Wireless Network Monitoring Tips

Network monitoring can be done in an automated manner or manually by an administrator. If it’s done through a third party application, a networking monitoring service will be installed in your servers or computers and workstations. The goal of this service is to trigger an alert if something goes wrong in your computers. When a computer is hacked, the administrator will be alerted immediately. This can help them trace the source of anomaly and catch the culprit.

Since today’s routers are simple to install and come with an instruction manual, you will find it easier to connect your computers to the router and configure important internet settings like the encryption and security key. Using a complex security key with strong encryption can help protect your network from unauthorized usage. You can also use networking monitoring tools to ensure that no one is using your wireless connection without permission. Some of these tools might be in your computer already. Follow these wireless network monitoring tips to see if you already have these tools.

Check the Router

You should check if the router you are using can monitor your wireless network. Type the domain URL of the router in your web browser. You must be prompted with a password or username where you have to provide the correct information. A reset may be needed if you forgot the password or username. If the local address doesn’t work, you may need to check the user manual. The monitoring and interface features can differ depending on the router you are using, but you should find the section that shows the router’s statistics. This part may have a button that shows the list of clients that are connected to your wireless network. When you click that button, you will be redirected to a page that shows the devices using your wireless network.

Internet Security Suite

You can also check your internet security suite or virus scanner to see if there are unfamiliar devices using your network. Many of today’s security applications are equipped with wireless network monitors to make sure that viruses and malware don’t spread across a wireless network. Check the security application you are using and see how efficient it is in network monitoring.

Third-party Monitoring Tools

While the router can provide you with an overview of your wireless network, it cannot tell you what each computer is doing. The programs running in the background can check wireless activities. One of these is the Task Manager, but it can only check your own network activity. This is where you can benefit from third-party network monitoring tools. These tools can monitor the rest of your wireless network. There are free tools, but their functionality is limited. Paid versions offer more advanced features.

If you don’t have any idea on how to monitor your wireless network, you can hire a network monitoring service to do the job for you. Companies that specialize in network monitoring have access to advanced tools and solutions that can protect your network from unauthorized usage and malicious attacks. 

For more information please see this Network Performance Monitoring Tools