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Diagnostic tools

On the Diagnostic tools page, you can perform cable diagnostics, IPv4 and IPv6 pings tests, and Traceroute to troubleshoot switch performance.

To verify a test's accuracy, we recommend running it multiple times in case of a test fault or user error.

Cable diagnostics

The tools on the Cable diagnostics tab help you detect whether your cable has connectivity issues and provide information about where errors occur along the cable. The tests use Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) to assess the quality of a copper cable connected to a port. TDR detects a cable fault by sending a signal through the cable and reading the reflected signal. All or part of the signal is reflected back, either due to cable defects or the end of the cable, and this shows when an issue is present. Cables are tested when the ports are in the down state, except for the cable length test.

Select the ports you want to test, then click Test to run the cable tests.

Ping test

The packet internet groper (ping) test lets you verify connectivity to remote hosts. The Ping test sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) request packets to the tested host and waits for an ICMP response. In the process, it measures the time from transmission to reception and records any packet loss. Send a ping request to a specified IPv4 address. Check whether the Switch can communicate with a particular network host before testing.

You can vary the test parameters by entering the following information:

  • IP address: Enter the IP address or the hostname you want the switch to ping.
  • Count: Enter the number of pings to send. The range is 1 to 5, with a default of 4.
  • Interval: Enter the number of seconds between pings. The range is 1 to 5, with a default of 1.
  • Size: Enter the size of the ping packet to send. The range is 8 to 5120, with a default of 56.

Click Test to perform the ping test.

You can see the ping test result under Result.

IPv6 ping test

Send a ping request to a specified IPv6 address. Check whether the switch can communicate with a particular network host before testing.

You can vary the test parameters by entering the following information:

  • IP address: Enter the IPv6 address or the hostname you want the switch to ping.
  • Count: Enter the number of pings to send. The range is 1 to 5, with a default of 4.
  • Interval: Enter the number of seconds between pings. The range is 1 to 5, with a default of 1.
  • Size: Enter the size of the ping packet to send. The range is 8 to 5120, with a default of 56.

Click Test to perform the ping test.

You can see the ping test results under Result.

Traceroute

Traceroute is used to discover the routes that packets take when traveling to their destination. It lists all the routers the packet passes through until it reaches its destination or fails to reach the destination and is discarded. In testing, it tells you how long each hop from router to router takes by measuring the round-trip time of the packets it sends and receives from each successive host along the route.

You can vary the test parameters by entering the following information:

  • IP address: Enter the IP address or the hostname you want the switch to traceroute.
  • Maximum hop count: Enter the maximum number of hops. The range is 2 to 255, with a default of 30.

Click Test to start the traceroute.

You can see the traceroute result under Result.