Using Selected Options of the Ipconfig Command to Teach Network Troubleshooting Techniques

1. INTRODUCTION

Becoming proficient at troubleshooting network communications issues is, to say the least, an extremely involved and difficult task. Intensive study of complex technical materials is required just to become superficially familiar with operating systems and networks. Effective instructional techniques typically include hands-on laboratory exercises that provide students with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the processes involved in network communications. To provide such an experience for my students, I have developed a series of lab activities that provide the opportunity to investigate network connectivity as it relates to the TCP/IP protocol stack. Command-line utilities and protocol analyzers are used to provide information regarding the messages sent between client and server during network communications. To illustrate the approach used in these labs, this teaching tip covers an Active Directory lab that my students perform. It demonstrates how selected options of the command-line utility, ipconfig, can provide information to help students analyze network connectivity issues.