It usually starts with a single message — "the internet is down". The cause, though, could be the circuit, the equipment, a configuration change or power. Knowing how a call-out proceeds helps you gather the right details before you contact us.
We check remotely before travelling
Not every fault needs a visit. Where remote access is available, we check first:
- Device power and link status
- Firewall and switch logs, CPU and memory utilisation
- Whether the fault sits with the circuit provider
- Any recent configuration changes
Configuration problems and specific policy errors are often resolved remotely. Physical-layer problems — cabling, ports, power, hardware failure — ultimately need someone on site.
Details that speed things up
- Scope — is everything down, or only certain floors or desks?
- When it started — and whether any work was carried out around that time
- What is affected — wired only, or wireless as well
- Indicator lights — power and link LEDs on the rack equipment
Scope alone narrows the candidates considerably. A total outage points upstream (circuit, firewall, core switch); a partial one points downstream (edge switch, port, cabling).
The order of work on site
1. Physical layer first — cables, ports, link LEDs, power. A surprising number of calls end here. 2. Equipment condition — logs, temperature, fans, power modules 3. Segment isolation — separating the provider's segment from the internal network to localise the fault 4. Fix and verify — replace or reconfigure, then confirm under real usage 5. Record — capture cause and action taken, so a recurrence is faster to resolve
Spare equipment is what shortens downtime
If the diagnosis is a hardware failure, the time spent sourcing a replacement *is* the downtime. For critical positions — firewall, core switch — it is worth planning spare units or a redundant configuration in advance. Where configuration backups exist, bringing a replacement into service is considerably faster.
NS&NET travels to sites nationwide for network inspection and fault resolution. Get in touch about scheduled inspections or urgent on-site support.