Producing a PathPing Log For Analysis

Many network problems that affect your access to the Internet, such as the currently obnoxious "Server Error 1-500", can be better understood, if we can understand how you are connecting to the servers in question. A pathping log, similar to a traceroute log, but easier to read, is very useful in this case.

1. Open a command window.
2. Type "pathping www.google.com >c:\pathping.txt" (less the "") at the command prompt.
3. Type "notepad c:\pathping.txt" (less the "") at the command prompt.
4. Copy, and paste, the entire log, as displayed in Notepad, into your email or forum post. Please don't munge, or disguise, any details.

It really is simple - when you know how. Just be generous - and precise (see the spaces in the commands?).

Here's a sample log.

C:\>pathping www.google.com

Tracing route to www.l.google.com [74.125.19.103]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 Dell1600.martinez.cacroll.net [192.168.203.101]
1 209-204-141-1.dsl.static.sonic.net [209.204.141.1]
2 111.at-4-0-0.gw4.200p-sf.sonic.net [208.106.28.177]
3 0.as0.gw3.200p-sf.sonic.net [64.142.0.225]
4 200.ge-1-2-0.gw2.equinix-sj.sonic.net [64.142.0.210]
5 eqixsj-google-gige.google.com [206.223.116.21]
6 209.85.252.2
7 209.85.251.94
8 74.125.19.103

Computing statistics for 200 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 Dell1600.martinez.cacroll.net [192.168.203.101]
3/ 100 = 3% |
1 37ms 3/ 100 = 3% 0/ 100 = 0% 209-204-141-1.dsl.static.sonic.net [209.204.141.1]
0/ 100 = 0% |
2 33ms 3/ 100 = 3% 0/ 100 = 0% 111.at-4-0-0.gw4.200p-sf.sonic.net [208.106.28.177]
0/ 100 = 0% |
3 40ms 3/ 100 = 3% 0/ 100 = 0% 0.as0.gw3.200p-sf.sonic.net [64.142.0.225]
0/ 100 = 0% |
4 42ms 5/ 100 = 5% 2/ 100 = 2% 200.ge-1-2-0.gw2.equinix-sj.sonic.net [64.142.0.210]
0/ 100 = 0% |
5 35ms 4/ 100 = 4% 1/ 100 = 1% eqixsj-google-gige.google.com [206.223.116.21]
0/ 100 = 0% |
6 41ms 3/ 100 = 3% 0/ 100 = 0% 209.85.252.2
3/ 100 = 3% |
7 42ms 7/ 100 = 7% 1/ 100 = 1% 209.85.251.94
0/ 100 = 0% |
8 45ms 6/ 100 = 6% 0/ 100 = 0% 74.125.19.103

Trace complete.

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Bundled AntiVirus and Personal Firewalls - A Windows Networking Challenge

For several years after antivirus and personal firewalls became typical (and highly recommended) components in personal computer protection, many computer owners would confuse the two. Typical comments

What do you mean my computer has a virus? I have a firewall.

or

How could my computer have been hacked? Norton AntiVirus says my protection is fine!

would be common in many help forums.

With Windows XP, Microsoft first gave us Internet Connection Firewall, later renamed as Windows Firewall. They then took Windows Firewall, paired it with their recently acquired Antivirus program, and called that Windows OneCare.

The name "OneCare" has always intrigued me. Any person of British personality might pronounce that, with an accent, as "WanKare". Please ask one of your British friends, if you have any, what "WanKare" implies.

So fast forward to the present, please. It appears that the firewall component in Windows OneCare doesn't integrate with Vista, as well as Windows Firewall does. With Windows Vista, when you change the Network Location Type to "Private", Windows Firewall automatically adjusts itself to permitting Windows Networking on that computer. Depending upon the state of NetBIOS Over TCP, Windows Firewall will open the correct TCP ports.

If you have Windows Vista with OneCare, and you can't get Windows Networking working, check the network NetBT, and firewall port, settings, carefully. Make sure that they are compatible, and make sure that the setup of your network, and all existing (and currently working) computers matches the Vista / OneCare settings.

It's possible that any third party firewall may work no better than OneCare, in terms of Network and Sharing integration. If you have a problem with Windows Networking (file / printer sharing), the most frequently seen cause of such problems is NetBT and / or personal firewall settings. This will apparently be true under Windows Vista, just as under any previous operating system.

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Producing a TraceRt Log For Analysis

Many network problems that affect your access to the Internet, such as the currently obnoxious "Server Error 1-500", can be better understood, if we can understand how you are connecting to the servers in question. A tracert log is very useful in this case.

