IT Network Support Technician Salary & Jobs | Field Engineer

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At a time when technology has taken over the world, a skilled Network Support Technician is the most sought-after technical professional. Networks are the nuts and bolts that interconnect everything. The Network Support Technician solves all the network issues to increase productivity and reduce downtime. The reflection of the hard work performed by the Network Support Technician is that the network functions without interruption. Interested in performing a job which makes a direct impact on the profit-making capability of any company? Then read this article to see if this is the career for you!

Network Support Technician

A Network Support Technician is an IT professional who helps with the maintenance and troubleshooting of Computer Network Hardware. They specialize in areas such as Information Systems, Data Recovery, Network Management, or System Administration. The technician’s work ranges from Local Area Networks (LANs) to Wide Area Networks (WANs) and Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks. They may also manage Network Hardware including Fiber Optics, Routers, Switches, and Wireless Networks.  

The Network Support Technician should install and monitor network infrastructure. The professional is responsible for interconnecting the network infrastructure. They should have a good understanding to interconnect fiber and copper patch panels. It is the responsibility of the Network Support Technician to patch the copper and fiber to switches and routers.

Areas of Work

The Network Support Technician job is to keep track of the network configuration checks. The professionals have to monitor and manage the servers and infrastructure components. They should work in close collaboration with the internal and external teams to manage the technical projects. They must ensure that all the networks are as per the company architecture. It is the Network Support Technician who develops and delivers improvements to the network systems to meet the changing standards.

The professionals must provide technical assistance and support to customer implementations. They should have a control mechanism in place to address all the network changes. The Network Support Technicians will have to keep themselves updated with the technical documentation that includes network topology/diagrams, back-up and restores procedures, security procedures. The technician needs to manage and monitor the changes affecting any network or system. Apart from these, the other responsibilities of the Network Support Technicians include the following:

All About Computer Networks

Installation & Maintenance of Network hardware is the primary task of a Network Support Technician. The work includes tasks like checking network connections, cabling, and testing network devices such as router, switches, servers and network security processes. All these tasks ensure that the daily operations will run without unnecessary interruptions or failures.

Resolve System Failures

Unfortunately though, despite the most dedicated efforts and attention to network details, system failures do occur. The Network Support Technicians troubleshoot Hardware Failures and Server Software Issues that are caused due to Hard Drive issues, Failure of the Motherboard, a Bad Ram Chip, ISP Connection Issues or configuration issues. A Network Support Technician also identifies the bottlenecks: Network Usage & Load, Network Range and Wireless Network Interference that could slow down the network.

Upgrade Schedules

The Computer Network Support Technicians must organize and plan system maintenance to avoid any interruption in the workflow. Assessing network performance regularly provides data to analyze when and how to update the network to increase productivity.

Skills

Computer Knowledge

Being familiar with software and hardware functions prepare the Network Support Technician with the knowledge to evaluate the latest computer trends and advances in technology. Their analysis of the latest developments would be very advantageous in determining whether or not newer technologies would benefit their company’s operations.

Analytical Thinking

Strong diagnostic and analytical skills come in handy for the Computer Technician. They will help identify the source of system errors and issues that may not be immediately obvious.

Problem-Solving Skills

Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities are essential for the Network Support Technician. The reason these capabilities are valuable is that they provide the company with the ability to identify problems and work with the Network Engineers/Architects to resolve the issues.

Educational Qualifications

Employers usually prefer candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or any related field. Having some relevant work experience is a definite advantage.

Certifications

Network Support Technician will have a strong role to play in the organization. The candidates need to have certain specialized certifications to withstand the competitions and land a job. The certifications provide the individual with an in-depth understanding and expertise on important subjects. So, here are some certifications that the can come handy.

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
• Juniper Networks Certified Internetwork Associate (JNCIA)
• CompTIA A+ Technician
• CompTIA Network+
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

Network Support Technician Salary & Job Outlook

According to the US Bureau of Labor (BLS), there will about a 12 percent increase in the Network Support Technician jobs from 2014-2024. According to Payscale, the average Network Support Technician salary is about $17.66 per hour. The average yearly Network Support Technicians salary varies widely between $28K and $61K, for a few high rollers, the final number can encompass upwards of $5K each from bonuses and profit sharing proceeds. The Indeed salary estimate states that on an average the Network Support Technician salary ranges from approximately $16.10 per hour for Technical Support to $23.31 per hour for Data Center Technician.

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