40 Best FREE Network Monitoring Tools & Software (2021)

Whether you're a system admin or network administrator, monitoring potential problems before they become production issues is crucial. There are a plethora of Network monitoring tools available in the market and choosing one is difficult.

Here is a curated list of Top 43 network monitoring tools for monitoring devices, services, ports, protocols and analyzing traffic on your network.

Top Free Network Monitor Software

1) NetCrunch

NetCrunch by AdRem Software is a system that delivers comprehensive monitoring through extensive (agent-less) monitoring, flexible visualization, alerting and policy-based configuration. It allows you to monitor every device in your IT infrastructure from servers to printers, temperature sensors and cameras.

Features:

• NetCrunch can identify, configure, and begin monitoring your network's devices out of the box.
• Baseline thresholds and range triggers learn your network and alert you to unexpected changes with over 330 Monitoring Packs, Services, and Sensors.
• NetCrunch is made from nine features modules suited to specific infrastructure needs.
• Pricing is adjusted to the chosen modules and infrastructure size.

2) Obkio

Obkio is a simple network performance monitoring SaaS solution that empowers users to continuously monitor their network performance to improve the end-user experience.

Features:

• Deploys in minutes
• Continuous monitoring using monitoring Agents
• Troubleshoot intermittent performance issues.
• Exchange of Synthetic Traffic to measure performance
• Monitoring from the End-User perspective
• Decentralized monitoring between pairs of agents in different locations
• Real-time network performance updates every 500ms
• Historical performance to troubleshoot past issues
• Automatic Speed Tests to assess network health
• User Quality of Experience (QoE) measured every minute

3) Network Bandwidth Analyzer

Network Bandwidth Analyzer is a tool that enables you to monitor the performance of the network. It helps you to track response time, availability, switches, and more.

Features:

• You can find which network application uses the most bandwidth.
• Provides visual analysis for a device with a delivery path
• This application can monitor the fault of your network
• You can see changes along the path and fin service provider issue
• The tool allows you to drag and drop performance metrics on a timeline
• Monitor the logical component of the SDN (Software Defined Networking) environment.

4) Network Configuration Manager

SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is a application that enables you to save work hours and reduce cost with automation. It provides integration with a network performance monitor.

Features:

• It can perform network auditing for compliance.
• The app can detect vulnerability in the network.
• SolarWinds can configure, backup, and restore your network.
• Helps you to manage network device with ease.
• Optimize the performance of network infrastructure.

5) Paessler PRTG

PRTG network monitoring software is known for its advanced infrastructure management capabilities. The tool monitors IT infrastructure using technologies like SNMP, WMI, Sniffing, REST APIS, SQL and others.

Features:

• PRTG can scan network segments by pinging defined IP ranges
• Helps you to create web pages with up-to-date monitoring data in the desired design
• Easy and flexible alerting
• Multiple User Interfaces
• Alerts you when it sees warnings or unusual metrics in your network.

6) ManageEngine OpManager

ManageEngine OpManager is an integrated network management solution that facilitates efficient and hassle-free network management. It empowers network/IT admins to simultaneously perform multiple operations such as network performance monitoring, server and VM monitoring, switch monitoring, router monitoring, WLC monitoring, hardware monitoring, reporting, violation alerting, and more.

Features:

• Highly custom, intuitive dashboards, heat maps, business views, network device grouping, for better network overview.
• Workflows to automate Level-1 IT tasks
• Intelligent device discovery and monitoring using 9000+ device templates
• Realtime threshold violation alerts via push notifications, SMS, e-mail, Slack, gateway SMSes, and more
• Contextual integrations for all-in-one network infrastructure monitoring

7) Intermapper

Intermapper, from HelpSystems, is a comprehensive network monitoring and mapping solution that runs on Windows, Linux or Mac to give you a look at your entire environment—not just IT’s network.

Features:

• Monitor anything with an IP address including devices, interfaces, servers, applications, etc.
• Powerful probes and common protocols poll your network fast, bringing back real-time data
• Live network mapping shows device status and how traffic is flowing, no refreshing required
• Autodiscovery makes it fast and easy to get a visual inventory of all your devices
• Receive custom alerts of performance issues

8) Site24x7

Site24x7 is a SaaS-based all-in-one monitoring solution for DevOps and IT. The network monitoring solution is SNMP-based, and it helps to monitor the availability, health, and performance of network devices.

