lunes, 15 de septiembre de 2008

CM process registration

Product : CATV
Part Involved : CM Motorola SB5101
Summary: Checking levels of upstream path
Scenario : Ensure return commands to HeadEnd
Company : ISP on Ecuador
Reference Date : September 2008.

The fordward (downstrean) is based on 256QAM and checking returns values through web tool monitoring CM levels, we can find next between modulation and SNR

QPSK 18dB
16QAM 21dB
64QAM 30dB
256QAM 33dB

Local ip address assigned for CM is 192.168.100.1 and ensure the RF cable is connected into CM before to turn it.

Remember that , CM has its HFC MAC (ID based on hexadecimal number) and MTA MAC is the ID assigned to MTA (HFC MAC + 2), here I add some terms related to this issue :

- After the begin ranging process (CM and CMTS confirm power level and what time should synchronize, calculate delay of the link, search the CMTS's slot and set up the schedule list). CM registered with CMTS.

- MTA send a "DHCP discovery"

- DHCP Send MTA an IP address, provisioning mode, MTA TFTP filename and other information in the DHCP options

- MTA asks DNS to resolve Provisioning Server FQDN

- DNS responds with IP address of Provisioning Server

- MTA requests its Configuration File from TFTP Server

- TFTP responds with Telephony Configuration File

- MTA sends Sys Log notification of provisioning complete (optional)

- MTA sends SNMP NOTIFY of provisioning complete to Provisioning Server (optional)


domingo, 31 de agosto de 2008

CMTS & CM

Product : CATV
Part Involved : CMTS BSR 64000
Summary: Connections involved from the HUB to the client
Scenario : Troubleshooting and following the best levels of RF
Company : ISP on Ecuador
Reference Date : August 2008.

Recomendations to follow :

- Always check the logic card configuration (domain) if this one was configured like 1x8 or 2x 1x4 and based on this will plug the test cable US / DS. For example ; talking about the configuration 2x 4x1 (with this ISP) DS0 is related to US 0,1,2,3 and DS1 is related to US 4,5,6,7, that is the downstream is loaded by 4 upstream.
- If CM was registered and this one is moved to several hubs, first connect the RF cable to CM and after that turn on it, otherwise the registration process takes more time because it is not going to find the downstream carrier will start to scan frecuencies.If CM does not get up, then check its status like as SNR levels, its probably the attenuation should be adjusted, and cables on bad states can cause communications problems between CM and CMTS





Take next as level of reference :
CMTS Tx = +55dBmV
CMTS Rx = +14dBmV (+/- 1dB)
CM Tx = 35 to 55 dBmV
CM Rx = 0 dBmV (+/- 5 dBmV)

jueves, 3 de julio de 2008

Raid over VmWare

Product : Raid
Part Involved : Linux virtualization over VmWare
Summary: Management raid
Scenario : Testing & troubleshooting new features over linux
Company : National Institute of Cancer Sickness of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : January 2008.

There are two videos that I have uploaded available taking this issue :
(1) Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gecy796j23o
(2) Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86n8rRyU29Y

and basically the command procedure follows the next steps :

> fdisk -l
> fdisk /dev/sdh
m (menu)
n (add new partition)
p (primary partition)
1
391 (cylinder 1-391)
p (print partition table)
L (list type of partitions available)
fd (Linux Raid Auto)
t (change system identification of partition)
L (List)
fd (Linux Raid Auto)
p (print partition table)
w (save & exist)
> fdisk /dev/sdi
> fdisk /dev/sdj
> ls /dev/md0 -l
> mdadm --create /dev/md1 --level=1 --raid-devices=2 /dev/sdi1 /dev/sdj1
> mkfs.ext3 /dev/md1
> mkdir /oracle/
> mount /dev/md1 /oracle/
> df -lh
> cp /var/log/* /oracle/ -rf
> ls /oracle/
> vi /etc/fstab
** /dev/md1 /oracle ext3 defaults 0 0
:wq!

Power Off Computer
Erase disk7, disk9, disk10
Power On Computer

> df -lh
> mdadm --monitor /dev/md1
> ls /oracle/
> mkdir /oracle/hola/
> fdisk -l
** J does not have partition
> fdisk /dev/sdj
m (menu)
p (primary partition)
1-261
t (change system identification of partition)
fd (Linux Raid Auto)
p (print partition table)
w (save & exit)
> mdadm --manage /dev/md1 --add /dev/sdj1
> fdisk -l : less

sábado, 14 de junio de 2008

Dlink & uPnP

Product : dLink DCS 2100 & dLink DI-624
Part Involved : Port 1900 (UpNp)
Summary: With no appearently reason your LAN activity has increased a burst of broadcast
Scenario : There are some delays inserted into you LAN connections.
Company : National Cancer Institute of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : February 2008 to April 2008.

