1. Ping and Traceroute in Pingplotter
Download: http://www.pingplotter.com/freeware.html
Free software: Windows OS
Pingplotter is a tool that combines the basic Ping and Traceroute commands into an easy-to-use graphical interface. The advantages in using Pingplotter are many. The program can trace complex tracks to any destination you specify, then combine those traces and display the results graphically. This chart includes a line showing the average trend. You can export the results as a text file or as an image of the graph. Pingplotter is the first tool I use when I suspect a problem with a system.
2. Who is using your network? Angry IP Scanner will help you answer this question.
Download: http://www.angryip.org/w/Download
Open Source Program: Windows/Mac/Linux OS
Angry IP Scanner is a pretty light and fast tool. The program requires no installation and allows for ease of use. Users only need to enter the IP range to be scanned and click Start. After performing the analysis, Angry IP Scanner will provide you with a list containing all the devices located on the network, including hostnames and open ports. Here is a list of things you can use:
Scan the network to see if someone is connecting using unauthorized devices – malicious WiFi hotspots, for example.
Have you ever planned to maintain electricity for the building? Instruct your users to turn off their computers when they get home, then scan the entire network to see if there are still computers on your network that are still running randomly.
Use port scanning to check for some basics for vulnerabilities, or see if someone has installed web or email servers without your knowledge.
Check how many free IP addresses you have on a subnet, then optimize your DHCP range.
3. Detect WiFi with Metageek inSSIDer
Download: http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/download
Open Source Program: Windows Operating System
Metageek inSSIDer is a WiFi detector like the well known Netstumbler product, however it will win your heart in that it was recently updated and can run on Vista/Windows 7. The program has can detect and display all wireless networks in the area. Even better, it has a graphical display, making it easy to see which networks have been detected, what channels they use, their hardware platform, and also the signal strength of the network. . You'll know immediately if your APs are affected by interference coming from nearby networks, or if someone has installed access points with malicious intent or created dangerous security holes. Another simple use case is that you can even use the program to find out which WiFi network is best for your iPhone.
4. Dive Deep into the Network with Wireshark
Download: http://www.wireshark.org/download.html
Open Source Program: Windows/Mac/Linux/Unix OS
In recent years Wireshark (formerly known as Ethereal) has become a useful software for network analysis. There are very few products out there that offer such special features as Wireshark and it's easy to see why. Let's say you want to know what's really going on on your network. Wireshark will capture packets, then display them in a way so that you can easily monitor the "conversations" and traffic between computers. It has virtually endless sorting and filtering options, allowing you to find exactly what you're looking for. This tool can also analyze dump files from other software packages like MS Network Monitor.
Download: http://www.pingplotter.com/freeware.html
Pingplotter is a tool that combines the basic Ping and Traceroute commands into an easy-to-use graphical interface. The advantages in using Pingplotter are many. The program can trace complex tracks to any destination you specify, then combine those traces and display the results graphically. This chart includes a line showing the average trend. You can export the results as a text file or as an image of the graph. Pingplotter is the first tool I use when I suspect a problem with a system.
2. Who is using your network? Angry IP Scanner will help you answer this question.
Download: http://www.angryip.org/w/Download
Angry IP Scanner is a pretty light and fast tool. The program requires no installation and allows for ease of use. Users only need to enter the IP range to be scanned and click Start. After performing the analysis, Angry IP Scanner will provide you with a list containing all the devices located on the network, including hostnames and open ports. Here is a list of things you can use:
Scan the network to see if someone is connecting using unauthorized devices – malicious WiFi hotspots, for example.
Have you ever planned to maintain electricity for the building? Instruct your users to turn off their computers when they get home, then scan the entire network to see if there are still computers on your network that are still running randomly.
Use port scanning to check for some basics for vulnerabilities, or see if someone has installed web or email servers without your knowledge.
Check how many free IP addresses you have on a subnet, then optimize your DHCP range.
3. Detect WiFi with Metageek inSSIDer
Download: http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/download
Open Source Program: Windows Operating System
Metageek inSSIDer is a WiFi detector like the well known Netstumbler product, however it will win your heart in that it was recently updated and can run on Vista/Windows 7. The program has can detect and display all wireless networks in the area. Even better, it has a graphical display, making it easy to see which networks have been detected, what channels they use, their hardware platform, and also the signal strength of the network. . You'll know immediately if your APs are affected by interference coming from nearby networks, or if someone has installed access points with malicious intent or created dangerous security holes. Another simple use case is that you can even use the program to find out which WiFi network is best for your iPhone.
4. Dive Deep into the Network with Wireshark
Download: http://www.wireshark.org/download.html
Open Source Program: Windows/Mac/Linux/Unix OS
In recent years Wireshark (formerly known as Ethereal) has become a useful software for network analysis. There are very few products out there that offer such special features as Wireshark and it's easy to see why. Let's say you want to know what's really going on on your network. Wireshark will capture packets, then display them in a way so that you can easily monitor the "conversations" and traffic between computers. It has virtually endless sorting and filtering options, allowing you to find exactly what you're looking for. This tool can also analyze dump files from other software packages like MS Network Monitor.
