Network help software

The dashboard for the system is resident in the cloud and accessed through any standard browser. This centralizes network performance data from many sources and covers the entire network, link by link and end to end. You can create custom graphs, metrics, and alerts in an instant, and the software can adjust them dynamically based on different conditions.

Register for the Trial. When it comes to network management tools, this product is well balanced when it comes to monitoring and analysis features. To run Manage Engine OpManager, it must be installed on-premises. A highlight of this product is that it comes with pre-configured network monitor device templates. These contain pre-defined monitoring parameters and intervals for specific device types. Start day free trial — Download Link:. Download Now. WhatsUp Gold provides that function.

This monitoring tool sends out regular broadcasts, asking for status reports, which are called MIBs. Each device agent responds to the request and then WhatsUp Gold compiles the results it receives.

This mechanism tells the monitoring system exactly what devices are out there and which other devices each is connected to. This information is constantly refreshed, so WhatsUp Gold is able to maintain an up-to-date network inventory. The service also automatically draws up a network topology map based on the live updates to the network inventory. A device agent will send a Trap message if it identifies a problem with the piece of equipment that it is monitoring.

WhatsUp Gold interprets this into an alert. Network administrators can ignore the monitoring console and let WhatsUp Gold watch over everything. This is because they will be notified if anything goes wrong. WhatsUp Gold installs on Windows Server. This software comes with different pricing plans to adjust to your network and wallet. More information and a day free trial link on the official website:. More Information and Official Website:. Start day Free Trial. Auvik is a SaaS platform that offers a network discovery and mapping system that automates enrolment and then continues to operate in order to spot changes in network infrastructure.

This system is able to centralize and unify the monitoring of multiple sites. The service includes out-of-the-box thresholds that are placed on most of the metrics that the network monitor tracks. It is also possible to create custom thresholds. Once the monitoring service is operating, if any of the thresholds are crossed, the system raises an alert.

This mechanism allows technicians to get on with other tasks, knowing that the thresholds give them time to avert system performance problems that would be noticeable to users. Network management tools that are included in the Auvik package include configuration management to standardize the settings of network devices and prevent unauthorized changes.

However, the system requires collectors to be installed on each monitored site. This software runs on Windows Server and Ubuntu Linux. It is also possible to run the collector on a VM. Site24x7 is a monitoring service that covers networks, servers, and applications. The network monitoring service in this package starts off by exploring the network for connected devices. IT logs its findings in a network inventory and draws up a network topology map. Any changes in the network infrastructure that are revealed by these responses update the inventory and topology map.

The results of the device responses are interpreted into live data in the dashboard of the monitor. The dashboard is accessed through any standard browser and its screens can be customized by the user. The SNMP system empowers device agents to send out a warning without waiting for a request if it detects a problem with the device that it is monitoring.

Site24x7 Infrastructure catches these messages, which are called Traps, and generates an alert. This alert can be forwarded to technicians by SMS, email, voice call, or instant messaging post.

The Network Monitor also has a traffic analysis function. This extracts throughput figures from switches and routers and displays data flow information in the system dashboard. This data can also be used for capacity planning. It is available for a free trial. Start Free Trial. Atera is a package software that was built for managed service providers. The network monitoring system operates remotely through an agent that installs on Windows Server.

The agent enables the service to scour the network and identify all of the network devices that run it. These are sent to the Atera network monitoring dashboard, where they appear as alerts. Atera offers an automated topology mapping service, but this is an add-on to the main subscription packages. They have a free version, open-source, one-time license and subscription. Nagios XI focuses on monitoring.

Although the software is easy to install, it will initially take some time to adjust to your requirements. Zenmap is the official nmap GUI and is a good way for beginners to start working with nmap. The tools we discussed here are great to have in your network troubleshooting toolbox and we recommend giving some of them a try the next time you find yourself dealing with a head-scratching network troubleshooting scenario.

Did we leave any of your favorite network troubleshooting tools out, or do you have questions about the tools we mentioned here? Let us know in the comments section below. Related post: PingPlotter Alternatives. Steps 2 and 3 might need to be carried out recursively until you hit the problem. The documentation step is ongoing throughout the troubleshooting process with note-taking to contribute to an accurate record once the entire process is complete.

There are many possible causes for intermittent network connection issues:. Ping and Traceroute are the two LAN commands most often used for network troubleshooting. Ping shows whether an endpoint is contactable. Traceroute shows the most likely path to that endpoint. These two commonly used network utilities are usually integrated into most network monitors. I know this was written a few months ago, but what do you think of PingPlotter Pro?

