Open Source Windows app OpenNetMeter monitors network and data usage

Martin Brinkmann
Feb 3, 2022
Windows software
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19

OpenNetMeter is a free open source program for Microsoft Windows devices to monitor network traffic and data usage. The current version of the program monitors overall traffic on the device and data usage of individual applications.

opennetmeter interface

 

OpenNetMeter does not need to be installed but it requires the Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime 5. The program provides a link that points to the official download repository of the runtime if it is not detected on the system. OpenNetMeter needs to be run with elevated rights.

The well designed interface displays data usage of the current session and the total usage. There is also a graph that highlights upload and download data usage of the past 60 seconds.

One interesting feature of the open source data monitor is found under the detailed tab. There you find listed all processes that used data, upload or download.

Current and total data received and sent are listed in a table under the tab. An option to change the display for other network connections is provided as well.

opennetmeter data usage

Each profile can be reset to start the monitoring anew.

OpenNetMeter is relatively new, and it shows when you look at the supported features. One of the main shortcomings right now is the lack of an "always-display" option to show certain values all the time on the desktop or the taskbar / system tray area.

The program could use some settings as well. The only available setting enables or disables the program's start on boot. An option to change the the interval of the traffic graph could be useful.

Some enhancements are already listed under issues on the project's GitHub page. Future program versions will support different Wi-Fi profiles, and there is a chance that a permanent listing on the taskbar will be added in a future release as well.

Recent versions of Windows display data usage information in the Task Manager. The resources tab lists data usage for a month.

Closing words

OpenNetMeter has a lot of competition; you can check out my overview of data usage monitors for Windows as a start. The application is still in its early days of development and new features appear to be in development already.

Windows users who want to keep an eye on their overall data usage or the usage of individual applications may give this a try to see how it performs on their devices.

Now You: do you use network monitors? (via Deskmodder)

Summary
software image
Author Rating
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4 based on 1 votes
Software Name
OpenNetMonitor
Operating System
Windows
Software Category
Networking
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Comments

  1. Darsh said on February 18, 2022 at 1:16 pm
    Reply

    Believe it or not, I’m still using NetSpeedMonitor on my laptop (Windows 11), and workstation (Windows 10 LTSC)

    It’s simple, doesn’t get it my way, doesn’t have any .NET prerequisites, and just works.

    Why fix something that is not broken :)

    [https://netspeedmonitor.org]

  2. Tom Hawack said on February 5, 2022 at 11:30 am
    Reply

    I use an application which had been reviewed hre on Ghacks at :
    https://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/24/tcp-monitor-plus-lightweight-network-monitor-for-windows/

    The application’s landing page has changed since : https://dns-plus.net/

    Landing page, from Japanese to English via Google Translate :

    — ”
    TCP Monitor Plus is a TCP / IP network monitor for Windows.
    LAN and Internet traffic volume display, IP monitoring, session status
    Monitoring is possible. Also, NSLOOKUP, NETSTAT, WHOIS,
    It also has functions such as communication log file output.
    It can also be resident in the task tray so it does not get in the way.

    [Supported OS] Windows 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / Vista / 7/8 / 8.1 / 10

    * Some versions of Windows have limited functions. [Details ->]
    * This software has been confirmed to work on Windows 10.
    * It works as a 32-bit application on a 64-bit OS.
    ” —

    Suits my needs, lightweight (latest version TCP Monitor Plus 2.92 weighs 355,3 KB only).

  3. binocry said on February 4, 2022 at 11:40 am
    Reply

    if this have taskbar toolbar like NetSpeedMonitor, i will try it

  4. Anonymous said on February 4, 2022 at 9:58 am
    Reply

    this is my favorite bandwidth monitor

    https://www.venea.net/web/nettraffic

    kinda simple, free and works well and does all what i want

  5. Trey said on February 4, 2022 at 9:50 am
    Reply

    Networx paid, because it’s that useful.

  6. You Blew My Covaaah! said on February 4, 2022 at 1:42 am
    Reply

    For Linux, there is (among others):

    = Conky (https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky)
    = Bpytop (https://github.com/aristocratos/bpytop)

  7. Anonymous said on February 3, 2022 at 10:31 pm
    Reply

    Requires the Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime 5. No thanks.

    1. Hdjjd said on February 4, 2022 at 1:55 pm
      Reply

      Why?

      1. Anonymous said on February 7, 2022 at 3:42 pm
        Reply

        Don’t support programs with crappy dependencies.

      2. Anonymous said on February 6, 2022 at 9:57 pm
        Reply

        I wonder if the poster understands what it is.

  8. Steve said on February 3, 2022 at 9:13 pm
    Reply

    Running now. It would be nice to be able to drill down and see IP details.

  9. beemeup5 said on February 3, 2022 at 5:45 pm
    Reply

    ‘Bandwidth Monitor’ is still my favorite network meter:
    http://www.bwmonitor.com/

    I’ve tried a lot of network meters both free and paid but none of them present realtime usage as clearly as Bandwidth Monitor. Even the tiny tray icon is useful for seeing if there is heavy upload traffic, download traffic, or both at a glance. No other program I’ve tried does that. Some programs put some numbers in the tray icon that are too small to really be useful.

    The program hasn’t been updated in 11 years, but just like uTorrent 2.0.4, if it does what it’s supposed to without issues then I have no reason to stop using it. Like any good quality tool, over a decade of reliable service speaks for itself, just like my trusty wire-strippers. They don’t make ’em like they used to anymore.

    1. chesscanoe said on February 4, 2022 at 10:00 pm
      Reply

      I am pleasantly surprised I agree with your comments about Bandwidth Monitor. I see it is offered as a 30 trial, but I note the trial can optionally be extended by the evaluator. Is that an indefinite extension?

      1. chesscanoe said on March 6, 2022 at 9:06 pm
        Reply

        I evaluated Bandwidth Monitor for 30 days and decided to uninstall it. The early part of the uninstall offers BM for free if you purchase something else, which I declined. Then I installed an evaluation DU Meter 8.01 from Hagel, and after spending a couple of hours customizing it, I am very impressed and will probably buy it in a few days.

  10. ahmed said on February 3, 2022 at 4:31 pm
    Reply

    i was looking for glasswire alternative that’s looks like what i was looking for exactly will give it a try

    1. Harro Glööckler said on February 3, 2022 at 7:24 pm
      Reply

      Another option would be Networx 5.5.5; it needs to be exactly this version from the year 2016 because newer ones went from freeware to paid. One of its useful features (and the reason why i’m using it) is “Networx Desk Band” taskbar toolbar that shows a small graph with the current dl and ul speeds

      1. Sanjay Nayak said on February 4, 2022 at 4:30 pm
        Reply

        Can you please share a download link to this particular version of Networx? Thank you.

      2. Harro Glööckler said on February 4, 2022 at 5:42 pm
        Reply

        @Sanjay Nayak: No idea if exe links are allowed here. Visit the Internet Archive (archive.org) and search for “Networx 5.5.5 setup Freeware”.

    2. Anonymous said on February 3, 2022 at 6:21 pm
      Reply

      @ahmed
      Well, you can always try a great Firewall like Fort Firewall
      https://github.com/tnodir/fort

      It can save statistics like this, and it has great features like you can limit network usage and schedule group apps, plus you can whitelist a whole folder with programs if necessary.

      But well, windows 11 and 10 includes usage for network so that should be enough for most people, so using a program just for this sounds like a waste of resources when there are many alternatives that cover many fields at once.

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