Features:

• Automatic discovery with support for 10,000 device templates from different vendors.
• Custom SNMP monitoring
• Complete visibility into network traffic by analyzing NetFlow
• Topology and layer 2 network maps
• Processed SNMP traps to receive instant alerts via email, voice calls, SMS, and third-party applications
• Out-of-the-box VPN and Cisco IPSLA based VoIP monitoring for remote working needs
• Health and custom dashboard
• Health trend, top N, inventory, and custom reports

9) GFI LanGuard

Gif Languard allows you to scan your network for vulnerabilities, automated patching, and achieve compliance.

Features:

• Patch management for operating systems & third-party applications
• Vulnerability assessment
• Web reporting console
• Track latest vulnerabilities and missing updated
• Integration with security applications
• Support for Virtual Environments

10) Microsoft Network Monitor

Microsoft Network Monitor is a protocol analysis and network traffic monitor tool. This tool helps you to capture, view and analyze network traffic. It is also handy for troubleshooting network problems and applications on the network.

11) WhatsUp Gold 2017

WhatsUp Gold shortly known as (WUG) is one of the best network monitoring tools. The dashboards are user-friendly and visually attractive. It can be customized to display IT infrastructure and alerts to fit your needs.

Features:

• Automatically find and Map Your Entire Network
• Continuously monitors your network's Health with Customizable Alerts.
• Reporting and Dashboards
• Discovery & Network Mapping
• Cloud Monitoring

Download link: https://www.ipswitch.com/network-monitoring

12) Zabbix

Zabbix is an open source monitoring tool. This free network monitoring software focuses on monitoring and trending functionality. This home network managemnet software is widely used for monitoring servers and network hardware. This tool can forecast future behavior based on historical data.

Features:

• Easy measurement of network performance & health
• It is one of the best free network monitoring tools for windows that provides flexible and extendable data gathering
• Various metric collection methods and protocols
• Configuration changes

Download link: https://www.zabbix.com/

13) Incinga

It is open source infrastructure and service monitoring tool. Icinga is one of the best free network monitoring tool that alters and reports the health of your IT environment. All alert dependencies will be displayed in the dashboard and sent via email, SMS or mobile messaging apps.

Features:

• Monitoring of Services
• Supports both direct monitoring and SNMP monitoring
• Allows clustering and Zone Monitoring
• Configuration & Templates

Download link: https://icinga.com/

14) ConnectWise Automate

ConnectWise Automate Solves IT Problems at the Speed of Business. The tool helps you to eliminate blind spots in your supported environments before they become a problem.

Features:

• Remove Delivery Roadblocks
• Gain Better visibility
• Increase Service at low cost
• Resolve Issues quickly

Download link: https://www.connectwise.com/software/automate

15) Logic Monitor

LogicMonitor is an automated SaaS network monitoring tool. It is one of the best network monitoring tools that offers to customize dashboard, alerts, and reports. The tool can identify incoming issues by providing predictive alters and trend analysis.

Features:

• Discovers all network devices & interfaces
• Monitors CPU, Memory, Temperature, Fan and other hardware
• Track OSPF adjacencies and BGP sessions
• Watch & alert on Power Over Ethernet loads
• Wireless access-point monitoring

Download link: https://www.logicmonitor.com

16) OP5 Monitor

OP5 Monitor is a software product for the server, network monitoring, and management based on the Open Source project Nagios. The OP5 Monitor displays the status, health, and performance of the IT network.

Features:

• Log Server Monitoring
• Fully customizable and interactive dashboards
• Unparalleled Scalability across Distributed Environments
• This network management tool Reads, processes and generates alerts from SNMP traps.
• Automatic Self Healing

Download link: https://www.itrsgroup.com/products/op5-monitor

17) Fiddler

Fiddler is a web debugging & network monitoring tool. It allows you to captures HTTP traffic between your computer and the Internet. It will enable you to analyze incoming and outgoing data to monitor and evaluate requests and responses before they send to the browser.