Why did it not make the list of best network troubleshooting software? Hi Ben, Thanks for the reply. Topically, it looks like a useful monitoring tool that can also have some troubleshooting benefits. What use cases do you think it is best for? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Comparitech uses cookies. More info. Menu Close. Net Admin Network Diagnostics and Troubleshooting.

We are reader supported and may receive a commission when you make purchases using the links on our site. We show you the best network diagnostics and troubleshooting tools that help make your job as a network troubleshooter easier and provide examples and instructions to help you get started.

David Zomaya. The NCM will gather all device configurations, allow the creation of standard settings, and ensure that any unauthorized changes are immediately rolled back. Start day free trial. Ping Simple command-line utility that checks on the speed of connections. Tracert Free command-line utility that lists the probable hops to a network or internet destination address.

Netstat This tool displays active connections on your computer. Sysinternals Set of Microsoft tools for Windows that help troubleshoot and configure Active Directory. Wireshark Free packet sniffer that will help you analyze traffic flows. Nmap Network security and monitoring tool that needs a companion utility, Zenmap, as a user interface.

What should you look for in a network diagnostic tool? We reviewed the market for network diagnostic tools and analyzed the options based on the following criteria: A package of several useful tools accessible through a single interface Methods to reconcile addressing issues with DHCP and DNS servers Connection testing systems A system of alerts that allow technicians to get on with other tasks if not notified of problems Automated system sweeps or useful tests that can be launched on a schedule A free tool or a trial period for risk-free assessment Value for money from paid tools and worthwhile functions from free tools.

Pros: Built for medium to enterprise size networks, with features designed to streamline troubleshooting and improve TTR and overall productivity Can automatically discover new devices on the network and provide templated health reports for immediate insights upon installation Offers configuration management, allowing teams to quickly backup and restore changes that may have impacted performance Can monitor settings for unauthorized changes and specific teams or managers Offers a customizable dashboard that has a host of different options for visualizing network performance.

Cons: Not designed for home networks, this is an enterprise tool built for system administrators and network technicians. Pros: Operates in the cloud, making scaling your troubleshooting efforts easier than most on-premise solutions Offers excellent visual reporting that are fully customizable Agent software can be installed on multiple operating systems as well as in the cloud to monitor container-based services Live data can be stored for later view, or forwarded to other systems such as a SIEM Pricing options are flexible, making DataDog a good choice for both small and large size networks.

Cons: Platform offers infrastructure, network, and application monitoring services, making this a feature-rich option that may take time to fully explore. Pros: Cloud-based RMM solution, great cloud alternative to Network Configuration Manager Leverages LOGIcards to find security and performance issues in any size or configuration of network Accessible from any web browser and available via mobile app Aims to provide a complete RMM solution and integrates well with their other MSP focused offerings Flexible subscription-based pricing.

Cons: Designed for larger networks, specifically managed service providers. Pros: Built for professionals and enterprise use Offers monitoring templates for quick insights into network and device performance Can check device health through a series of checks such as ICMP and ping Makes great use of visualizations to map out more complex wireless networks Pricing is based on utilization, making it a predictable and scalable option for any size network.

Cons: Offers a wide range of monitoring options, requiring time to fully utilize all features. Pros: Built directly into Windows command prompt Easy to use, simple syntax Can quickly identify if there is a problem with a device Allows you to easily see if there are any network drops, latency issues, or jitter over the connection.

Cons: Does not work if ICMP is turned off on your target device No visualization features Not a proactive form of monitoring Limited output options for reporting. Pros: Built directly into Windows command prompt Easy to use, simple syntax Displays gateways that your traffic passes through Can see if where a bottleneck occurs during the route.

Cons: Does not provide any root cause analysis or features to aid technicians No visualization features Not a proactive form of monitoring Limited output options for reporting. Pros: Built directly into Windows command prompt Easy to use, simple syntax Shows basic network configuration such as gateway, DNS servers, and subnets Can be used with other syntax to perform functions like flushing DNS or renewing an IP address.

Cons: Can take a while for new users to learn all of the different ways ipconfig can be used to troubleshoot Can only apply fixes to one machine at a time. Pros: Can quickly show which connections are actively established on a machine Can find suspicious connections quickly if you know how to interpret netstat information Can filter by TCP connections to limit your scope on noisier networks. Pros: Can quickly check the availability of a service base on external monitor as well as manual reports by other users Can check the health of multiple sites at once Can usually get an answer quickly without much digging or technical work.

