The Ultimate Guide to
Troubleshooting Networking
in Linux
A Deep Dive
Prepared By: Hosni Zaaraoui
Introduction: Why Networking Troubleshooting Matters
Networking is the backbone of any system, whether it's a personal
computer, a server, or a complex cloud infrastructure. When networking
issues arise, they can disrupt communication, hinder productivity, and even
bring entire systems to a halt. In Linux, networking troubleshooting is a
critical skill for system administrators, developers, and IT professionals.
This guide will take you deep into the world of Linux networking, equipping
you with the knowledge and tools to diagnose and resolve issues like a pro.
By the end of this guide, you'll have a comprehensive understanding
of:
Essential commands to diagnose network issues
Key configuration and log files to monitor
Common network problems and their solutions
Advanced techniques for configuring and troubleshooting network
services like DHCP (ISC & KEA)
Let’s dive in!
1 Checking Network Connectivity
1 1 Using ping to Check Basic Connectivity
The ping command is the first tool in your troubleshooting arsenal. It
sends ICMP echo requests to a specified host and waits for a response.
This helps you determine if the host is reachable.
ping -c 4 google.com
– If you get responses: The network is working.
– If there’s no response: Investigate further:
Network Interface: Is the interface up and configured correctly?
DNS Settings: Can the hostname be resolved to an IP address?
Firewall Rules: Are ICMP requests being blocked?
Tip: If google.com doesn’t respond but 8.8.8.8 (Google’s public DNS) does,
the issue is likely with DNS resolution.
1 2 Using traceroute to Identify Network Hops
traceroute is a powerful tool for identifying where packets are being
dropped along the path to the destination. It shows each hop (router) the
packet passes through, along with the time taken for each hop.
traceroute google.com
– If a hop fails: The issue might be with that specific router or network
segment.
– High latency on a hop: Indicates potential congestion or routing
issues.
1 3 Using ip to Check Network Interfaces
The ip command is a modern replacement for ifconfig and provides
detailed information about network interfaces.
ip a
– UP and has an IP: The interface is working correctly.
– DOWN: The interface is disabled. Bring it up with:
sudo ip link set eth0 up
– No IP: Check your DHCP or static IP configuration.
1 4 Using netstat or ss to Check Open Ports
To see which services are running and which ports are open, use ss
(or netstat for older systems).
ss -tulnp
· -t: Show TCP connections
· -u: Show UDP connections
· -l: Show listening ports
· -n: Show port numbers instead of names
· -p: Show processes using the ports
– If a service isn’t working, verify that it’s listening on the correct port.
1 5 Checking Routing with ip route
If you’re having trouble reaching external networks, check your routing
table:
ip route show
– No default route: Your system can’t access external networks. Add a
default route manually:
sudo ip route add default via 192.168.1.1
2 Advanced Networking Troubleshooting Techniques
As you dive deeper into networking issues, it's crucial to go beyond the
basics. Here are some advanced techniques to take your troubleshooting
skills to the next level:
2 1 Use tcpdump for Network Packet Analysis
To understand what’s happening on the network, capturing and
analyzing packets can be incredibly helpful.
· Use tcpdump to capture packets on a specific interface:
sudo tcpdump -i eth0
– This will display live network traffic. You can refine it further by adding
filters, such as capturing only HTTP traffic:
sudo tcpdump -i eth0 tcp port 80
Tip: Save the captured packets to a file for later analysis:
sudo tcpdump -i eth0 -w /tmp/capture.pcap
Then, analyze the file using Wireshark or tcpdump:
sudo tcpdump -r /tmp/capture.pcap
2 2 Check for Network Interface Bonding or VLAN Issues
If you're using bonding or VLANs, misconfigurations can cause
network connectivity issues. Verify the configuration of bonded interfaces
and VLANs using ip and vconfig.
To check bonding status:
cat /proc/net/bonding/bond0
To verify VLAN configuration:
ip link show type vlan
2 3 Test MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) Settings
Incorrect MTU settings can cause issues, especially with VPNs or
large file transfers. Test MTU by pinging with a specific packet size.
First, determine the path MTU:
ping -M do -s 1472 google.com
– If the packet doesn’t reach its destination, decrease the packet size
(e.g., 1400) until it works. This gives you the MTU size that the path
supports.
2 4 Debugging Routing Issues with ip rule and ip route
Sometimes routing issues aren’t obvious with just ip route. Use ip rule
to inspect policy routing and ensure correct routing tables are in place.
ip rule show
– You can use this command to check if any routing rules are influencing
traffic and causing misrouted packets.
