VoIP is highly sensitive to latency, jitter, and packet loss. Even with ample bandwidth, if QoS (Quality of Service) is not properly configured to prioritize voice traffic over other data (like web browsing or file transfers), voice packets can be delayed or dropped, leading to choppy audio and call quality issues. The random nature points to contention with other traffic, not a constant hardware fault like duplex mismatch.

A controller-based architecture (using thin or lightweight access points) is ideal for seamless roaming and centralized management. The wireless controller handles coordination between APs, allowing client devices to move between APs on different floors or areas without dropping their connection. It also simplifies configuration, monitoring, and ensures consistent security policies across all APs.

An unauthorized AP configured with the company’s legitimate SSID is characteristic of an evil twin attack. This rogue AP is set up to trick users into connecting to it instead of the legitimate network. Once connected, the attacker can intercept traffic, capture credentials, and launch further attacks. It is a direct threat to network security and confidentiality.

Network Address Translation (NAT) acts as a basic firewall by default. Devices on the private LAN (behind NAT) can initiate connections to the internet, but unsolicited incoming connections from the internet are blocked unless specific port forwarding rules are created. Placing the server on the private LAN with NAT provides this essential layer of protection. A DMZ would expose it directly to the internet, which is less secure for this purpose.

When connecting two similar devices (like switch-to-switch, switch-to-router, or computer-to-computer) that do not have auto-MDI/MDI-X ports, a crossover cable is required. A standard straight-through patch cable connects transmit pins on one end to transmit pins on the other, preventing communication. A crossover cable correctly crosses the transmit and receive pairs.

High CPU on a router is almost always caused by a software process, not traffic forwarding (which is typically handled by ASICs). The first step is to use commands like `show processes cpu` (on Cisco IOS) to identify which specific process (e.g., a routing protocol recalculation, SNMP polling, or a potential malware process) is consuming the resources. This points directly to the corrective action needed.

Ping is the fundamental first step in network troubleshooting. The technician should start by pinging the local default gateway from an affected workstation. If that fails, the problem is Layer 1-3 (physical, data link, or network layer) within the local department/VLAN. If it succeeds, the problem is likely higher up the stack (e.g., DNS, a gateway routing issue). Ping provides the fastest binary (up/down) diagnostic for basic connectivity.

The core intelligence of SD-WAN is its ability to dynamically choose the best path for different types of application traffic in real-time. It can send latency-sensitive VoIP traffic over a reliable MPLS link while sending bulk backups over cheaper broadband, and reroute around a failed link. This application-aware path selection optimizes performance, user experience, and cost, which is its primary benefit over traditional static WANs.

Port 3389 is used by Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Repeated connection attempts from an external IP indicate a targeted scanning or brute-force attack. The most immediate and effective action is to block the malicious source IP at the perimeter firewall. This stops the attack at the network boundary. Subsequent actions should include verifying the server’s local firewall rules and ensuring no accounts were compromised.

VoIP is highly sensitive to latency, jitter, and packet loss. Even with ample bandwidth, if QoS (Quality of Service) is not properly configured to prioritize voice traffic over other data (like web browsing or file transfers), voice packets can be delayed or dropped, leading to choppy audio and call quality issues. The random nature points to contention with other traffic, not a constant hardware fault like duplex mismatch.0