How do I ask a good question?
We love to help you. To get a good answer, here are some tips and guidelines.
Please use search first
Unless you have a very unique question, it’s likely that someone else asked the same question before. You can use the search function of our forum to see if there are already good posts/threads that answer your question.
Use a topic name that summarizes your question or problem.
If you open a new topic, use a title that describes your problem or question. Here is a list of topics you should not post:
- Help me
- It does not work
- I have a question
- I have a problem
Here are some examples of good post titles:
- What is the difference between BGP and MP-BGP?
- Why should I use OSPF instead of EIGRP?
- OSPF adjacency resets every 60 seconds
If you can’t come up with a good post title, it can help to write your question/problem first and them summarize it into a post title.
Explain the question or problem you have.
Explain your question or the problem you are facing. “It does not work” is not a sufficient way to ask for help. Our moderators can help if you explain how you encounter the problem you are trying to solve and the steps you took to solve the problem on your own. Please share the goal you are trying to achieve.
We are big believers in the following quote:
Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.
If you explain your thought process and the things you tried to solve a problem, we can put you on the right track.
Topology pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words
If you have questions about a topology, please add a picture of the topology. This is so much easier than trying to describe a topology with text only.
Post configuration snippets
If you have any questions about a configuration, you can add it here but don’t add the entire config! Only add the relevant configuration snippet and add it like a code block (CTRL+SHIFT+C) or use the code button in the editor.
Take a look at the following link for more information:
How to add configuration snippets
Sensitive information
Our forum is viewable by the public, so don’t post any sensitive information (e.g. usernames, passwords and IP addresses).
Proof-read before posting!
Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are important! If you are not comfortable writing in English, please use a tool like grammarly to check your text.
Support limits
We are here to help but our moderators are not here to do your homework. Please don’t dump configurations in a topic and ask us to locate and solve the problem for you. That is the job of a consultant.
Here are some things we don’t do:
- Creating custom configuration files.
- Fixing errors in your configuration files.
- Answering questions about your production network.
- Answering design questions about your production network.
However, please remember that we want you to succeed in your studies! In most cases, we will offer you some direction or provide links to third party resources or examples.
Our goal is to teach you to understand (complex) networking topics. Rather than solving problems for you, we will always try to explain HOW you can do something.
We’ll guide you through the process, answer questions and refer to current and future lessons, but the focus will be on learning and enabling you to do the task yourself.