Why Is It Important to Monitor Network Traffic?
Monitoring network traffic involves analysing the total network usage used by an application or device, which can help identify and resolve network issues. Here are some reasons why monitoring network traffic is important:
How to Monitor Network Traffic on Router Settings
The best way to monitor network traffic is through your router’s configuration page, where you can identify the devices using the most bandwidth. However, some ISPs may not allow you to monitor your network traffic.
- Identify Your Router IP Address
- Open Command Prompt and type “ipconfig” to find the Default Gateway and locate your router’s IP address.
- If you already know your router’s IP address, skip to step 2.
- Navigate to Router Settings
- Launch any browser on your device and type your router’s IP address in the address bar.
- Enter your correct username and password to enter the configuration window. If you don’t know your login credentials, contact your ISP.
- Check Device List to Monitor Network Traffic
- Navigate to the Status menu, where all your device and user information is stored.
- Go to User Info.
- Find Device Info or Device List to see the list of MAC addresses connected to the router via different connections. You can check their assigned IP addresses and lease time. If your ISP has provided additional details, you can check which device uses high bandwidth and which isn’t working well.
How to Monitor Network Traffic of Your PC
If you want to monitor the network traffic on a specific device, you can use your operating system’s built-in tools.
Monitor Network Traffic From Resource Monitor on Windows
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to launch Windows Task Manager.
- Navigate to the Performance tab.
- Select Open Resource Monitor from the bottom part of the window. This launches the Resource Monitor.
- Choose the Network Activity drop-down to monitor the network traffic of each running application on your device.
Using Resource Monitor, you can also check the TCP connections and Listening Ports. Moreover, you can easily monitor each program’s send and receive signals.
Monitor Network Usage on macOS Activity Monitor
- Launch Activity Monitor.
- Go to the Network tab.
- Identify which app is taking up the most bandwidth and reduce its usage, or find an alternative app that consumes fewer network resources.
In larger organisations, monitoring network traffic can also help identify devices that are consuming high network usage. This can help IT teams to take action, such as upgrading the network infrastructure or limiting the network access of certain devices.
Conclusion
Monitoring network traffic is essential to ensure the smooth functioning of your network. By monitoring network traffic, you can identify which application or device is consuming the most bandwidth and take appropriate measures to resolve any related issues. In this article, we discussed the importance of monitoring network traffic and provided step-by-step guides on how to do it using both router and PC settings. Whether you want to monitor the entire network or a specific device, the methods mentioned above can help you monitor network traffic and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
