I'm looking for some troubleshooting tips for a situation that comes up often in tech support. A user connects to a corporate network via VPN to access a virtual machine, but they keep reporting their system freezes and disconnects. They've already cleared their cache and rebooted several times, but the problem keeps recurring. After connecting to their VM, I couldn't identify any issues, and speed tests seemed fine. What steps would you take to handle these complaints better in the future, thinking like a level 1 or 2 tech?
5 Answers
I highly recommend checking the event logs. These logs can give you crucial details about what's happening right before the issues occur. It’s important to verify the symptoms—like when they say 'freeze up,' get specifics on what exactly that looks like. Also, whether the disconnections have been logged somewhere is key information.
When users work remotely, always check their WiFi connection first. Many times, they might be in a location where the signal is weak or their internet just isn’t stable, which can lead to all sorts of connection issues. Keeping a list of known issues with ISPs can save you time when they mention their provider.
First, I’d suggest getting on a screenshare with the user so you can see what's happening in real time. It’s crucial to determine whether the freezing is happening on their local PC or the remote VM. Also, find out which PC they rebooted and what kind of cache they cleared—clearing browser cache probably won’t help much here. It might also be good to have a chat with the last tech who handled the case to streamline the information exchange if this user calls again.
If it's not replicable from your end, maybe ask the user to restart their modem/router as a basic troubleshooting step. Many VPN-related issues stem from weak or inconsistent internet connections at the user's end.
Be sure to consider the user's connection type. I once had a case where the user only experienced issues when they worked from a location with poor mobile reception rather than their home WiFi. It’s a good idea to ask for their broadband provider and have them run some speed tests, both with and without the VPN active, to rule out local network issues.
Absolutely! And if they're in a spotty WiFi area, that could lead to countless issues. When possible, recommend that they connect via Ethernet instead.