Find logs for troubleshooting Windows connectivity

In Windows, you can use the Diagnostics-Networking, WLAN-Autoconfig, and System logs to do advanced and focused troubleshooting.

To find these logs, search for the Event Viewer. Alternatively, from the Control Panel, choose Administrative Tools and then Event Viewer.

Within Event Viewer, navigate to each log:

  • System: Expand Windows Logs; System will be listed underneath.

    Filter the log for networking entries (for example, for source "Diagnostics-Networking", or specific Event IDs that apply to wireless, 802.1X, WPA2). You can look up Networking Event IDs online.

  • Diagnostics-Networking: Expand Applications and Services Logs, then Microsoft, then Windows. Scroll down until you find Diagnostics-Networking.
  • WLAN-Autoconfig: Expand Applications and Services Logs, then Microsoft, then Windows. Scroll down until you find WLAN-Autoconfig.

Individual log entries you find will likely not point directly at a cause of failure. Instead, you will have to find multiple entries that are related to connectivity, then search the internet to find longer explanations of what those mean. Doing this for several entries will build a picture of what Windows is doing and how it's malfunctioning, and from that you can employ further troubleshooting techniques to determine the specific setting or component of Windows that needs to be fixed.

This is document bfvh in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2023-12-12 11:36:34.