There is a hidden knowledge that is only enough to assign an ip address an every equipment connect to our LAN connections, but what happen is this device saves to itself additional functions of routing tasks when at the begining was buyed to fullfill another function ?

But it works perfectly, after your plugged it on the outlet LAN (it is sure that you are going to forget it!), and that is according to my experience in the case of this two models, but monitored with the help of WinDump application in order to identify the device connected and the ports used, when and how.

I have attached two procedures videos to detect the activity to these ports related to this issues and the later steps to disable UpNp in the device.

I sure you, that this type broadcast will not become again, at least not for this reason !

martes, 13 de mayo de 2008

Assign IP to CISCO 2960

Product : CISCO 2960
Part Involved : Switching equipment.
Summary: Procedure of Ip configuration of switching equipment.
Scenario : Previous tasks to consider before to install switching equipment in tele room
Company : National Cancer Institute of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : April 2008.

It is not possible to exploit the overall options of the switching equipment if this one previously is not defined and assigned the ip configuration, with this little step ensures the remote management of the equipment as the other hand you dispose : Open the conecction with the equipment to connect it by using internet explorer browser and telnet with cli commands.

As we can check, the video is based over the reviewing of the next concepts :
(1) The factory ip assigned of the switching equipment is 10.0.0.1
(2) The Pc is configured using the ip 10.0.0.200 in order to establish a connection with switching equipment.
(3) The Ip of the switching equipment is saved with the value 192.168.88.31
(4) the pc is reconfigured using the ip 192.168.88.200 with the purpose to establish connection with switching equipment and check its update of ip configuration.
(5) Check the video to confirm these steps.

! Remember, if you you do not proceed with the change of ip address of every new switching equipment you can crash your LAN connections because there are ip conflicts !

Later in another articles, I will take some ways to show you How to catch up some troubleshooting issues linked with this issue.

viernes, 4 de abril de 2008

Handing RJ45 Jacks

Product : RJ45 Jacks connectors over cat6.
Part Involved : Infrastructure of telecomunication room.
Summary: Management the ending of the horizontal cabling inside telecomunication rooms.
Scenario : A burst growing of the LAN data ports in your company.
Company : National Institute of Cancer of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : April 2008.

Although add new data ports to the current structured cabling involved civil works in order to tending the cable, then another bottleneck does not consider the most time is the distribution of the space inside of the telecomunication room. Check with the next video , how the ending cable cat6 is not easy to hand -the cable is not soft, can be damaged if there is no previous precaution during tending task - and when this point is reached certainly the personnel assigned to this job come very dirty.

It is important to clear that pin wire assigned color of RJ45 jack connector of the telecomunication room should be fix with the RJ45 jack connector of the outlet box (office) assigned to that cabling connection.

The first part of video shows the procedure to insert the wire into RJ45 Jack connector following the color code based on Code A or Code B -assigning the same to telecomunication room and office- and put the connector inside of the patch panel, while the second part is focused on the front view of the telecomunication room to connect the patch cord from the patch panel port to the free switch port.

The full version is available on "YouTube videos hosted by German Medina" at the bottom right side of this page.

sábado, 15 de marzo de 2008

Warning with MSN chat

Product : Trojan Virus
Part Involved : Security Issue.
Summary: A new virus threat has been hidden between MSN chat.
Scenario : Chat has changed our daily lives and imagine if that security is broken.
Company : Owner.
Reference Date : March 2007.

We are exposed to the most strange broadcast virus, it slides quickly between MSN chat conversation in every moment; the impact is very dangerous, because it hides itself behind the MSN chat conversation, then you appearently answer and following the main issue of your MSN chat conversation, when suddenly you receive an invitation to download some file (containing some pictures) adding a text like as "check my pictures taken on some place" and then you are ready to fire the cold chain.

I have seen when you are warn to receive the download file (appearently from your contact or friend) the contact disappear from the contact list (the virus disconnect him or her) while at the same time is inviting you to confirm to download the miracle file. Up to here, you are not consciosnous that you have lost the connection with your contact and you are close to open an unknown file. Imagine That !

In the extreme case when you download that file an execute it then you will notice that you lost the mouse control while the MSN chat window starts to flash and the another application flashs too. Then I recomend this :

1.- Unplug your LAN connection, then you will focus the control of mouse and every thing into desktop.

