proper connectivity.

What can happen during the auto-negotiation process?

Interference can happen to cause the switch and NIC to downgrade unnecessarily.

How does a tech fix the issue of mismatched speed settings?

Log in, check settings on NIC and switch port, set both to auto or highest supported setting.

What is the third issue that can cause network performance issues?

Out of date network adapter drivers.

Where are software drivers installed?

Inside of the OS, which tell it how to interact with different expansion cards.

How does a tech fix the issue of out of date network adapter drivers?

Update them.

What do updated network drivers provide?

Higher network speeds.

What is the fourth issue that can cause network performance issues?

Malware infection.

What can malware do that slows down a client’s network performance?

Eating up background processes and data exfiltration.

Data Exfiltration

Sending data in the background without the user seeing it.

What are the three main groups that network performance issues can be broken down into?

Is it affecting a single client, is it affecting a network segment, and is it affecting an entire network.

What will a tech be looking at when dealing with network performance issues that only affect one client?

Individual duplex settings, speed settings, network adapter drivers, and malware.

What will a tech be looking at when dealing with network performance issues that affect a network segment?

Single switch settings.

What will a tech be looking at when dealing with network performance issues that affect an entire network?

Router, gateway, or firewall to ensure there is not bottleneck.

What is a consideration when dealing with network performance issues that affect an entire network?

Increasing the wide-area network speed for optimal user performance.