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Lab 1.1: Discovering the Network Environment

Learning Objectives​

By the end of this lab, you will be able to:

  • Identify your computer's network configuration
  • Diagnose basic connectivity issues
  • Understand the path network packets take
  • Document your network environment

Estimated Duration​

20 minutes

Prerequisites​

  • A Windows computer with access to the command prompt
  • Active Internet connection

Professional Context​

As a system administrator, the first step in troubleshooting network issues is understanding the current configuration. These commands are used daily by IT professionals to:

  • Diagnose connectivity issues
  • Validate network configuration
  • Document infrastructure
  • Identify routing problems

Part 1: Identifying Your Network Configuration​

Step 1.1: Open the Command Prompt​

  1. Press Windows + R
  2. Type cmd and press Enter
  3. A black window with white text should appear

Step 1.2: ipconfig Command​

The ipconfig command displays the IP configuration of all your network interfaces.

Execute:

ipconfig

Observe and note:

  • Your IPv4 address (usually 192.168.x.x)
  • Your subnet mask
  • Your default gateway

Questions:

  1. How many network adapters does your computer have?
  2. What is your current IP address?
  3. What is your default gateway address?

Step 1.3: Detailed Information​

To get more information, use the /all option:

Execute:

ipconfig /all

Observe and note:

  • Your MAC address (Physical Address)
  • Your DNS servers
  • If DHCP is enabled
  • Your hostname

Questions: 4. Is your IP address assigned by DHCP or is it static? 5. What are the configured DNS servers? 6. What is your MAC address (physical address)?

Part 2: Connectivity Test​

Step 2.1: Ping the Gateway​

The ping command tests connectivity to another machine.

Execute (replace X.X.X.X with YOUR gateway address):

ping 192.168.X.X

Observe:

  • The response time (in milliseconds)
  • The number of packets sent and received
  • If any packets are lost (% loss)

Questions: 7. Are you receiving responses from your gateway? 8. What is the average response time?

Step 2.2: Ping an Internet Site​

Execute:

ping google.com

Observe:

  • The IP address of google.com is first resolved by DNS
  • The response time is longer than with the gateway

Questions: 9. What is the IP address of google.com? 10. Why is the response time higher than for the gateway?

Step 2.3: Continuous Connectivity Test​

To monitor connectivity continuously:

Execute:

ping google.com -t

The -t option makes the ping continue until you stop it.

Actions:

  • Let it run for 30 seconds
  • Press Ctrl + C to stop

Question: 11. Were there any packet losses during the test?

Part 3: Tracing the Network Path​

Step 3.1: tracert Command​

The tracert (trace route) command shows all the routers (hops) your packets pass through to reach a destination.

Execute:

tracert google.com

Observe:

  • Each line represents a router (a "hop")
  • The first hop is usually your gateway
  • The last hop is the destination server
  • Some routers may display "Request timed out" (this is normal)

Questions: 12. How many hops are needed to reach google.com? 13. What is the first hop? Is it your gateway? 14. At which hop do you leave your local network?

Step 3.2: Tracing a Further Site​

Execute:

tracert amazon.ca

Questions: 15. Are there more or fewer hops than for google.com? 16. Can you identify any routers from your Internet provider?

Part 4: Documenting Your Environment​

Step 4.1: Create a Report​

Create a text document and document:

Network Configuration:

  • IP Address:
  • Subnet Mask:
  • Default Gateway:
  • DNS Servers:
  • MAC Address:
  • DHCP enabled: Yes / No

Connectivity Tests:

  • Ping to gateway: Success / Failure - Average time: ___ ms
  • Ping to google.com: Success / Failure - Average time: ___ ms
  • Number of hops to google.com: ___

Step 4.2: Capture Information​

To save the output of a command to a file:

Execute:

ipconfig /all > C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Desktop\network_config.txt

This creates a text file on your desktop with all the network information.

Additional Exercises (Optional)​

Exercise 1: Troubleshooting​

Imagine you cannot access the Internet. In what order would you test the following to identify the problem?

  • Ping google.com
  • Ping the gateway
  • ipconfig to check the IP address
  • tracert to a website

Expected answer: A methodical troubleshooting process

Exercise 2: Path Comparison​

Compare the tracert to:

  • google.com
  • facebook.com
  • wikipedia.org

Are the paths similar? At which hop do they diverge?

Exercise 3: Professional Documentation​

Create a Word or PDF document including:

  • A professional title
  • Your name and the date
  • All screenshots of executed commands
  • Answers to all questions
  • A conclusion on the state of your network connectivity

Deliverables​

To submit (according to your instructor's instructions):

  1. Text file generated by ipconfig /all
  2. Answer document with all questions (1-16)
  3. Screenshots of main commands:
    • ipconfig /all
    • ping google.com
    • tracert google.com

Evaluation Criteria​

CriteriaPoints
Network configuration correctly documented30%
Connectivity tests executed and documented30%
Tracert analyzed with hop identification25%
Quality of documentation (clarity, organization)15%

Quick Reference Commands​

CommandDescriptionExample
ipconfigDisplays basic IP configurationipconfig
ipconfig /allDisplays all network informationipconfig /all
ping <address>Tests connectivityping google.com
ping <address> -tContinuous pingping 8.8.8.8 -t
tracert <address>Traces the network pathtracert google.com
ipconfig /releaseReleases the DHCP IP addressipconfig /release
ipconfig /renewRenews the DHCP IP addressipconfig /renew

Troubleshooting​

Problem: "Command not recognized"​

Solution: Ensure you are in the command prompt (cmd) and not PowerShell.

Problem: "Request timed out"​

Solution:

  • Check your Internet connection
  • Verify you can ping your gateway
  • Your firewall may be blocking ping requests

Problem: "Unable to resolve address"​

Solution:

  • DNS issue
  • Check your DNS configuration with ipconfig /all
  • Try pinging an IP address directly (e.g., ping 8.8.8.8)

Next Steps​

In the next lab, you will learn to:

  • Use Wireshark to view network traffic in detail
  • Understand network protocols (TCP, UDP, DNS, HTTP)
  • Analyze network packets

Additional Resources​

Important Notes​

Ethics and Responsibility:

The commands presented in this lab are legitimate system administration tools. They should only be used on:

  • Your own computer
  • Systems for which you have explicit authorization
  • The lab environment provided as part of the course

Testing these commands on systems without authorization may be illegal and against professional ethics.