Network diagnostic software

Wireshark is a protocol analyzer and one of the go-to networking tools for organizations of all sizes when network issues need to be troubleshot with a high level of granularity. The benefit of using Wireshark to analyze network traffic is that you will be able to view the raw network packets, and this will often allow you to identify the root cause of an issue.

This can be especially helpful in situations where it is unclear which application is not doing what it is supposed to or when you try to reverse engineer the functionality of a poorly-documented program.

The tradeoff here is that you will have a lot of data to parse through, so some technical knowledge may be required to drill down and identify the important information. On Windows operating systems, link-layer packet captures with WireShark are often made possible using Winpcap either Winpcap or Npcap is required. For a deeper dive on Winpcap, Windump, and tcpdump, check out our recent article on packet sniffers and network analyzers and download the tcpdump cheat sheet.

Wireshark is an excellent tool for processing packet data. There are a number of other tools that work well with Wireshark to create an even better data analysis system. The data search system Elasticsearch is free to use and it comes with complementary modules for logfile management and data display. Together this suite is called the Elastic Stack. The illustration below shows how the Elastic Stack can be used with Wireshark to create an improved data analysis system from components that cost nothing.

Although this setup looks complicated, all of the tools shown in this diagram are designed to work together and the Elasticsearch website includes guides on how to put this system together. Nmap is a popular security auditing and network exploration tool released under a custom open source license based on GPLv2. While the most popular use cases for nmap are security scans and penetration testing, it can prove quite helpful as a network troubleshooting tool as well. For example, if you are dealing with an unfamiliar app and want to find out what services are running and which ports are open, nmap can help.

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. WiFi Scout Free. IP List Free. Additional information Published by Test Technologist Corp.

Published by Test Technologist Corp. Developed by Test Technologist Corp. Approximate size 6. Age rating For all ages. This app can Access all your files, peripheral devices, apps, programs and registry Access your Internet connection Microsoft. Permissions info. Installation Get this app while signed in to your Microsoft account and install on up to ten Windows 10 devices. Windows Windows. Most Popular. New Releases.

Desktop Enhancements. Networking Software. Trending from CNET. Network Inventory Advisor Free to try. Perform audits of all network software and hardware in a simple and effective way. Access remote USB devices over Ethernet. Ethereal - Network Protocol Analyzer Free. Operating Systems Windows, Windows Additional Requirements Available for Windows 10 x Total Downloads Downloads Last Week 1.

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