Linux network troubleshooting tools
Use ip, ss, dig, tcpdump, ethtool and mtr to move from 'the network is broken' to a specific, evidenced cause on Linux servers.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Length
- About 50 minutes
- Contents
- 3 lessons · 1 video · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 1 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Check link, address and route state with ip and ethtool
- Confirm which services listen on which addresses with ss
- Query specific DNS servers with dig and read path results from mtr
- Capture targeted traffic with tcpdump and interpret SYN/RST patterns
Course outline
- 1.Linux network troubleshooting toolsVideo · 2 min
- 2.Bottom-up with iproute2Lesson · 20 min
- 3.Captures and path testsLesson · 20 min
- 4.Testing services and TLS from the command lineLesson · 20 min
- 5.Linux network troubleshooting tools: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 18 questions
- 6.Linux network troubleshooting tools: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
- 7.The web app stopped saving uploadsScenario
- 8.Final exam7 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- iproute2 manual pages: ip(8), ss(8)
- tcpdump(1) and pcap-filter(7) manual pages
- dig(1) manual page (BIND 9)
- ethtool(8) and mtr(8) manual pages
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.