Troubleshooting is both a science, and an art. As a science, it requires a methodical, step-by-step approach. As an art, it requires creativity.

If you have a small office network, you may at times find yourself doing your own troubleshooting. Perhaps you don't have someone on staff specifically assigned the job of taking care of the network. You may contract with an outside vendor to provide continual network support, yet an emergency may arise when they cannot connect remotely (because the network is down,) and you cannot wait for them to arrive on-site. In this situation, it helps to fall back on a basic troubleshooting procedure.

Following are some simple rules to keep in mind if you find it necessary to be your own network tech:

1. Reboot
2. The simplest things break first.
3. It's probably someone's fault.
4. It has probably happened before.
5. Work from the inside out.
6. Remember: There is an answer.
7. Use your imagination.
8. Google Groups is your friend.
9. Be patient.
10. Don't hesitate to call tech support.
11. Write it down!
12. Learn from experience.

We will review these rules over the next few weeks--explaining what each one means, and how it can help solve your problem. While network troubleshooting requires specialized knowledge, in a pinch you can rely on the knowledge of others, plus a systematic approach, to resolve issues that keep you from working. We'll show you how.

Next Week: Reboot