TROUBLE-SHOOTING: 3

Common hardware problems are

• workstation and server hardware, screens, disks, memory, keyboards
• cabling, connectors
• network interface cards
• peripheral devices, mice, printers, modems, bridges, routers

The majority of PC-LAN problems occur with cabling. Cabling problems fall into the following categories

• faulty connectors and terminators
• faulty cable, crimps, splices
• excess noise voltages, extraneous voltages and ground loops
• shorts and open circuits
• excessive cable lengths and workstation limits

The tools available to test cable are,

• time domain reflectometer(tdr)
  tests for cable imperfections, terminations, open and short circuits
• voltmeter
  tests for voltage, ground loops, noise voltages, spikes
• ohm-meter
  resistance test, presence of terminators, shorts and open circuits

General Principles

• know the cable type and characteristics
• know the cabling layout/scheme, access points and numbering
• know what to expect for good and bad measurements
• visual inspection is important
• start with what you know is good, isolate the rest
• segment/divide where possible, make one big problem into several smaller ones

© Copyright Brian Brown, 1988-2000. All rights reserved.