helpdesk questions

What is a default gateway

A default gateway is a router that connects your my local network to external networks. It forwards traffic when the destination is outside my network.

How to troubleshoot ‘Destination Host Unreachable’

PING. Ping default gateway, IP config check, Network, Host reachable

DNS

Domain Name System. Transfers hostnames to IP addresses

DNS RESOLUTION

cache, recursive server, root server, tld server, authorative server

DNS RECORDS

A (IPv4), AAAA(IPv6), CNAME(alias for another domain)

Safe Mode

Used to diagnose and fix software and hardware conflicts

IP address

A unique identifiable string of bits that are assigned to devices on a network

Why would a device fail to get an IP address?

DHCP server down, Network settings misconfigured, Wi-Fi disconnected, DHCP scope exhausted

DHCP

A network service that automatically assigns IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, and DNS settings

What is a private IP address

IP address that is not routable on the public internet

DHCP port

67 (server) 68 (client)

DHCP DORA

Discover (client broadcast), Offer (server replies with IP), Request, Acknowledge (server confirms and lease)

DHCP reservation

Binds a specific IP address to a device’s MAC address

What to do when Network is down

scope of the outage, check connections, verify network configurations, restart

What is Active Directory

A directory used to manage user identities, permissions, group policies, computers, and more on a Windows domain

Domain

A network environment where users and computers are managed through a domain controller, typically using AD

OU

Organizational Unit. Used to group and manage AD objects

GPO

Group Policy. Rules and configurations applied to users and computers

What is Intune

A cloud based service that allows organizations to manage and enforce policies on devices like laptops, phones, etc. It integrates with EntraID and Microsoft 365 for identity and security purposes

What is autopilot

A cloud based provisioning tool that pre configure new windows devices. Autopilot automatically joins the device to EntraID, applies security policies via Intune and install important apps. So all a user has to do is connect to the wifi and log in.

how to change folder permissions

change it through group policy or at a local level on the users machine. right click folder, properties, security.

Difference between a switch and a hub

a switch sends data only to the intended device using a mac address, while a hub broadcasts data to all devices on the network which can lead to collisions and inefficiency

How to reset a user’s password?

EntraID > USERS > reset password

How to recover deleted files

EntraID > Users > Create one drive link > recover from recycle bin

Can’t connect to a printer

First, confirm the user’s computer is connected to the network

Ensure the user has the correct printer selected as their default printer or is choosing the right device

Check that the printer itself is powered on and shows as online

f the issue persists, try reinstalling or updating the printer drivers