How to Check Network Connectivity Using Net Diagnostics

This article describes how to use the Net Diagnostics command to troubleshoot network connectivity between two computers.

You should begin troubleshooting by starting Windows 95 with a minimal set of drivers. To do so, restart Windows 95, press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode With Networking from the Startup menu.

To troubleshoot, follow these steps:

1. At a command prompt, type the following line and then press ENTER:
   net diag
2. Windows 95 responds with a list of the detected protocols. Press the key for the protocol you want to use for testing.
   
   Note that the NetBEUI or IPX protocol must be installed in Windows 95. If TCP/IP is the only installed protocol, Net Diag does not work.
3. Windows 95 searches for a diagnostics server on the network. If no diagnostics server is located, you are given the option to cause the computer to begin acting as a diagnostics server.
4. On another computer that is not the diagnostics server, type the following line at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
   net diag
5. Windows 95 responds with a list of the detected protocols. Press the key for the protocol you chose in step 2.
6. Windows 95 searches for a diagnostics server on the network. If one is found, Windows 95 communicates with the diagnostics server and validates that data can be sent and received properly. After the test, the Net Diagnostics tool ends and returns you to a command prompt.