2 5 Check for Network Namespace Issues
In modern Linux systems, network namespaces are often used to
isolate network environments for containers and virtual machines. If you’re
troubleshooting network connectivity in these environments, it’s important
to check the namespace.
· List existing namespaces:
ip netns
· To enter a network namespace:
sudo ip netns exec <namespace-name> bash
– Once inside, use traditional tools like ping, traceroute, and ip to check
connectivity.
3 Key Network Configuration and Log Files
3 1 Critical Network Configuration Files
File Purpose
/etc/network/interfaces Network configuration
(Debian/Ubuntu)
/etc/sysconfig/network- Network configuration (RHEL/CentOS)
scripts/
/etc/hostname System hostname
/etc/resolv.conf DNS configuration
/etc/hosts Local hostname resolution
Example: Setting a Static IP (Ubuntu/Debian - /etc/network/interfaces)
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.1.100
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.1.1
dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
Tip: After making changes, restart the networking service:
sudo systemctl restart networking
3 2 Checking Network Logs for Errors
Logs are your best friend when troubleshooting. Here are some useful
commands:
View networking logs:
sudo journalctl -u networking --no-pager | tail -20
or
sudo journalctl -u NetworkManager.service --no-pager | tail -20
Check kernel logs for network interfaces:
sudo dmesg | grep -i eth
Monitor system logs in real-time:
sudo tail -f /var/log/syslog
4 Network Services Configuration: NetworkManager vs
netplan
When configuring network services in Linux, the tools and methods
you use depend on whether your system uses NetworkManager or netplan.
Below, I’ll outline the necessary changes for both approaches, focusing on
key tasks like setting static IPs, configuring DNS, and managing network
interfaces.
4 1 Using NetworkManager
NetworkManager is a dynamic network control and configuration
system that simplifies network management, especially on desktop
environments. It’s commonly used in distributions like Fedora, RHEL, and
Ubuntu Desktop.
4 1 1 Setting a Static IP with NetworkManager
To configure a static IP using NetworkManager, you can use the nmcli
command-line tool or edit configuration files.
· Using nmcli:
nmcli connection modify <connection_name> ipv4.method
manual ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.100/24 ipv4.gateway
192.168.1.1 ipv4.dns 8.8.8.8
– Replace <connection_name> with the name of your network
connection (e.g., eth0 or Wired connection 1).
– ipv4 method manual: Sets the interface to use a static IP.
– ipv4 addresses: Specifies the IP address and subnet mask.
– ipv4 gateway: Defines the default gateway.
– ipv4 dns: Configures DNS servers.
· Restart the Connection:
nmcli connection down <connection_name> && nmcli
connection up <connection_name>
· Using Configuration Files:
Edit the connection file in /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/:
[connection]
id=eth0
type=ethernet
[ipv4]
method=manual
addresses1=192.168.1.100/24,192.168.1.1
dns=8.8.8.8;8.8.4.4;
· Save the file and restart NetworkManager:
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
4 1 2 Configuring DNS with NetworkManager
You can configure DNS settings using nmcli:
nmcli connection modify <connection_name> ipv4.dns
"8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4"
To apply changes:
nmcli connection up <connection_name>
4 1 3 Managing Network Interfaces
· List Connections:
nmcli connection show
· Bring an Interface Up/Down:
nmcli connection up <connection_name>
nmcli connection down <connection_name>
· Add a New Connection:
nmcli connection add type ethernet ifname eth0 con-name
eth0-static
4 2 Using netplan
netplan is a network configuration abstraction tool used in Ubuntu
Server and some desktop versions. It uses YAML configuration files to
define network settings, which are then applied by the backend (e.g.,
NetworkManager or systemd-networkd).
4 2 1 Setting a Static IP with netplan
Edit the netplan configuration file, typically located in /etc/netplan/. For
example:
network:
version: 2
renderer: networkd # or NetworkManager for desktop
ethernets:
eth0:
dhcp4: no
addresses:
- 192.168.1.100/24
gateway4: 192.168.1.1
nameservers:
addresses:
- 8.8.8.8
- 8.8.4.4
– dhcp4: no: Disables DHCP.
– addresses: Specifies the static IP and subnet mask.
– gateway4: Defines the default gateway.
– nameservers: Configures DNS servers.