Pros: Built by Microsoft to serve the Windows operating system Offers other tools that can help troubleshoot Active Directory servers and other Windows features Offers basic network testing alongside file scanning tools that can help solve permission issues as well as file share problems. Pros: Doubles as a security tool, allowing administrators to discover open ports, and applications communicating over ports that are suspicious Massive open-source community, is one of the most popular free security tools available Offers a GUI version, Zenmap, which lowers the barrier to entry for new users Syntax is straightforward and not difficult to learn for most users.

What are the six steps of the troubleshooting process? Follow a formalized routine when troubleshooting networks: Identify the problem. Make an educated guess of the possible cause of the problem.

Explore the system to check whether your idea is valid. Identify system elements in error; plan and implement remediation steps. Check that the solution worked and change procedures to prevent the problem from happening again. Document the problem, the solution, and recommendations for procedural change. What often happens is that networks gradually begin to expand but administrators have other things to worry about which are more pressing.

The important yet rarely urgent issue of network monitoring is therefore pushed into the background. Until suddenly a problem arises - such as a massive system failure - sparking a time-consuming search for the bug.

Usually, a mad dash to find freeware or free tools begins. PRTG provides for flexibility when getting started. The trial version is for free. Administrators can therefore get to know our network monitoring tool without having to pay or worrying about a contract coming to an end. If you wish to work with more sensors, it's a cinch to supplement PRTG. PRTG is installed in just two minutes and customized in a few short hours.

As administrators, you already have a network monitoring tool. But many tools on the market are complex and difficult to maintain. In no time at all, the tool is no longer up-to-date, because new network elements are no longer incorporated into it. Sometimes changes in personnel occur - and there is consequently nobody on staff who knows how to get the tool working quickly.

The delightful intuitive network monitoring tool PRTG features a number of preconfigurations, including nearly sensors and ready-made device templates. In addition, an Auto Discovery feature automatically searches the network and installs sensors. A migration is therefore possible in a matter of a few hours.

The transition is easy and can take place a lot faster than getting the hang of the previous, cumbersome tool. Alert features are included, and licenses are modifiable as the situation requires.

As administrators, you already have tools for your network monitoring, analysis, and diagnostics. Your problem: you use a mishmash of several distinct tools. As administrators, you have to learn the ropes of many different tools, all of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. And you need to keep an eye on - and maintain - all of the tools at the same time. This costs time and energy. PRTG is a centralized tool for the entire network for which an administrator is responsible.

All it takes is a quick look at its dashboard or app. Administrators who use PRTG say they finally have some peace of mind. Gone are the days of always having a guilty conscience or feeling uneasy because information is missing. Our network monitoring tool is often reviewed and evaluated by administrators, industry magazines, comparison sites, and technology specialists.

Every day, we try to make our software a little bit better. PRTG is used by over , administrators worldwide. On Trustpilot, consumers give us four out of five stars. PRTG is often praised for allowing users to proactively monitor their networks and intervene quickly before problems arise. Users also enjoy its preconfigured sensors, built-in alarm, and efficient technical support.

However, you should be careful with such sites as they are not always unbiased. What are the pros and cons of each provider, and which features can you expect? Our hope is that admins will choose PRTG after determining that it really is the right tool for them. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, e. On average you need about sensors per device or one sensor per switch port. For administrators, network speed is a key issue which garners a great deal of their attention.

It is no surprise that the phone begins to ring as soon as the connection goes down. Colleagues, customers, and partners cannot work with slow service. Network speed can be considered from three standpoints - network monitoring, network analysis, and network diagnostics:. Are you responsible for a large, worldwide IT network?

If so, you may be having a hard time finding the right enterprise network monitoring software. The case for PRTG: our tool consolidates your monitoring data, is easy to customize, and can be used for distributed networks.

More than , admins around the world put their trust in PRTG. PRTG is used by small firms with just a few employees, medium-sized companies, and huge international corporations. Our upgradeable licenses, determined by the total number of required sensors, makes PRTG a perfect fit for everyone.

Our XL5 license comes equipped with an unlimited number of sensors and allows for installation on five different servers. Many companies and organizations use a variety of different monitoring tools.

When a problem arises, they simply reach for the most suitable tool. Other admins search for errors manually, such as by running ping, traceroute, ipconfig, or netstat commands in the Windows command line. PRTG is centralized software that is often used to replace several small, isolated monitoring tools. The advantage: all information — hardware, applications, traffic, virtual environments, and more — is consolidated and clearly displayed in one centralized tool.

Sysadmins and IT teams therefore enjoy a constant overview of their network. By the way, we also offer a number of free tools to help you optimize your monitoring. We work hard on making our software as powerful and easy-to-use as possible for our customers each and every day.