1. Open a command window.
2. Type

   tracert www.google.com >c:\tracert.txt

   at the command prompt.
3. Type "notepad c:\tracert.txt" (less the "") at the command prompt.
4. Copy, and paste, the entire log, as displayed in Notepad, into your email or forum post. Please don't munge, or disguise, any details.

It really is simple - when you know how. Just be generous - and precise (see the spaces in the commands?). If you're having a problem with "www.yahoo.com", target that instead.

tracert www.yahoo.com >c:\tracert.txt

If you may be having a DNS problem, find out the IP address of the server, and target it, for comparison.

tracert 66.249.89.99 >c:\tracert.txt

Here's a sample log.

C:\>tracert www.google.com

Tracing route to www.l.google.com [66.249.89.99]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 40 ms 43 ms 41 ms 10.122.84.253
3 42 ms 41 ms 43 ms 10.122.84.254
4 54 ms 55 ms 55 ms 10.121.20.1
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 51 ms 53 ms 51 ms 58.147.0.52
7 53 ms 51 ms 53 ms 58.147.0.46
8 268 ms 275 ms 271 ms 202.47.254.161
9 270 ms 269 ms 269 ms 202.47.253.148
10 280 ms 283 ms 283 ms 203.208.191.197
11 297 ms 299 ms 283 ms ge-0-1-0-0.sngtp-cr1.ix.singtel.com [203.208.149.201]
12 283 ms 339 ms 285 ms so-2-1-0-0.hkgcw-cr2.ix.singtel.com [203.208.154.38]
13 114 ms 115 ms 113 ms 72.14.196.5
14 118 ms 117 ms 117 ms 216.239.43.68
15 144 ms 137 ms 141 ms 66.249.95.198
16 142 ms 137 ms 139 ms 72.14.232.166
17 178 ms 171 ms 167 ms 72.14.236.236
18 175 ms 173 ms 175 ms 66.249.95.197
19 176 ms 181 ms 177 ms 216.239.47.54
20 176 ms 177 ms 175 ms jp-in-f99.google.com [66.249.89.99]

Trace complete.

You have two classes of information there. The list of IP addresses are very important, to understand the path that your traffic may take, between your computer and the Google server.

The timings (or lack of them, as in "Request timed out") are not always easy to interpret. A difference of 200+ ms (as in hops 7 and 8 above) may represent a real problem, or it may be the result of the two hops being on opposite ends of a busy or long communication line, as in a trans continental trunk line.

In many cases, a router (represented by one of the IP addresses in the list), though it will identify itself in the list, will prevent you from probing it for a timed response. The error "Request timed out" won't be as significant as the IP addresses.

Sometimes, the problem won't be immediately obvious from one traceroute log. If your problem comes and goes, a tool like PingPlotter will help you look for a problem over time.

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Windows Vista - Which Edition Should I Choose?

The choice of whether to choose Windows Vista Home or Business, or any other edition, or any similar edition of Windows XP, varies - and not always strictly according to network environment, or to intended use. Some business people claim to be using Vista Home (Basic, in some cases), in their operations.

Based on help requests, I'd guess that the most relevant distinctions, between the various editions of Vista (and XP), are:

• Backup solutions. Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate include integrated "Complete PC Backup". Vista Home only allows for data backup.
• Choice of file sharing. A computer running XP Home will only use Simple File Sharing. All editions of Vista will let you select Password Protected Sharing On, or Off. This was a significant issue in XP, that isn't relevant in Vista.
• Domain membership. A computer running Vista Home (Basic or Premium), cannot join a domain.
• Number of simultaneous incoming connections. Vista Home Basic limits you to 5 simultaneous incoming connections, while Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate will limit you to 10.
• Remote access to the desktop. Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate, provide Remote Desktop, which integrates tightly into the Windows structure. For Vista Home, and for other operating systems, you will need VNC, or a similar product.
• Remote access to the operating system. A computer running XP or Vista Home can't be managed remotely, nor can its problems be diagnosed remotely.
• Token based access. A computer running Vista Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate, will use token based access. You'll authenticate once (possibly automatically) to a server, the client will setup a token, and use that token in the future. With Vista Home (Basic or Premium), you'll authenticate each time that you create a connection to a server.

As always, Your Mileage May Vary.

Identify Your Edition Of Windows Vista
Windows Vista has 5 significant editions. The 5 are not directly comparable to the 5 editions of Windows XP. A sixth edition, Vista Starter, is available only in developing countries, and has rather limited networking capabilities.

• Vista Home Basic.
• Vista Home Premium.
• Vista Business.
• Vista Enterprise.
• Vista Ultimate.

If you want to make a detailed comparison, and look at other decision making possibilities, you may want to read additional articles:

• Microsoft: Windows Vista - Choose An Edition
• Microsoft: Windows Vista Features
• WikiPedia: Windows Vista

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