NetDiag provides a master class in testing Network Availability.
When you run NetDiag from the command line it carries out a battery of tests, which test your servers' ability to operate successfully. As usual, my goal in this NetDiag tutorial is to show you how to get
testing your Lan or Wan network.
Even if there is no problem with your Active Directory, it is still worth running NetDiag to learn about a healthy operating system, for example, NetDiag checks the NIC bindings. Get a free copy of Netdiag at the end of this page.
Installing Exchange and you wish to check that you can connect to other servers.
Checking VPN network tunnels on the WAN.
DNS problems. Computers cannot 'see' their domain controller on the LAN.
A quick check on hotfixes.
Check the Network Card Bindings from the command prompt.
You are having problems with IPSEC.
Winsock corruption, wrong version incompatibilities.
NetDiag checks that Domain Controllers are all able to 'speak' LDAP.
Installing NetDiag
NetDiag magically appears after you install the Support Tools from the Windows Server 2003 CD. Once NetDiag.exe (and Support Tools) is the path then you can run it from any
command prompt.
/v
If you need the full report on your network availability, then append this verbose switch to the command. Unlike the /v of other utilities, NetDiag /v really does produce chapter and verse on your
network cards and their binding.
/Debug This debug switch was disappointing in that it did not produce any more details than those supplied by the /v. Perhaps I would have received extra information if my Windows Server
2003 really had a network connectivity problem.
/q When you just need to know if there are any errors, this is the switch for troubleshooting. The /q is the antithesis of the /v and
/debug.
/test: Unlike DCDiag, NetDiag's test switched worked perfectly. What is more the command: netdiag /test produced the following list of possible tests:
Ndis - Netcard queries Test IpConfig - IP config Test Member - Domain membership Test NetBTTransports - NetBT transports Test Autonet - Autonet address Test IpLoopBk - IP loopback ping
Test DefGw - Default gateway Test NbtNm - NetBT name Test WINS - WINS service Test Winsock - Winsock Test DNS - DNS Test
DsGetDc - DC discovery Test DcList - DC list Test Trust - Trust relationship Test Kerberos - Kerberos Test Ldap - LDAP Test Route - Routing table Test Netstat - Netstat information
Test Bindings - Bindings Test WAN - WAN configuration Test Modem - Modem diagnostics Test
Guy Recommends: A Free Trial of the Network Performance Monitor
(NPM)
SolarWinds'
Network Performance Monitor
will help you discover what's happening on your network. This
utility will also guide you through troubleshooting; the dashboard will
indicate whether the root cause is a broken link, faulty equipment or
resource overload.
Perhaps the NPM's best feature is the way it suggests solutions to network
problems. Its second best feature is the ability to monitor the health of individual VMware
virtual machines. If you are interested in troubleshooting, and creating network maps, then I recommend that you
give this Network Performance Monitor a try.
Component Name : WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Bind Name: NetBT Binding Paths: Owner of the binding path : WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path:
-Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -Interface Name: ndis5 Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component:
VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Owner of the binding path : WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS
Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -Interface Name: ndiswanip Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: WAN Miniport (IP)
Component
Name : Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Bind Name: Tcpip Binding Paths: Owner of the binding path : Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name:
ndis5 Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Owner of the binding path : Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces
of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndiswanip Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: WAN Miniport (IP)
Component Name : Client for Microsoft Networks Bind Name:
LanmanWorkstation Binding Paths: Owner of the binding path : Client for Microsoft Networks Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios_smb Upper Component:
Client for Microsoft Networks Lower Component: Message-oriented TCP/IP Protocol (SMB session)
Owner of the binding path : Client for Microsoft Networks Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the
binding path: -Interface Name: netbios Upper Component: Client for Microsoft Networks Lower Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP)
Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -Interface Name: ndis5 Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Owner of the
binding path : Client for Microsoft Networks Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios Upper Component: Client for Microsoft Networks Lower Component: WINS
Client(TCP/IP) Protocol -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -Interface Name: ndiswanip Upper Component: Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: WAN Miniport (IP)
Component Name : WebClient Bind Name: WebClient Binding Paths:
Component Name : Virtual Machine Network Services Bind Name:
VPCNetS2 Binding Paths: Owner of the binding path : Virtual Machine Network Services Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndis5 Upper Component: Virtual