Features:

• Web Session Manipulation
• Debug traffic from Pc, Mac or Linux systems and for mobile devices
• HTTP/HTTPS Traffic Recording

Download link: http://www.telerik.com/fiddler

18) Splunk

Splunk is a monitoring tool which allows you to simplify and modernize IT to increase uptime and a competitive edge. It is one of the best network monitoring tools that enables you to get seamless monitoring and troubleshooting.

Features:

• Prevent Business Outages
• Make Informed Decisions
• Real-time and Predictive Insights
• Visibility for IT and the Business
• Resolve Issues Quickly

Download link: https://www.splunk.com/download

19) Pandora FMS

Pandora FMS is an enterprise-ready monitoring solution. It offers you greater flexibility to address both immediate and unanticipated operational issues, including infrastructure and IT processes.

Features:

• Network monitoring
• WMI monitoring
• SLA and KPI metrics on reporting
• WYSIWYG Visual Console screens and Dashboards
• Multi-tenant, several layers of access control
• GIS tracking and viewing

Download link: https://pandorafms.org/enterprise/

20) Angry IP Scanner

Angry IP scanner is network monitor program for Windows, Linux, and Mac. It can scan IP addresses in any range as well as any their ports. Angry IP scanner pings each IP address and checks whether it is alive or not.

Features:

• Scans Lan and Internet networks
• IP Range, Random or file in any format
• Exports results various different formats
• Extensible with many data fetchers
• Provides command-line interface

Download link: https://angryip.org/download/#windows

21) Advanced IP Scanner

Advanced IP scanner is free network scanner to analyze LAN. It is one of the best free network monitoring tools that helps you to access shared folders, remote controlling of computers and can even switch your computers off.

Features:

• No need of installation
• MAC addresses detection
• Export scan result to CSV

Download link: http://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/

22) Capsa Free

Capsa is a free network monitoring software. It can be used for network performance troubleshooting, Ethernet monitoring, and analysis. It helps users to learn how to monitor network activities, find network issues, enhance network security.

Features:

• Improved efficiency to evaluate periodical and occasional network issues, etc.
• This network performance monitoring tool offers you to stores network data for weeks or months, and browse historical network traffic.
• Decreased time and efforts need to reconstruct network issue scenarios.
• Offers sufficient evidence for network performance and security breach, etc.

Download link: https://www.colasoft.com/capsa-free/

23) Nagios

Nagios network monitoring tool allows organizations to identify and resolve IT infrastructure problems before they affect critical business processes.

Features:

• Comprehensive Dashboard
• Allows you to keep track of specific subsets of network flow information
• Complete Insights on network traffic, bandwidth, and overall network health
• Receive alerts when the abnormal activity takes place
• Advanced user options allow IT teams to work together efficiently.

Download link: https://www.nagios.com/products/

24) The Dude

The Dude network monitor is a network monitoring tool which automatically scans all devices within specified subnets. You can draw layout and map of your networks. It also gives you an alert when some equipment is not working correctly.

Features:

• This network management tool provides auto network discovery and layout
• Discovers any type or brand of device
• SVG icons for devices are included for easy recognition. Even custom icons and backgrounds are supported.
• Direct access from remote control tools for device management

Download link: http://www.mikrotik.com/thedude

25) OpenNMS

It is an open source network solution which is designed for building network monitoring solutions. This tool comes with discovery engine to automatically configure and manage network devices without any human intervention.

Features:

• Collect performance metrics from SNMP, JMX, WMI, NRPE, and XMP agents
• The flexible and extensible architecture
• OpenNMS is built on an event-driven architecture.
• Helps you to discover your network and applications through manual, detected, or ReST API driven interfaces

Download link: https://www.opennms.com/

26) NetworkMiner

NetworkMiner is a Network Forensic Analysis Tool. The tool allows detecting the OS, hostname and open ports of network hosts by parsing a PCAP file or packet sniffing.

Features:

• Network forensics & Sniffing
• User credentials for supported protocols can be extracted under credentials tab.
• You can search sniffed or stored data for keywords.
• NetworkMiner Professional comes with specially designed USB flash drive.

Download link: http://www.netresec.com/?page=NetworkMiner

27) NetXMS

NetXMS is an open source monitoring tool which allows you to monitor entire IT infrastructures. It starts with SNMP-capable hardware and ending with applications on servers.

