Lesson 23: Troubleshoot Network Issues

Question 1

What are three common issues that can interrupt network services on a Mac?

Answer 1

These three common issues can interrupt network services on a Mac:

1. Local issues: Usually related to either improperly configured network settings or disconnected network connections
2. Network issues: Use network diagnostics to help you investigate possible causes
3. Service issues: Related to the network device or service you are trying to access.

Question 2

How can you identify the MAC addresses for all the Mac computer’s network interfaces?

Answer 2

You can identify all the MAC addresses for the Mac computer’s network interfaces from the Info pane in Network Utility.

Question 3

What’s the term for the current data rate of a Wi-Fi connection, and where can you access this information about a specific Wi-Fi connection?

Answer 3

You can view the current data rate, or Tx Rate, of a selected Wi-Fi connection on the Wi-Fi status menu.

The Wi-Fi status menu gives you access to important information about your connections and also allows you to access troubleshooting tools like Wireless Diagnostics.

You can open the Wi-Fi status menu by pressing and holding the Option key and clicking the Wi-Fi icon in your menu bar.

Question 4

How can you verify basic connectivity to another network host?

Answer 4

You can use the Ping tab in Network Utility to test basic connectivity to another network host by sending a ping packet and then waiting for its return.

Question 5

How can you verify that DNS host name resolution is working?

Answer 5

You can use the Lookup tab in Network Utility to test name resolution against the currently configured DNS server.

Question 6

How can you verify that the system can establish a connection to a remote network host?

Answer 6

You can use the Traceroute tab in Network Utility to verify the connection hops between your Mac and a remote host.