A comprehensive guide to the most useful network monitoring and analysis tools for Linux systems
Linux offers a wide array of powerful network monitoring tools that can help system administrators and network engineers diagnose issues, optimize performance, and ensure security. This guide will introduce you to some of the most essential tools available for monitoring and analyzing network activity on Linux systems.
A powerful command-line packet analyzer.
Usage: sudo tcpdump -i eth0
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Displays network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, masquerade connections, and multicast memberships.
Usage: netstat -tuln
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Another utility to investigate sockets, more modern and faster than netstat.
Usage: ss -tuln
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Displays bandwidth usage on an interface by host.
Usage: sudo iftop -i eth0
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Network exploration tool and security scanner.
Usage: nmap 192.168.1.0/24
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A comprehensive graphical packet analyzer.
Usage: Launch from the application menu or run wireshark in terminal
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A small 'net top' tool that shows bandwidth usage per process.
Usage: sudo nethogs eth0
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A web-based traffic monitoring and analysis tool.
Usage: Install and access via web browser
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A tool for active measurements of the maximum achievable bandwidth on IP networks.
Usage: iperf3 -c server_ip (client mode)
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A network diagnostic tool that combines ping and traceroute.
Usage: mtr example.com
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Many of these tools require root privileges to run. Always use caution when running network monitoring tools, especially on production systems or networks you don't own or manage.