NETW208 Week 7 iLab Report - TROUBLESHOOTING WAN vLAB

Overview

The primary objective of this lab was to develop the skills necessary to troubleshoot WAN (Wide Area Network) connectivity issues, identify and fix configuration errors, and restore full network connectivity. WANs are critical for connecting remote sites and enabling communication across large geographical areas, making it essential for network administrators to understand how to diagnose and resolve issues that may arise in such networks. This report outlines the steps taken during the lab, the commands used, and the key lessons learned.

Task 1: Show IP Route Command

The first task involved executing the show ip route command on the NewYork router. This command displays the router’s routing table, which contains the routes that the router uses to forward packets. The routing table should include all networks that the router can reach.

• Missing Networks: After executing the command, it was observed that the networks 192.168.2.0/24 and 192.168.4.0/24 were missing from NewYork’s routing table. This indicates that the router does not have routes to these networks, which could lead to communication issues with devices on those networks.

Task 2: Show Controllers and Interface Commands

In Task 2, the show controllers s1/0 command was executed on the Tokyo router. This command displays information about the router’s serial interfaces, including whether the interface is a Data Communications Equipment (DCE) or Data Terminal Equipment (DTE).

• Clock Rate Configuration: The output revealed that the s1/0 interface of the Tokyo router is a DCE, which means it is responsible for providing the clock rate for the connection. However, the clock rate was not configured, leading to link flaps. After setting the clock rate using the appropriate command, the interface status changed to “up and up,” indicating that the connection was stable.
• Interface Parameters: For a serial connection to be operational, it is essential to configure the correct IP address, subnet mask, and clock rate (on the DCE end). These parameters ensure that the interface can communicate effectively with other devices on the network.

Task 4: Ping Command and Static Routing

In Task 4, the ping command was used to verify connectivity between different segments of the network. The successful execution of the ping command indicates that the devices can communicate with each other across the WAN.

• Routing Method: The lab also involved analyzing the routing method used to populate the route tables. The output indicated that static routing was employed, as denoted by the “S” in the routing table entries. Static routing is a simple and effective method for small networks but may not scale well in larger, more dynamic environments.

Troubleshooting Issues on the Tokyo Router

Several issues were identified and resolved on the Tokyo router during the lab. The primary problems included the absence of a clock rate on the DCE interface and the incorrect default route configuration. These issues were addressed by applying the correct clock rate command and fixing the routing configuration.

Summary

This lab provided valuable hands-on experience in troubleshooting WAN connectivity issues. By using commands such as show ip route, show controllers, and ping, we were able to identify and resolve problems with network configurations. The lab emphasized the importance of understanding WAN protocols, interface configurations, and routing methods. These skills are critical for maintaining the reliability and performance of production networks.