Which of the following tools is commonly used to troubleshoot network issues?

A network protocol analyzer is a specialized tool designed to capture and analyze data packets traversing a network. This capability is critical for diagnosing network issues, as it allows a technician to examine the details of network traffic, including the protocols being used, packet structure, and any anomalies that may indicate problems such as latency, dropped packets, or incorrect configurations.

By using a network protocol analyzer, a technician can identify issues related to bandwidth utilization, network timeout, and IP address conflicts, among other networking problems. This level of detailed insight is essential for effective troubleshooting, enabling the technician to pinpoint the root cause of network disruptions and verify that changes made to resolve issues are effective.

In contrast, tools such as a multimeter, word processor, and spreadsheet application do not provide the specialized features needed for network analysis. A multimeter measures electrical properties and is more suited for physical layer troubleshooting, while word processors and spreadsheet applications serve different purposes entirely, focusing on document creation and data organization rather than network diagnostics.