· Apply the Configuration:
sudo netplan apply
4 2 2 Configuring DNS with netplan
DNS settings are configured under the nameservers section in the netplan
YAML file:
nameservers:
addresses:
- 8.8.8.8
- 8.8.4.4
Apply the changes:
sudo netplan apply
4 2 3 Managing Network Interfaces
· Check Current Configuration:
netplan status
· Debug Configuration:
sudo netplan --debug apply
· Regenerate Configuration:
If you’re switching from NetworkManager to netplan or vice versa,
regenerate the configuration:
sudo netplan generate
4 3 Key Differences Between NetworkManager and netplan
Feature NetworkManager netplan
Primary Use Desktop environments, Server environments, static
Case dynamic networks configurations
Configuration nmcli or GUI tools YAML files
Method
Backend Manages connections Uses systemd-networkd or
directly NetworkManager
Ease of Use More interactive, user- More declarative, suited for
friendly automation
4 4 Switching Between NetworkManager and netplan
If your system uses both tools, you can specify which one to use in the
netplan configuration:
network:
version: 2
renderer: NetworkManager # or networkd
– Renderer: Determines the backend for netplan. Use NetworkManager
for desktop systems and networkd for servers.
5 Common Network Problems and Fixes
5 1 DNS Issues
If you're able to ping an IP address but not a domain name, your DNS
might be misconfigured. To verify DNS settings, check /etc/resolv.conf or
use dig.
dig google.com
– If you get no response or an error, update /etc/resolv.conf with the
correct DNS servers.
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4
Tip: Use systemd-resolve on systems with systemd:
systemd-resolve --status
5 2 DHCP Issues
If your system isn’t receiving an IP address from the DHCP server, ensure
that the DHCP client is running and properly configured.
sudo systemctl status dhclient
If the DHCP server is misbehaving, restart the service:
sudo systemctl restart isc-dhcp-server
– Also, ensure that the DHCP server has available IP addresses to
assign.
5 3 Firewall Blocking Traffic
Sometimes, firewalls block outgoing or incoming traffic, even if the
network is working fine. Check the status of your firewall:
sudo ufw status
– If you’re using iptables, inspect rules with:
sudo iptables -L
– If necessary, add rules to allow traffic on specific ports, like HTTP or
SSH:
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 22/tcp
5 4 Interface Not Coming Up
If your network interface isn’t coming up after a reboot or
configuration change, check dmesg for any kernel errors related to the
interface.
sudo dmesg | grep eth0
– Common issues could be related to incorrect drivers or hardware
problems. You can also try reloading the network interface:
sudo ifdown eth0 && sudo ifup eth0
5 5 Slow Network Speed
If the network is slow, identify the bottleneck by testing different parts
of the network. First, run a speed test from the client to the server:
iperf3 -c <server-ip>
– Check the bandwidth and latency, and use mtr to identify network
congestion:
mtr <destination-ip>
– You can also verify if network interfaces have mismatched speeds by
using:
ethtool eth0
– If necessary, adjust the MTU or disable offloading features on the
network interface.
6 Troubleshooting and Configuring Network Services
6 1 DHCP Troubleshooting (ISC and KEA)
· Checking if DHCP is Running:
sudo systemctl status isc-dhcp-server
or for KEA DHCP:
sudo systemctl status kea-dhcp4-server
· Analyzing DHCP Logs:
sudo tail -f /var/log/syslog | grep dhcp
– Look for lease errors or configuration issues.
· Configuring DHCP Server (ISC):
File: /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf
subnet 192.168.1.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.1.100 192.168.1.200;
option routers 192.168.1.1;
option domain-name-servers 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4;
}
· Configuring DHCP Server (KEA DHCP - JSON Format):
File: /etc/kea/kea-dhcp4.conf
"subnet4": [
"subnet": "192.168.1.0/24",
"pools": [{ "pool": "192.168.1.100 -
192.168.1.200" }],
"routers": ["192.168.1.1"],
"option-data": [{ "name": "domain-name-servers",
"data": "8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4" }]
Tip: Restart the service after changes:
sudo systemctl restart isc-dhcp-server
or
sudo systemctl restart kea-dhcp4-server
Best Practices for Network Troubleshooting
– Check Physical Connections First: Ensure cables, WiFi, and NICs are
functioning.
– Restart Networking Services: Instead of rebooting the system, restart
specific services.
– Test Connectivity Step-by-Step: Start with ping, then traceroute, and
finally check logs.
– Use Logs to Diagnose Issues: Don’t just restart services—understand
the root cause.
– Secure Your Network: Implement firewalls, SSH keys, and VPNs to
protect your systems.
