How To Use Windows Logs to Troubleshoot Wireless Problems that Only Occur at Customer Locations

Troubleshoot wireless problems using the onsite logs from Windows

The Windows operating system has numerous logs that can be beneficial when analyzing wireless issue at the customer location. Especially when those problems cannot be replicated in other network environments.

Locating, creating, and exporting the logs

Logs that already exist from prior testing:

1. Before you first encounter the computer, it may have created logs that are valuable. The WLANAutoconfig.log file in Event Viewer (If not already compiled into to a cabinet (CAB) file) can be found and saved manually in the Windows Event Viewer:
   1. In Event Viewer, go to Applications and Service Logs.
   2. Go to Microsoft.
   3. Go to Windows.
   4. Then open the Wlan-autoconfig folder.
2. The NETSH script below outputs to the C:\wlogs folder:

WLAN-autoconfig Diagnostic Logging

You can enable the WLAN-autoconfig Diagnostic log in to the System Under test (SUT) prior to future testing. This might help with some more verbose log messages. Use the following instructions.

To enable the diagnostic log:

1. Open Event Viewer, and go to:
   1. The Applications and Service Logs
   2. Then Microsoft
   3. Then Windows
   4. Then Wlan-Autoconfig
2. Right-click the Wlan-Autoconfig folder.
3. Then select View.
4. Show the Analytic and Debug logs.
5. The diagnostic log appears under the Autoconfig folder.
6. Right-click the diagnostic log and choose: Enable the log

Netsh script text for reference: (Copy the text below and paste into a notepad and save the file as ETL.bat)

@echo off

rem PASTE THIS SCRIPT INTO NOTEPAD AND SAVE AS A .BAT FILE. RT CLICK THE FILE AND RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR.

rem DO NOT CREATE DIRECTORY IF IT ALREADY EXISTS
if exist c:\wlogs goto SKIPMKDIR
mkdir c:\wlogs
:SKIPMKDIR

rem BEGIN TRACE
netsh ras set tracing * enable

rem BUNDY, I WOULD LIKE TO DYNAMICALLY GENERATE THE FILENAME wlan001.etl TO AVOID WRITING OVER PREVIOUS LOGS
SET file1=1
IF EXIST c:\wlogs\wlan%file1%.etl GOTO nextlog
netsh trace start scenario=wlan tracefile=c:\wlogs\wlan1.etl capture=yes persistent=yes maxsize=250 report=yes
filemode=append
GOTO filedone
:nextlog
SET /A "file1+=1" IF EXIST c:\wlogs\wlan%file1%.etl GOTO nextlog
netsh trace start scenario=wlan tracefile=c:\wlogs\wlan%file1%.etl capture=yes persistent=yes maxsize=250 report=yes
filemode=append

:filedone
rem DISPLAY PROMPT TO PRESS ANY KEY TO STOP THE CAPTURE
set /p =Press any key to stop the capture. < nul
pause > nul

rem STOP TRACE
netsh trace stop

rem DISPLAY RESULTS AND PROMPT TO HIT ANY KEY BEFORE ENDING
pause