Importance of being simple and following basics in troubleshooting

An internet connectivity issue arose in one of the newly established small remote offices located in China many years back. The complexity of the problem necessitated escalation to the author's attention. However, due to heightened security considerations in the region, resolving the issue became notably intricate, escalating the troubleshooting process to a heightened level.

Upon reviewing the notes left by prior engineers who attempted to address the issue, it was noted that packet capture had been conducted and analysis was performed utilizing firewall logs. Despite these efforts, the problem persisted without resolution.

Subsequently, the author inquired whether the issue had been investigated through a video call, only to discover that such an examination had not taken place. However, the engineers analyzed pertinent logs and acquired relevant dumps for examination using specialized tools such as Wireshark. Through packet capture analysis, it became evident that the connection was abruptly severed. Moreover, it was determined that the termination of traffic was attributed to a loss of physical connectivity.

Subsequently, as an initial measure, the author arranged a video conference with a user situated in the affected office, who, though lacking technical expertise, could provide observational support. During the session, the author prompted the user to replicate the issue. The non-technical user shared their laptop screen, demonstrating that while connected to Wi-Fi, switching to a network cable resulted in Wi-Fi disconnection. Upon closer examination, the author directed the user to reveal the other end of the cable, revealing its connection to the Wi-Fi access point. It emerged that due to the office's recent setup, only one network port was available, resulting in Wi-Fi interruption upon connecting a device to the Local Area Network (LAN). Ultimately, this issue resolution process proved to be rudimentary yet instructive, underscoring the value of simplicity and fundamental troubleshooting. Embracing this experience as a learning opportunity, we refined our troubleshooting approach, emphasizing continuous improvement and the efficacy of basic techniques in issue resolution.