Features:

• Designed for maximum performance and scalability
• Distributed network monitoring system
• This network monitoring system helps you to detect network automatically.
• Quick deployment with minimal configuration efforts
• Native support various platforms and operating systems

Download link: https://www.netxms.org/download/

28) Total Network Monitor

Total network solution provides solutions for monitoring LAN, computers, and services that needed careful attention and thorough control.

Features:

• Software License Management
• This network management software provides Network Inventory
• IT Asset Management
• SNMP Scanner
• Hardware Inventory

Download link: https://www.softinventive.com/total-network-monitor/

29) Zenoss Core

Zenoss is a hybrid IT monitoring tool. It allows you to analytics software, offer total visibility for the cloud, virtual and real IT environments. This network management software also provides Open Source Core, Enterprise, and SaaS solutions as well as an open API and SDK.

Features:

• Cross-platform device performance and availability monitoring
• Customizable web-based console and dashboards
• Performance monitoring for devices, events, and networks
• Extensibility and rapid customization of monitoring environments via ZenPacks
• Device and device attribute management

Download link: http://sourceforge.net/projects/zenoss/

30) WirelessNetView

WirelessNetView is a small network monitoring program which can run in the background of your desktop or laptop. It monitors the activity of wireless networks around you. It displays information like SSID, Average Signal Quality, Detection Counter, Authentication Algorithm, etc.

Features:

• Many of its utilities in this site were developed in C++, which make it fast, and useful tool
• All my utilities don't write anything to the Registry or your profile.
• USB Flash drive, without creating any record that you use
• You not require to or give your email to download from NirSoft.

Download link: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_view.html

31) monitors

Monitis helps you to optimize your network and avoid system downtimes. It also constantly health of your network. The tool provides agent-based and agentless monitoring for various network devices like switches, phone systems, and windows.

Features:

• Total visibility over your website
• Real-time reporting
• This network performance monitoring tool allows web transaction monitoring
• Quickly detect and resolve network performance issue
• Network bandwidth monitoring
• Support for TCP protocols like SMTP, HTTP, UDP, SIP, etc.

Download link: http://www.monitis.com/network-monitoring

32) NMAP

Nmap is one of the best network monitoring softwares for network discovery and security auditing. This free network monitoring software allows you to perform tasks such as network inventory, maintaining service upgrade schedules.

Features:

• Nmap tool is available for free download, and also comes with complete source code
• Supports dozens of advanced techniques for mapping out networks filled with IP filters, firewalls, routers, etc.
• It can scan huge networks of literally hundreds of thousands of machines.
• Extensive support of a community of developers and users

Download link: https://nmap.org/

33) NTOP

Ntop offers high-speed web-based traffic analysis and flow collection. Ntop was written in a portable way to virtually run on any platform – Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Features:

• Real-time network traffic and active hosts
• Geolocate and overlay hosts in a geographical map
• Analyse IP traffic and arrange it according to the source/destination.
• Produce HTML5/AJAX network traffic statistics.
• Support for MySQL, ElasticSearch and LogStash export of monitored data

Download link: http://www.ntop.org/products/traffic-analysis/ntop/

34) Wireshark

Wireshark is a widely-used network protocol analyzer. It allows checking all the activities of your network.

Features:

• Deep inspection of hundreds of protocols
• Live capture and offline analysis.
• Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris, and many others
• Captured all the network data that can be browsed via a GUI, or via the TTY-mode TShark utility.
• Rich VoIP analysis

Download link: https://www.wireshark.org/

35) NAGIOS CORE

Nagios Core acts as basic event scheduler, event processor, and alert manager. It features various API's that are used to extend its capabilities to perform additional task.

Features:

• Extensible architecture which is designed for flexibility and scalability
• Allows you to check scheduling, execution, and processing
• Offers extended features like configuration frontends, auto-discovery, and distributed monitoring

Download link: https://www.nagios.org/projects/nagios-core/

36) Spiceworks

Spice works is one of the best free network monitoring tools which offers real-time status and alerts for your critical devices.

Features:

• It is simple to install and easy to set up network monitoring system
• You can adjust alert thresholds for in-app notifications or emails.
• Support is entirely free. Online or on the phone, chat
• Get quick insights and spot slow, sluggish, or overwhelmed systems.