Machine Network Services Lower Component: VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Owner of the binding path : Virtual Machine Network Services Binding Enabled: No Interfaces of the binding path:
-Interface Name: ndiswanasync Upper Component: Virtual Machine Network Services Lower Component: RAS Async Adapter
Owner of the binding path : Virtual Machine Network Services Binding Enabled:
No Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndiscowan Upper Component: Virtual Machine Network Services Lower Component: WAN Miniport (L2TP)
Owner of the binding path : Virtual
Machine Network Services Binding Enabled: No Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndiswan Upper Component: Virtual Machine Network Services Lower Component: WAN Miniport (PPTP)
Owner of the binding path : Virtual Machine Network Services Binding Enabled: No Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndiswan Upper Component: Virtual Machine Network Services
Lower Component: WAN Miniport (PPPOE)
Owner of the binding path : Virtual Machine Network Services Binding Enabled: No Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndiscowan Upper
Component: Virtual Machine Network Services Lower Component: Direct Parallel
Component Name : DHCP Server Bind Name: DHCPServer Binding Paths:
Component Name : Wireless Configuration
Bind Name: wzcsvc Binding Paths:
Component Name : Network Load Balancing Bind Name: Wlbs Binding Paths: Owner of the binding path : Network Load Balancing Binding Enabled: No
Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: ndis5 Upper Component: Network Load Balancing Lower Component: VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Component Name : Steelhead Bind Name:
RemoteAccess Binding Paths:
Component Name : Dial-Up Server Bind Name: msrassrv Binding Paths:
Component Name : Remote Access Connection Manager Bind Name: RasMan Binding Paths:
Component Name : Dial-Up Client Bind Name: msrascli Binding Paths:
Component Name : File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks Bind Name: LanmanServer Binding Paths: Owner of the
binding path : File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios_smb Upper Component: File and Printer Sharing for
Microsoft Networks Lower Component: Message-oriented TCP/IP Protocol (SMB session)
Owner of the binding path : File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of
the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios Upper Component: File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks Lower Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component:
WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -Interface Name: ndis5 Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Owner of the binding path : File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios Upper Component: File and Printer
Sharing for Microsoft Networks Lower Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
-Interface Name: ndiswanip Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: WAN Miniport (IP)
Component Name : NetBIOS Interface Bind Name: NetBIOS Binding Paths: Owner of
the binding path : NetBIOS Interface Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios Upper Component: NetBIOS Interface Lower Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP)
Protocol -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -Interface Name: ndis5 Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Lower Component: VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Owner of the binding path : NetBIOS Interface Binding Enabled: Yes Interfaces of the binding path: -Interface Name: netbios Upper
Component: NetBIOS Interface Lower Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol -Interface Name: tdi Upper Component: WINS Client(TCP/IP) Protocol Lower Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
-Interface Name: ndiswanip Upper Component: Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Lower Component: WAN Miniport (IP)
Component Name : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter Bind Name: {C5C19000-0322-4FC1-9566-A647EF0EB900} Binding Paths:
WAN configuration test . . . . . . : Skipped No active
remote access connections.
Modem diagnostics test . . . . . . : Passed
IP Security test . . . . . . . . . : Skipped
Note: run "netsh ipsec dynamic show /?" for more detailed
information
The command completed successfully
C:\Documents and Settings\guyt>
Tutorial Leaning Points
1) The comprehensive NetDiag will check WAN connections if they exist on your server.
2) I can recommend the /test switch. Try
netdiag /test.
Guy Recommends: SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper (NTM)
NTM will produce a neat diagram of your network topology. But that's
just the start;
Network Topology Mapper can
create an inventory of the hardware and software
of your machines and network devices. Other neat features include dynamic
update for when you add new devices to your network. I also love the ability to export
the diagrams
to Microsoft Visio.
Finally, Guy bets that if you test drive the Network Topology
Mapper then you will
find a device on your network that you had forgotten about, or someone else
installed without you realizing!
Guy Recommends:
SolarWinds' NPM - Network Performance Monitor
SolarWinds' performance monitor is designed for detecting network outages,
making it easy to see what's working, and what needs your attention.
This utility guides you through creating network maps; it also helps
identifying whether the
root cause is faulty equipment, or resource overload. Give NPM a try.
