The 12 most popular Windows command-line tools
The following list depicts the most common command-line network utilities that most administrators use when troubleshooting systems and network connectivity problems. It helps to get a list of common commands in one place just in case one tool which you are unfamiliar with may match a particular task better.
Categories: Troubleshooting Tags: getmac, hostname, ipconfig, nbtstat, net, netstat, nslookup, pathping, ping, tracert
Troubleshooting IPv6 Connectivity
The standard command-line tools we find in Windows 7 have full IPv6 functionality. Tools like Ping, Ipconfig, Pathping, Tracert, Netstat, and Route all support IPv6. Then we find tools specific to IPv6 which are provided in the Netsh command structure. But before we go for some troubleshooting tips, let’s check some mechanisms such as, IPv6 address resolution and configuration.
Categories: Networking Tags: configuration, DNS, interface, interface ID, ipconfig, IPv4, IPv6, ND, netsh, pathping, ping, PTR, tracert
Troubleshooting IP Configuration
Windows 7 retains the same command-line tools of its predecessors for troubleshooting IP configurations. The most basic tools are the Ping and Ipconfig utilities which help you determine your system’s IP configuration and test connectivity. There are more advanced network tools such as, Tracert or Pathping, Nslookup for DNS related issues, etc. These help you troubleshoot advanced network related issues but this article will only cover the basic command-line tools which are adequate for the Windows 7 average users.
Categories: Networking, Troubleshooting Tags: apipa, command-line, configuration, DHCP, DNS, IP, ipconfig, nslookup, pathping, ping, tools, trace route, tracert
IPv4 Configuration in Windows 7
You can view the IP configuration of your computer by using either the command-line tools Ipconfig or Netsh, or by using the Network and Sharing Center. The command-line tools display your computers’ network adapters IP settings including IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, subnet masks and the default gateway.
An IP address identifies a computer in a network and hence, each computer must have a unique address within the same network. Private IP addresses are used for internal networks while public addresses are used for the Internet. Since there are not enough public IP addresses to be allocated for every internal device, we use private addresses internally and use NAT to translate these addresses to a public address. An organization or individual that needs Internet access is allocated one or more public IP addresses through various agencies worldwide that are responsible for the distribution of public IP addresses.
Categories: Networking Tags: apipa, DHCP, ICS, IP, IP address, IP configuration, ipconfig, IPv4, IPv6, nat, netsh, RFC
