Troubleshooting Router Problems by Pinging the Default Gateway

Select Certification Bootcamp :
MCSE MCSE+Security CCNA CCNP RHCE Register Course Fees Home

Leading MCSE, CCNA, CCNP Certification boot camp training provider in India, USA, UK.

Troubleshooting Router Problems by Pinging the Default Gateway

If you can communicate with hosts on the same subnet but cannot establish communications with hosts beyond the subnet, the problem may be with the router or the way its address is configured. To communicate beyond the subnet, a router must be enabled with an address that matches the subnet address for the clients on the local subnet. The router also has other ports configured with different addresses so it can send packets out to the network at large. Pinging the default gateway address tests the address you have configured for the router and also tests the router itself. Figure 16.24 shows a successful Ping to the default gateway. Figure 16.25 shows a failed Ping.

If the default gateway Ping fails, there are several possible sources for the error:

The router has failed or is down. In this case, you cannot make connections outside the subnet until the router is brought up again. However, you should be able to communicate with hosts on the same subnet.
The client has lost a physical connection with the router or with the network. You can test a network connection at a hardware level and also through the software by trying to establish a session with a server with another protocol, such as NetBEUI, for example. If you only have TCP/IP on your network, you can temporarily install NetBEUI on the client and on another computer on the same subnet. Test connectivity by connecting to a file share on the other computer. Remember, the computer should be on the same subnet because NetBEUI packets don’t usually route.
The IP address on the router may be configured incorrectly. The router address must match the client’s default gateway address so that packets can move outside the subnet.
The client has the wrong router address. Of course, if you Ping the correct router address and it works, you also want to make sure the default gateway address configured on the client matches the address you successfully Pinged.
The wrong subnet mask is configured. If the subnet mask is wrong, packets destined for a remote subnet may not be routed.

You should also Ping each of the IP addresses used by the different ports on your router. It’s possible that the local interface for your subnet is working but other interfaces on the router, which actually connect the router to the other subnets on the network, have some type of problem.

Vibrant Advantage :

No Prestudy
Longest Duration Camp
Chalk Talk Training
Highest Passing Rate
Bootcamp since 1999
Guaranteed Certification ...

Testimonials :

MCSE Certification boot camp

The instructor taught real world experience and did not just teach us to pass the test. He knew the subject well and was encouraging. His lectures were very well delivered....

Colver Dennis, USA