They cross check the students and teachers of the people above and below the chain to identify the exact identity of the narrator in question, because it is less likely that people with the same name will also have the same students and teachers.

Lets take a very simplified example, a chain is like this:

A narrated from B who narrated from C who narrated from D

Where the identity of C is ambiguous, and it could be be one of:

C bin X
C bin Y
C bin Z

They will check the known students of D, whether a person with the name C is present in them. For example lets assume that the known students of D include:

U bin W
C bin Y
V bin M
C bin X

Next then they will check the known teachers of B, whether a person named C is mentioned in them. For example lets assume that the known teachers of B include:

O bin L
C bin X
E bin R

The person who will be present in both would be the identity of the narrator.
In our example, C is most likely: C bin X.

I heard this explained in an unrelated lecture where a certain hadith came up whose narrators were ambiguous. If it is useful to someone then alright, otherwise someone else will come along and give a better answer.

They cross check the students and teachers of the people above and below the chain to identify the exact identity of the narrator in question, because it is less likely that people with the same name will also have the same students and teachers.

Lets take a very simplified example, a chain is like this:

A narrated from B who narrated from C who narrated from D

Where the identity of C is ambiguous, and it could be be one of:

C bin X
C bin Y
C bin Z

They will check the known students of D, whether a person with the name C is present in them. For example lets assume that the known students of D include:

U bin W
C bin Y
V bin M
C bin X

Next then they will check the known teachers of B, whether a person named C is mentioned in them. For example lets assume that the known teachers of B include:

O bin L
C bin X
E bin R

The person who will be present in both would be the identity of the narrator.
In our example, C is most likely: C bin X.

I heard this explained in an unrelated lecture where a certain hadith came up whose narrators were ambiguous. If it is helpful to someone then alright, otherwise someone else will come along and give a better answer.

They cross check the students and teachers of the people above and below the chain to identify the exact identity of the narrator in question, because it is less likely that people with the same name will also have the same students and teachers.

Lets take a very simplified example, a chain is like this:

A narrated from B who narrated from C who narrated from D

Where the identity of C is ambigous, and it could be be one of:

C bin X
C bin Y
C bin Z

They will check the known students of D, whether a person with the name C is present in them. For example lets assume that the known students of D include:

U bin W
C bin Y
V bin M
C bin X

Next then they will check the known teachers of B, whether a person named C is mentioned in them. For example lets assume that the known teachers of B include:

O bin L
C bin X
E bin R

The person who will be present in both would be the identity of the narrator.
In our example, C is most likely: C bin X.

They cross check the students and teachers of the people above and below the chain to identify the exact identity of the narrator in question, because it is less likely that people with the same name will also have the same students and teachers.

Lets take a very simplified example, a chain is like this:

A narrated from B who narrated from C who narrated from D

Where the identity of C is ambiguous, and it could be be one of:

C bin X
C bin Y
C bin Z

They will check the known students of D, whether a person with the name C is present in them. For example lets assume that the known students of D include:

U bin W
C bin Y
V bin M
C bin X

Next then they will check the known teachers of B, whether a person named C is mentioned in them. For example lets assume that the known teachers of B include:

O bin L
C bin X
E bin R

The person who will be present in both would be the identity of the narrator.
In our example, C is most likely: C bin X.

I heard this explained in an unrelated lecture where a certain hadith came up whose narrators were ambiguous. If it is useful to someone then alright, otherwise someone else will come along and give a better answer.