Download link: https://www.spiceworks.com/free-network-monitoring-management-software/

37) Pulseway

RMM software remotely monitors, manage and control Windows, Mac, Linux, and Applications from a single pane of glass.

Features:

• Remote Desktop Control
• Patch Management
• White Labelling and Reporting
• Advanced Automation

Download link: https://www.pulseway.com/

38) Observium

Observium is an auto-discovering network monitoring tool. It supports a wide range of device types, platforms, and operating systems. The tool offers an intuitive and straightforward interface to the health and status of your network.

Features:

• Traffic Accounting feature helps you in tracking and billing customer bandwidth usage
• Supports for numbers of third-party application
• Threshold alerting system helps you to configure thresholds and failure status of various entities.
• This network monitoring system improves your network's reliability by finding a number of potential issues

Download link: https://www.observium.org/

39) Monit

Monit is an Open Source network monitoring and managing tool specially designed for Unix systems. It is one of the best free network monitoring tools which performs automatic maintenance and repair. It can also execute meaningful actions in error situations.

Features:

• Monit can be used to monitor suspicious processes or similar programs running on localhost
• It can be used to monitor files, directories, and filesystems on localhost.
• UDP, TCP, UDP, and sockets are supported.
• Allows you to monitor general system resources on localhosts like overall CPU usage, Memory, and Load Average

Download link: https://mmonit.com/monit/

40) Dynatrace (Compuware APM)

Dynatrace system monitoring tool allows you to auto-discover and baseline your entire IT ecosystem in the very less time. It allows you to monitor and manage application performance and cloud infrastructure.

Features:

• Network Solutions for monitoring for business, operations, and development
• Offers Industry-leading monitoring capabilities
• Optimize customer experience
• Deliver high performing applications
• Monitor cloud-native application

Download link: https://www.dynatrace.com/

41) ThousandEyes

A thousand eyes networking monitoring software allows you to find the cause of problems anywhere. Share your findings instantly and respond to issues before it damages your customers, services, and revenue.

Features:

• Visualize multiple layers of network data to check diverse infrastructure, services, and apps
• Provide a unique insight across every part of the network from smart agents located across the Internet
• Helps you to find causes with the assistance of algorithms
• Integrate data and insights directly into existing workflows and systems

Download link: https://www.thousandeyes.com/

42) SevOne

SevOne offers complete visibility across the entire enterprise network, meeting the challenge of application performance management. It manages everything from on-premise apps to those running in the cloud.

Features:

• Provide Instant Graphs and Ad Hoc Reports
• You can view multiple graphical and tabular reports from a single view
• Automatically distribute reports to stakeholders.
• View critical network events and status maps

Download link: https://www.sevone.com/

43) AppNeta

AppNeta tools offer SaaS-based network and end-user experience performance monitoring for any cloud, remote locations, and for all type businesses.

Features:

• Automatic, continuous identification of all apps in use
• Identification of all apps in use
• Helps you to cut downtime and costs

Download link: https://www.appneta.com/

44) live-action

LiveAction is trusted network solution provider tool. It gives you rapid insight for performance assurance of your digital enterprise.

Features:

• Meaningful change to application performance across your entire network
• This network performance monitoring tool helps you to deliver a better user experience for a users
• Plan, manage and troubleshoot network performance.
• Quality and service management for critical applications
• Insights into applications and end-user experience

Download link: https://www.liveaction.com/

45) Vigilo NMS

Vigilo is a network monitoring solution which offers all type of services which is needed for performance monitoring. Like state monitoring, mapping, correlation, metrology, reporting.

Features:

• Provides advanced functions of geographic distribution for the server's collection
• You can deploy important modules in the system's architecture.
• Support for monitoring of equipment, systems, and applications that are natively interacting in SNMP
• Designed to handle thousands of equipment
• Provide support for the remote monitoring mechanism

Download link: https://www.vigilo-nms.com/en/

46) Shinken

Shinken is a monitoring framework. It's offer full virtualization integration and endless scalability and RAID-like availability.

Features:

• Fast monitoring of your servers and applications
• Allows to reuse Nagios configuration
• Load data from new sources like Puppet and Mysql, and add new export methods like Graphite

Download link: http://www.shinken-monitoring.org/

FAQ

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