Monitoring website network activity is crucial for understanding the performance, security, and behavior of web applications. For macOS users, this task can be accomplished using built-in tools and third-party applications. This article will guide you through the process of monitoring website network activity on macOS, highlighting the importance of this activity for developers, network administrators, and security professionals.

Examples:

Using Safari Developer Tools

Safari, the default browser on macOS, comes with built-in developer tools that allow you to monitor network activity.

1. Open Safari and Enable Developer Tools:

   • Open Safari.
   • Go to Safari > Preferences > Advanced.
   • Check the box that says "Show Develop menu in menu bar."

2. Monitor Network Activity:

   • Open the website you want to monitor.
   • Go to Develop > Show Web Inspector or press Cmd + Option + I.
   • Click on the Network tab to view all network requests, including their status, type, and timing.

Using Terminal and Command-Line Tools

For more advanced monitoring, you can use command-line tools available on macOS.

1. Using tcpdump:

   • Open Terminal.
   • Run the following command to capture network packets:

     sudo tcpdump -i en0 -w network_activity.pcap

   • This command captures all network traffic on the en0 interface and saves it to a file named network_activity.pcap.

2. Using nettop:

   • Open Terminal.
   • Run the following command to monitor network activity in real-time:

     sudo nettop

   • This command provides a real-time view of network connections and their statistics.

Using Wireshark

Wireshark is a powerful third-party application for network protocol analysis.

1. Install Wireshark:

   • Download Wireshark from https://www.wireshark.org/.
   • Follow the installation instructions.

2. Capture and Analyze Network Traffic:

   • Open Wireshark.
   • Select the network interface you want to monitor.
   • Click on Start to begin capturing network packets.
   • Use Wireshark's filtering and analysis tools to examine the captured traffic.