2.- Reset your computer and boot on safe mode and execute your AntiVirus system as first step

3.- Reset your computer and boot on normal mode and execute too your AntiVirus system as your next step.

The virus is identified as back door trojan and it saves a file named myspace-layout(1).jpg into the cookies and temporal carpets of Internet explorer.

Although I have checked that virus can send message into spanish and english, like as next pictures :


martes, 4 de marzo de 2008

Export LAN configuration

Product : Parameters used into LAN.
Part Involved : LAN configuration..
Summary: It is an interesting short procedure to export into a file all the parameters related with LAN configuration of your Pc.
Scenario : Adding diversity to use the file exported.
Company : National Institute of Cancer of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : March 2008.

I suggest to some people to use next procedure to backup their LAN configuration, if your day to day is necessary changing LAN configuration then fixs you. Then from the command prompt windows (DOS) then type :

netsh dump>C:\IpConfiguration.txt

Here begin an example of that file ******
#========================
#Configuraci¢n de interfaz
#========================
pushd interface
reset all
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n de interfaz
#==========================
#Configuraci¢n de interfaz
#==========================
pushd interface ipv6
uninstall
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n de interfaz
# ------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de ISATAP
# ----------------------------------
pushd interface ipv6 isatap
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n de ISATAP
# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de 6to4
# ----------------------------------
pushd interface ipv6 6to4
reset
popd
# Final de la configuraci¢n de 6to4
#==================================
# Configuraci¢n del puerto de proxy
#==================================
pushd interface portproxy
reset
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n del puerto de proxy
# ---------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de la interfaz IP
# ---------------------------------------------
pushd interface ip
# Configuraci¢n de la interfaz IP para "Conexi¢n de rea local"
set address name="Conexi¢n de rea local" source=static addr=192.168.31.11 mask=255.255.224.0
set dns name="Conexi¢n de rea local" source=static addr=none register=PRIMARY
set wins name="Conexi¢n de rea local" source=static addr=none
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n de la interfaz IP
# =========================================
# Configuraci¢n RAS
# =========================================
pushd ras
set authmode mode = standard
delete authtype type = PAP
delete authtype type = SPAP
delete authtype type = MD5CHAP
delete authtype type = MSCHAP
delete authtype type = MSCHAPv2
delete authtype type = EAP
add authtype type = MSCHAP
delete link type = SWC
delete link type = LCP
add link type = SWC
add link type = LCP
delete multilink type = MULTI
delete multilink type = BACP
add multilink type = MULTI
add multilink type = BACP
set user name = Administrador dialin = policy cbpolicy = none
set user name = Asistente de ayuda dialin = policy cbpolicy = none
set user name = Invitado dialin = policy cbpolicy = none
set user name = SUPPORT_388945a0 dialin = policy cbpolicy = none
set user name = VUSR_FILESERVER dialin = policy cbpolicy = none
set tracing component = * state = disabled
popd
# Final de la configuraci¢n RAS .
# -----------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de acceso remoto de AppleTalk
# -----------------------------------------
pushd ras appletalk
set negotiation mode = allowset access mode = all
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n de acceso remoto de AppleTalk.
# -----------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n IP RAS
# -----------------------------------------
pushd ras ip
delete pool
set negotiation mode = allow
set access mode = all
set addrreq mode = deny
set broadcastnameresolution mode = disabled
set addrassign method = auto
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IP RAS.
# -----------------------------------------
#Configuraci¢n IPX RAS
# -----------------------------------------
pushd ras ipx
set negotiation mode = allow
set access mode = all
set nodereq mode = allow
set netassign method = autosame
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IPX RAS.
# -----------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n NBF RAS
# -----------------------------------------
pushd ras netbeui
set negotiation mode = allow
set access mode = all
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n NBF RAS.
# -----------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n RAS AAAA
# -----------------------------------------
pushd ras aaaa
set authentication provider = windows
set accounting provider = windows
delete authserver name = *delete acctserver name = *
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n RAS AAAA.
# Configuraci¢n de enrutamiento
pushd routing
reset
popd
#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
## ## ANTES de ejecutar esta secuencia de comandos ## #
# Para restaurar la configuraci¢n del enrutador IPX #
# DESINSTALE IPX desde la carpeta Conexiones de red y #
# vuelva a instalarlo. ##
## Esto eliminar la anterior configuraci¢n del #
# enrutador IPX y la restaurar a sus valores #
# predeterminados ##
##!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
pushd routing ipx
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de la interfaz IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n del filtro de tr fico IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de la ruta est tica IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n del servicio est tico IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n RIP IPX

