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No one likes to be charged for an issue they could have fixed themselves. Before you fill out this form, follow this troubleshooting guide to ensure the issue is not something you can resolve yourself.
Figuring out what the problem is when something is not working right is a challenge. Our expert engineers have tons of experience and have put together some basic tips to help you solve some issues on your own. If you’re not able to get things working using these tips, contact us for assistance.
It’s funny but true: a reboot of your computer or device can fix a lot of issues. If an app is acting up, quit and open again.
Sometimes the issue is just on your computer, but not affecting anyone else in your office. Asking a co-worker to verify if they see the issue as well helps us narrow down if it may be a computer specific issue/setting or a broader issue.
Step 1: Run First Aid
In most cases, after you’ve booted successfully from the OS X CD, the first logical troubleshooting step is to use the First Aid option in the Disk Utility application.
Step 2: Safe Boot into Safe Mode
Booting your Mac in Safe Mode may help you resolve your startup issue by not loading non-essential (and non-OS X) software at boot time. You do it by holding down the Shift key during startup.
Booting in Safe Mode does three things to help you with troubleshooting:
It forces a directory check of the startup (boot) volume.
It loads only required kernel extensions (some of the items in /System/Library/Extensions).
It runs only Apple-installed startup items (some of the items in /Library/Startup Items and /System/Library/Startup items). Note that the startup items in the Library folders are different from the Startup Items in the Accounts System Preference pane.
Taken together, normally these changes can work around issues caused by software or directory damage on the startup volume.
Step 3: Zapping the PRAM
Sometimes your parameter RAM (PRAM) becomes scrambled and needs to be reset. PRAM is a small piece of memory that’s not erased or forgotten when you shut down; it keeps track of things such as printer selection, sound level, and monitor settings.
Step 4: Try Another User Account
Trying a different user account will let you know if there is a problem specifically with your account (most likely a software issue), or with the computer (most likely a hardware issue). If the problem disappears in a different user account, you've probably got what we like to call “mutated files” (when something happens to a critical file in your account’s library -- the place where all of the vital system files are stored). If you find this to be the case, you can just create a new user account and migrate all of your files over to that account. Note that you would only want to copy files such as your documents, music, applications, and photos. You don’t want to move system files or settings, as they're the culprits!
Step 5: Disconnect Peripherals
Sometimes problems can be attributed to third-party hardware connected to your computer. Basically, disconnect everything except for the power cord. This means removing all connected digital cameras, iPods, etc. If you are using a non-Apple keyboard and mouse, try using the Apple one.
Step 6: If nothing of the above helps, please open support ticket.
Step 1: Status LED Lights
You always start with the device in front of you and as such the status lights and the display panel are a great place to start with the trouble shooting guide. On the smaller Balance devices and the MAX devices there are a variety of status lights that can help understand the basics of what is happening with the device, this can be the first thing checked by the user on a site in order to confirm if the device is available to access, If the cable is connected or if the wifi is available. The status lights and info panel on the larger Balance devices can act as the first line in providing diagnosis on a router before even logging on to it.
Step 2: Dashboard WAN status
There are various states that may find the WAN in and what each of these states can means:
No cable detected - cable isn’t detected
Connecting - cable is detected and port negotiation is occurring
Obtaining IP address - obtaining DHCP from provider and that can be either a isp device or the isp directly.
WAN failed ping test - Health check failed. Message will be based on the 3 types of health check which are Ping, DNS and HTTP
No SIM card detected - SIM card isn’t inserted of the SIM card needs cleaning, reseating or replacing.
No device detected - This occurs when the cellular module is reset. Inserting a new SIM or swapping SIM cards should trigger this message as the device will reset the cellular module.
Connected - The connection is working, health checks are successful.
Connected to - This is a Wifi as WAN connection and the SSID and signal strength is known.
Step 3: Dashboard - SpeedFusion Status
There are five states that the tunnel can be in and each can give a clue as to why the tunnel won’t fully establish.
Starting - The system knows about the profile and is either waiting for a connection or is trying to connect to the remote peer. If stuck here then checking the remote device IP addresses are set correctly is first on the list followed by external firewall closely in second.
Authenticating - The devices can see each other and begin authentication. If stuck here then check encryption setting and Peer ID settings is usually where you will find the issue.
Creating Tunnel - Authentication is successful and the tunnel is now being configured. Stuck at this state means that no tunnel can be established and checking that the UDP data port on 4500 can get through any external firewalls often yields good results.
Updating routes - The tunnel is now created and the devices exchange routes. If stuck here then it is likely there is a route conflict meaning the connection can’t be created.
Established - The tunnel is authenticated, established and routing info has been exchanged.
Step 4: Wi-Fi Access Point
This either shows the local AP status on devices where this is available or if you are using the device as an AP controller it shows information regarding the online status of the managed access points as well as showing the number of connected clients.
Step 5: Device information
The device information panel gives the best overview of how the system is performing by showing live overall throughput and CPU usage along with the uptime which can help figure out if a reboot event has recently occurred. The temperature is also shown and in applicable models the fan speed is also shown.
Step 6: Event logs
Better and clearer information, for instance:
DHCP - option to see the service status (available IP, consumed IP) and the ability to stop/start the service if it is suspected of having or causing an issue.
PepVPN - More logging info regarding when the connection is trying to establish and a clear message to tell the user what happened during the connection attempt such as “bad shared password” etc.
More information about changes made - not just “Changes applied”
Step 7: Routing Conflicts
If nothing of the above helps, please open support ticket.