[atlas]While debugging my dad's network at home...

Hi all,

This is a feature request.

I was debugging my dad's home network (well, network, 1 PC with a modem) after
he complained that he could not send email anymore.  It turned out that he
somehow managed to disable the ethernet card on his PC.  This was a clear
user error.  He did call the helpdesk of his ISP.  The helpdesk started with
the configuration of the mail client...  Imagine the confusion that created.

Anyway, what I think would be really cool for probe hosts is if the probe
could give a little bit more information about the network where it is in
and present that in a way understandable to the user.  For example:

  * Probe has local address      Yes/No
  * Probe sees local gateway     "
  * Probe has Internet access
  * Pings to XX works
  * DNS query works
  * IMAP server responds
  * SMTP server responds
  * Popular website responds
  * SIP server responds
  * ...

with the list pre-configured for the ISP of the user (or some way to
configure that yourself).

On the probe, run a webserver such that http://10.0.0.139 points you
to the list showing you a list of "yes"/"no"'s.

Advantages:

* For the end user: if all items are yes, then that shows that there
  is nothing wrong on the user side and no action has to be taken.

* For the helpdesk when debugging the problem: the answer to a number
  of routine questions is there, without having to explain how to
  check things.



Henk


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Henk Uijterwaal                           Email: henk.uijterwaal(at)ripe.net
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