#----------------------------------------------------------
pushd routing ipx rip
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IPX RIP
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n SAP IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
pushd routing ipx sap
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IPX SAP
#----------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n NETBIOS IPX
#----------------------------------------------------------
pushd routing ipx netbios
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IPX NB
N§ de configuraci¢n IP
pushd routing ip
reset
set loglevel error
add preferenceforprotocol proto=LOCAL preflevel=1
add preferenceforprotocol proto=STATIC preflevel=3
add preferenceforprotocol proto=NONDOD preflevel=5
add preferenceforprotocol proto=AUTOSTATIC preflevel=7
add preferenceforprotocol proto=NetMgmt preflevel=10
add preferenceforprotocol proto=OSPF preflevel=110
add preferenceforprotocol proto=RIP preflevel=120
add interface name="Conexi¢n de rea local" state=enable
set filter name="Conexi¢n de rea local" fragcheck=disable
add interface name="{657F0909-4AD3-489F-9D92-31F8F9100540}" state=enable
set filter name="{657F0909-4AD3-489F-9D92-31F8F9100540}" fragcheck=disable
add interface name="{E5329AA6-02CF-4A1E-AE97-26DCA879A372}" state=enable
set filter name="{E5329AA6-02CF-4A1E-AE97-26DCA879A372}" fragcheck=disable
add interface name="Bucle invertido" state=enable
set filter name="Bucle invertido" fragcheck=disable
add interface name="Interno" state=enable
set filter name="Interno" fragcheck=disable
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n IP
# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n proxy DNS
# ----------------------------------
pushd routing ip dnsproxy
uninstall
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n proxy DNS

# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n IGMP
# ----------------------------------
pushd routing ip igmp
uninstall
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n IGMP

# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n NAT
# ----------------------------------
pushd routing ip nat
uninstall
popd

# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n OSPF
# ----------------------------------
pushd routing ip ospf
uninstall
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n OSPF

# -----------------------------------
# Config. del Agente de retrans. DHCP
# -----------------------------------
pushd routing ip relay
uninstall
popd
# Fin de la configuraci¢n Agente de retransmisi¢n DHCP

# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n RIP
# ----------------------------------
pushd routing ip rip
uninstall
popd
# Fin de configuraci¢n RIP

# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de descubrimiento de enrutadores
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
pushd routing ip routerdiscovery
uninstall
add interface name="Conexi¢n de rea local" disc=disable minint=7 maxint=10 life=30 level=0
add interface name="{657F0909-4AD3-489F-9D92-31F8F9100540}" disc=disable minint=7 maxint=10 life=30 level=0
add interface name="{E5329AA6-02CF-4A1E-AE97-26DCA879A372}" disc=disable minint=7 maxint=10 life=30 level=0
add interface name="Bucle invertido" disc=disable minint=7 maxint=10 life=30 level=0
add interface name="Interno" disc=disable minint=7 maxint=10 life=30 level=0
popd
# ----------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de asignador DHCP
# ----------------------------------
pushd routing ip autodhcp
uninstall
popd# Fin de configuraci¢n de asignador DHCP
# ------------------------------------
# Configuraci¢n de puente (no compatible)
# ------------------------------------
# ------------------------------------
# Final de la configuraci¢n del puente
# ------------------------------------
Here is the end of the example file ******

Following the purpose of my example, I have changed the ip address parameter painted in the above script (mark as blue font), then after saved that, and finally in order to update that configuration, run next command :

netsh exec C:\IpConfiguration.txt

Remember, this procedure is available too into "YouTube Videos hosted by German Medina -at the right side of this page-), like as the next video :

jueves, 28 de febrero de 2008

Iperf : Measuring your bandwidth (2)

Product : Iperf
Part Involved : Measure of Bandwidth
Summary: When the answer of the command "ping" is not continue and you find a bouncing link then it is necessary to establish how is your bandwidth working.
Scenario : The delayed conecction inserted into LAN connection has a big impact on your LAN company.
Company : The National Cancer Institute of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : February 2008.

That is in the case when your company has limited resources and there is no possible to hire some contractor to troubleshooting the event occured linked to LAN trouble. The another point is to share all the stages into LAN conecctions between : structured cabling, switching equipment and every other device connected into the path of the trace of your command "ping". That is, follows the trace of the signal locating the source and target place to test the connecction of that band width .

Additionally, the answer of the comand "ping" has its own limitation when the answer is not continuos, in that case how can you determine the source of the problem, that is focusing on the measure of the bandwidth of that segment of LAN.

