Automated network diagnostic techniques

1. A method of automatically diagnosing operation of a communication network, the method comprising:

collecting, during a plurality of time periods spanning a plurality of days, a plurality of Layer-4 protocol statistics for Layer-4 network connections each having a first endpoint at one of one or more client devices, wherein data transmitted for each of the Layer-4 network connections traverses the communication network, each of the time periods being at least 5 minutes in duration and the plurality of days including two nonconsecutive days;

determining, for each time period in the plurality of time periods, a first Layer-4 condition metric for the time period based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during the time period;

determining a first network performance indicator, based on a number of the plurality of time periods that a first threshold condition is met by the first Layer-4 condition metric;

determining whether the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the first network performance indicator meeting a second threshold condition; and

causing a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed based on the determination whether the communication network has experienced a performance issue.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the causing a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed comprises causing a wireless access point to perform a corrective action.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the collecting a plurality of Layer-4 protocol statistics includes collecting TCP statistics for TCP connections when a TCP ACK is received at a network node for the TCP connection;

each of the Layer-4 network connections for which the Layer-4 protocol statistics are collected has a second endpoint at the network node; and

the collecting is performed at the network node.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the collecting a plurality of Layer-4 protocol statistics includes collecting TCP statistics for TCP connections when a packet is transmitted by a network node for the TCP connection;

each of the Layer-4 network connections for which the Layer-4 protocol statistics are collected has a second endpoint at the network node; and

the collecting is performed at the network node.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first network performance indicator is determined based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during a plurality of time periods each occurring during a first day;

the method further comprises:

determining that the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the first network performance indicator indicating poor performance, and

determining a second network performance indicator, based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during a plurality of time periods each occurring on a second day, the second day occurring before the first day; and

wherein the determination that the communication network has experienced a performance issue is further based on the second network performance indicator not indicating poor performance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first network performance indicator is determined based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during time periods that each cover a first time of day; and

the method further comprises determining that the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the first network performance indicator indicating poor performance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the communication network includes a wireless access point configured to provide a wireless network; and

the method further comprises:

collecting, during the plurality of time periods, a plurality of Layer-1 and/or Layer-2 protocol statistics for wireless data communications on the wireless network,

determining, for each time period in the plurality of time periods, a link condition metric for the time period based on the Layer-1 and/or Layer-2 protocol statistics collected during the time period,

determining a second network performance indicator, based on a number of the plurality of time periods that a third threshold condition is met by the first link condition metric,

determining whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue based on the second network performance indicator meeting a fourth threshold condition, and

causing a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed based on the determination whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the first link condition metric is an average channel utilization, an average packet error rate, or an average frame error rate;

the determining whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue comprises automatically determining that a wireless access point has been experiencing issues with use of a first wireless communication channel; and

the method further comprises causing, in response to the determining that the wireless access point has been experiencing issues with use of the first wireless communication channel, the wireless access point to change to a second wireless communication channel different from the first wireless communication channel.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the link condition metric is an average RSSI (received signal strength indicator), an average PHY (physical layer) data rate, or an average packet error rate for a first wireless client device;

the determining whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue comprises automatically determining that a first wireless client device has been experiencing communication issues on the wireless network; and

the method further comprises reassigning, in response to the determining that the first wireless client device has been experiencing communication issues on the wireless network, a second wireless client device from a first wireless communication band to a second wireless communication band different from the first wireless communication band.

10. A nontransitory computer readable medium including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of claim 1 .

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first network performance indicator is determined based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during time periods that each cover a first time of day; and

the instructions further cause the one or more processors to determine that the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the first network performance indicator indicating poor performance.

12. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more nontransitory computer readable media including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

collect, during a plurality of time periods spanning a plurality of days, a plurality of Layer-4 protocol statistics for Layer-4 network connections each having a first endpoint at one of one or more client devices, wherein data transmitted for each of the Layer-4 network connections traverses the communication network, each of the time periods being at least 5 minutes in duration and the plurality of days including two nonconsecutive days;

determining, for each time period in the plurality of time periods, a first Layer-4 condition metric for the time period based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during the time period;

determine a first network performance indicator, based on a number of the plurality of time periods that a first threshold condition is met by the first Layer-4 condition metric;

determine whether the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the first network performance indicator meeting a second threshold condition; and

cause a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed based on the determination whether the communication network has experienced a performance issue.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the causing a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed comprises causing a wireless access point to perform a corrective action.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the collecting a plurality of Layer-4 protocol statistics includes collecting TCP statistics for TCP connections when a TCP ACK is received at a network node for the TCP connection;

each of the Layer-4 network connections for which the Layer-4 protocol statistics are collected has a second endpoint at the network node; and

the collecting is performed at the network node.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the collecting a plurality of Layer-4 protocol statistics includes collecting TCP statistics for TCP connections when a packet is transmitted by a network node for the TCP connection;

each of the Layer-4 network connections for which the Layer-4 protocol statistics are collected has a second endpoint at the network node; and

the collecting is performed at the network node.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first network performance indicator is determined based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during a plurality of time periods each occurring during a first day;

the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine that the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the first network performance indicator indicating poor performance, and

determine a second network performance indicator, based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during a plurality of time periods each occurring on a second day, the second day occurring before the first day;

wherein the determination that the communication network has experienced a performance issue is further based on the second network performance indicator not indicating poor performance.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the communication network includes a wireless access point configured to provide a wireless network; and

the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

collect, during the plurality of time periods, a plurality of Layer-1 and/or Layer-2 protocol statistics for wireless data communications on the wireless network,

determine, for each time period in the plurality of time periods, a link condition metric for the time period based on the Layer-1 and/or Layer-2 protocol statistics collected during the time period;

determine a second network performance indicator, based on a number of the plurality of time periods that a third threshold condition is met b the link condition metric,

determine whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue based on the second network performance indicator meeting a fourth threshold condition, and

cause a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed based on the determination whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the link condition metric is an average channel utilization, an average packet error rate, or an average frame error rate;

the determining whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue comprises automatically determining that a wireless access point has been experiencing issues with use of a first wireless communication channel; and

the instructions further cause the one or more processors to cause, in response to the determining that the wireless access point has been experiencing issues with use of the first wireless communication channel, the wireless access point to change to a second wireless communication channel different from the first wireless communication channel.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the link condition metric is an average RSSI (received signal strength indicator), an average PITY (physical layer) data rate, or an average packet error rate for a first wireless client device;

the determining Whether the wireless network has experienced a performance issue comprises automatically determining that a first wireless client device has been experiencing communication issues on the wireless network; and

the instructions further cause the one or more processors to reassign, in response to the determining that the first wireless client device has been experiencing communication issues on the wireless network, a second wireless client device from a first wireless communication band to a second wireless communication band different from the first wireless communication hand.