Network diagnostic tools

ACROSS THE NETWORK

Article from Issue 71/2006

Author(s): HEIKE JURZIK

Linux has the right tools to track down network errors and open the way for data packets.

Getting help can be expensive if your Internet connection unex pectedly fails, or if you can’t ac cess the computers on your local net work. Various command line tools can help you troubleshoot your network. ping and traceroute check the availability of other computers; you can contact nameservers with host and dig, and netstat helps you discover what is hap pening on your system. Who Am I? The ifconfig tool lets you check your own computer’s network interface. This practical utility not only outputs infor mation for your current configuration, but also helps you set up the interface. To display the current settings, just run /sbin/ifconfig without any parameters. As the program resides in /sbin, which is not typically in the user’s $PATH, you will need to specify the full path.

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