Monitoring and analyzing network traffic is essential for troubleshooting network issues, ensuring security, and optimizing network performance. In a Windows environment, you have several tools and methods at your disposal to accomplish this task. This article will guide you through practical examples of how to monitor and analyze network traffic using built-in Windows tools and third-party applications.

Examples:

Using Task Manager

1. Open Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   • Go to the Performance tab.
   • Click on Ethernet (or Wi-Fi, depending on your connection) to view real-time network usage.

Using Resource Monitor

1. Open Resource Monitor:
   • Press Win + R, type resmon, and press Enter.
   • Go to the Network tab to view detailed network activity, including processes with network activity, network utilization, TCP connections, and listening ports.

Using Command Prompt (CMD)

1. Check Network Statistics:

   • Open Command Prompt by pressing Win + R, typing cmd, and pressing Enter.
   • Run the following command to display network statistics:

     netstat -e

   • This command shows Ethernet statistics, including bytes sent and received.

2. List Active Connections:

   • Use the following command to list all active TCP connections and listening ports:

     netstat -an

3. Display Routing Table:

   • To display the routing table, use the following command:

     route print

Using PowerShell

1. Get Network Adapter Statistics:

   • Open PowerShell by pressing Win + X and selecting Windows PowerShell.
   • Run the following command to get statistics for all network adapters:

     Get-NetAdapterStatistics

2. Monitor Real-Time Network Traffic:

   • Use the following command to monitor real-time network traffic:

     Get-NetTCPConnection | Sort-Object State, LocalAddress, LocalPort

Using Wireshark (Third-Party Tool)

1. Install Wireshark:

   • Download and install Wireshark from wireshark.org.

2. Capture Network Traffic:

   • Open Wireshark.
   • Select the network interface you want to monitor.
   • Click Start to begin capturing network traffic.
   • Analyze the captured packets to troubleshoot and understand network issues.

Using Microsoft Network Monitor (Legacy Tool)

1. Install Microsoft Network Monitor:

   • Download and install Microsoft Network Monitor from the Microsoft website.

2. Capture Network Traffic:

   • Open Microsoft Network Monitor.
   • Select the network interface you want to monitor.
   • Click New Capture and then Start to begin capturing network traffic.
   • Use the built-in filters and analysis tools to examine the captured data.