Here, you will find an interesting video captured http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPWMgZ8mMng about two measures did (and the process involved) at the same time on the same screen, reading values of the how the Server is looking that link and how Client is looking the same link.

jueves, 21 de febrero de 2008

Installing Red Hat over VmWare

Product : Linux
Part Involved : Red Hat
Summary: Installation of Red Hat Linux distribution.
Scenario : The installation procedure has been installed over virtual Machine (using VmWare).
Company : owner.
Reference Date : February 2008.

The overall procedure to install Red Hat over VmWare has been uploaded into next links :
Part 1 : Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MpBPIVqho
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjCHSBK2lEw
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nd3brZC86A
Part 4 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa_wphK8MW0

Relax, if your bandwidth or your hardware does not permit check the videos, then send me an e-email and I will replay you with the videos or in the last instance I would up load in some server with access in internet to download that files.

lunes, 21 de enero de 2008

Troubleshooting LAN connections

Product : Links connections are bouncing.
Part Involved : LAN
Summary : The purveyor has installled three new data LAN ports close to magnetic resonance scanner
Scenario : Personnel of Computing office suspects about the field emitted of magnetic resonance scanner.
Company : The National Cancer Institute of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : January 2008.

After the installation of the three LAN data ports the purveyor proceeded to testing the structured cabling related to these points and all of them passed successfully. That was a dark threshold to find the seed core of the problem. The simple tests did by personnel of computing office using the ping command throw that the connection was not solid, the time of response vary from time to time with not appearently some type of pattern related to it, then it started to suspects about the RF emitted of magnetic resonance scanner. The structured cabling was based on CAT6 and up to here there is no more evidences available to establish a technical diagnostic.

I have downloaded and installed a software tool to measure the bandwidth http://germanmedinavirtual.blogspot.com/2008/01/iperf-measuring-your-bandwidth.html between the LAN data port with problems and another pc at the other side of the networking structure -last one without problems-, then I begun to collect samples of connection between these two LAN data ports, one with the response time of the ping command and at the same time measuring the bandwidth using Iperf. Then the next video shows this process http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgKOd2eTLuU and the results gets while the software applications are executed querying to database , for example in this case the average of the bandwidth obtained reached 68MBits/Sec (too low).
Taking this reference it is clear way that there is a considerable loss detected into the link, the next step was to identify what device is causing this efffect and that was focused into some switch previous to the main switch close to telecommunication room; after it was replaced then the process to collecting samples from the link connection was repeated again such as I show at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLiCfB8N06c reading a considerable differences of the bandwidth up to 93 MBits/Sec.
Here is, another case resolved.

viernes, 11 de enero de 2008

Installing Panda Console

Product : AntiVirus
Part Involved : Panda Console
Summary: The console does not download the agent and can not connect with the clients computers on LAN.
Scenario : There is a big range of clients computers without virus software updated .
Company : The National cancer Institute of Peru. (INEN)
Reference Date : January 2008.

I asked to purveyor to reinstall again the console application and they accepted my idea but they suggested too : Do not touch database antivirus plattaform or additionally instance related to it, then under the title "YouTube videos hosted by German Medina" with title "Installing Panda Console", you will find, the process filed. But this task does not resolved yet: (a) the download automation of the agent into console, (b) the update of the agent process in every client computer.

viernes, 4 de enero de 2008

Iperf : Measuring your bandwidth (1)

Product : Iperf
Part Involved : Measure of bandwidth
Summary: Into my LAN connections, I want to measure the bandwidth between two data ports of my LAN.
Scenario : Troubleshooting and detect what type of applications executed into pc spends more networking resources.
Company : The National Cancer Institute of Peru (INEN).
Reference Date : January 2008.

After several tries of testing then I recomend you this excelent tool to follow and measure your bandwidth between two LAN locations designated by you.

1.- The executable file can be downloaded on : http://dast.nlanr.net/Projects/Iperf/ and is free and there are available on all the range of exe file for every plattform base of operating system.
2.- Locate the two data ports to test and marked one as "Server" while the other as "Client".
3.- After downloaded the executable file, proceed to unzip and placed it on some carpet.
4.- At the Server side you should type next command to enable the listen task:
> Ipers -s

5.- Adding the next flags you can configure at the Server and Client sides :
-w (size of TCP windows)
-t (the frecuency to throw the results on screen)
-f (using results based on : KBits, MBits, KBytes, MBytes)
6.- Then at the Client side you can adjust the command like than :
> Iperf -c 10.10.25.24 -t 1 -f KBytes -w 300K
"Testing from Client pc to 10.10.25.24 with updates of row information every 1 second, using the format KBytes with 300K of buffer socket size. "