Remote operations
Marc Prempain
15 April 2024
Share this article
Share this article
IT networks are the arteries that circulate the information that is the lifeblood of a company. If the flow of information is disrupted, it can have serious consequences. So when IT networks aren’t performing correctly, it is crucial to run tests to find out where the problem is coming from. Different types of network tests are used in different use cases using various methods. For example, concurrency testing, peak load testing, or volume testing. For connection and speed-related issues, what kind of tests should you conduct? What purpose does each test service, and how do you do it? In this article, we’ll delve into all this and more.
In order to access internet services and websites, you need an internet connection. Beyond merely checking your WiFi signal or making sure your modem or router is plugged in, how do you know if you have an internet connection? IT professionals will be more familiar with using these tests to diagnose issues.
The network connection test results will tell you if your network has a connection and help you troubleshoot problems. Network testing applications can help diagnose particular issues in your network, which will help you narrow down the possible solution. There are different types of connection tests, whether you are testing a specific computer’s connection to the internet, your local network (LAN), or connections to cloud services. The network connection tests can vary between the devices and internet connection, many differences exist if you want to solve your computer, tablet or mobile signal quality issues. The steps to undertake are quite different depending on your needs and expectations.
Gaining access to broadband speeds can be expensive, but how do you know that you’re getting your money’s worth? Internet speed tests like Speedtest.net by Ookla can detect your connection speed in an instant. This test works by pinging your home network from a test server and measuring how long it takes for the ping to return. It can also conduct a test of your network’s download speed and upload speed. This simple speed test can be used on any internet-connected device to determine your network speed, whether you have an ethernet connection, WiFi, or even 5G.
To put it simply, a network latency test measures how slow your network is. That means how slowly computers on your network connect to the internet and at what speeds they can upload and download data. There are two different causes of latency. One is the physical bandwidth of the cables, and two is the delays caused by routing and other software processing. Latency is a bigger problem for larger networks, where more computers connect to potentially siphon up bandwidth.
You can trace your network’s latency using the tracert command prompt in windows, which measures the amount of time for data transfer in milliseconds. There are two ways to run the test. You can either measure it in RTT (time to send an entire packet of data) or TTFB (time to receive the first bit of data). Think of these as measuring how long it takes to send a package of documents versus the amount of time to send a letter and read the first word.
A network bandwidth test will tell you how saturated your bandwidth is. If your network bandwidth is good, the problem likely lies elsewhere. If your bandwidth is saturated, you will need to identify what is taking up your bandwidth and determine whether it is necessary to continue running the program that is monopolizing your bandwidth. If you cannot remove it, you will need to find other factors contributing to low bandwidth that you can remove. You can use network speed tests to determine bandwidth or other tools to measure the specific bandwidth of your local network.
Frequently recurring computer problems can be a drain on productivity for any organization. Anyone can perform most of these tests by themselves, but if you’re not an IT professional, it may be best to contact your internal IT department.. When it comes to improving IT support for your employees, you may want to consider setting up an IT Help Desk. Whether you’re a small business or a large organization, an IT Help Desk is a great way to provide your employees with omnichannel technical support. If you have an existing IT support staff, you can incorporate them into your Help Desk team. This gives you the benefit of experts familiar with your equipment and employees. The advantage of an IT Help Desk over traditional IT support is that employees can get help in whatever way is best for them. That can mean a phone call, a text chat, or sharing their screen. Video assistance technology like ViiBE allows your IT Help Desk to quickly invite employees in need of assistance to a video call via a simple web link.
ViiBE’s download free web app works on any internet-connected device with a camera. Built on secure WebRTC technology, ViiBE has been deployed in various contexts, from oil rigs to customer support hotlines. ViiBE’s adaptive stream ensures that your call continues even if your network connection is limited. The video quality is downgraded but the audio is still maintained at a high quality. Meanwhile, you can continue to take HD quality photos and send them to your collaborator.
ViiBE’s versatile knowledge management tool allows tech support staff to share documents or annotated screenshots quickly. Past customer interactions can be stored in the knowledge base, and recurring calls can be organized under a single ticket, thanks to ViiBE’s ticketing system. A post-call survey is used to update key performance indicators like first call resolution, alerting help desk managers to recurring problems.
Network tests are crucial to diagnosing connection problems in any internet-connected device. IT Help Desks are becoming popular due to the options they give employees to access IT support. ViiBE’s video call solution further improves this access, allowing employees to communicate remotely without the downsides of text-only or audio-only conversations. Omnichannel support on ViiBE gives your employees flexibility to connect however they see fit. ViiBE’s expertise call routing will enable callers to be routed instantly to experts or to add them to the call as needed. Incorporating network tests, IT Help Desks, and ViiBE into a holistic tech support framework could help your company reduce downtime caused by computer problems.
Join our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest news in the visual support industry.