Technical Test

Always always look very carefully at a problem...

I had a technical test this morning:

Networking had 2 connectors defined:

a Local Loopback connector name: "Local Area Connection" and a proper network interface named "Fax".

The trick was the local loopback connector was defined with a IP Address - but can't go anywhere

A certain URL cannot be reached?

1. Ping your gateway? Can't ping it? - Check network connection.
2. Local Loopback connector is no use on its own - make a bridged connection with the "fax" connection (As this connection is the proper networking interface)
   
3. Ping gateway? can you ping it, yes? ping desired url
   
4. Can you ping the url? yes it pings 127.0.0.1 --> localhost
5. Here you should ask?? localhost?
   
6. Check your host file c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Microsoft Loopback Connector:
(copied from: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/839013)

Manual installation

To manually install the Microsoft Loopback adapter in Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. If you are in Classic view, click Switch to Category View under Control Panel in the left pane.
3. Double-click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Next.
4. Under See Also in the left pane, click Add Hardware,and then click Next.
5. Click Yes, I have already connected the hardware, and then click Next.
6. At the bottom of the list, click Add a new hardware device, and then click Next.
7. Click Install the hardware that I manually select from a list, and then click Next.
8. Click Network adapters, and then click Next.
9. In the Manufacturer box, click Microsoft.
10. In the Network Adapter box, click Microsoft Loopback Adapter, and then click Next.
11. Click Finish.

After the adapter is installed successfully, you can manually configure its options, as with any other adapter. If the TCP/IP properties are configured to use DHCP, the adapter will eventually use an autonet address (169.254.x.x/16) because the adapter is not actually connected to any physical media.

Note By default, TCP/IP properties are configured to use DHCP.