PRTG offers free bandwidth monitoring
- The first 100 sensors are free and never expire
- Free bandwidth monitoring
- Reliable network monitoring
Do you know what you are looking for?
Many private users want to know if the speed promised by their service providers has actually been delivered. PRTG is professional monitoring software used mainly by companies. These companies rely on PRTG to test their bandwidth. Found out how to test your company’s bandwidth with PRTG. If you’re a private user, this test may be difficult to complete.
iBandwidth is measured as the amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another within a network in a specific amount of time. Typically, bandwidth is expressed as a bitrate and measured in bits per second (bps). It refers to the transmission capacity of a connection and is an important factor when determining the quality and speed of a network.
Read more
Ready to start searching for free bandwidth monitoring?
iWhat is a sensor?
In PRTG, “Sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, e.g. the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, the free space of a disk drive. On average you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.
If so, then you’re probably faced with one of the following issues...
Resistance from higher-ups
As a sysadmin, you’re well aware that the company needs a professional network monitoring solution. But when it comes to the budget, your higher-ups may have other ideas. Or else there’s plenty of money, but getting access to it is too much of a hassle. A hard pill to swallow, yes, but there might just be a way around it. On this page, we'll show you how to make the most of 100 free PRTG sensors. Without risk – or hassle.
Small networks
PRTG is used by the IT managers of medium-sized companies. These companies often have extremely complex IT infrastructures. However, even relatively small networks can have their own routers, switches, and workstations. If you have a small network, PRTG can serve as a free bandwidth monitoring tool. With PRTG, the first 100 sensors are free and never expire. And that may be all you need to set up some reliable network monitoring.
Home networks
Many sysadmins also have small home networks that they like to outfit with good, professional hardware. At the same time, they usually want to spend as little money as possible on their bandwidth or network monitoring. Some sysadmins test PRTG at home to get a feel for the software. The free 100-sensor version suffices for most small private networks, provided the user possesses the necessary know-how.
A sneak peek at bandwidth monitoring with PRTG
Total traffic overview
Packet Sniffer Sensor
PRTG Sunburst view
Our licenses
PRTG comes in a variety of sizes. Depending on the license, you’ll get a certain number of sensors – from 100 in the free version to several thousand or even unlimited. The first 100 sensors are free and never expire. The software’s alarm function, reports, and updates are included in all versions.
Your network
To set up professional network monitoring, you’ll need around 10 sensors for each of the devices in your network. This should provide you with a ballpark figure of the total number of sensors you'll need for your entire network. When purchasing any license, be sure to add PRTG technical support to your order.
Your needs
In search of basic bandwidth monitoring or comprehensive network monitoring? Looking to monitor your hardware only, or also your applications, cloud services, and website? The more in-depth your monitoring, the faster you’ll get to the root of eventual problems.
Tip
If you plan on setting up basic monitoring, you’ll want to use the majority of your sensors for those servers, routers, and switches which are most important for the smooth running of your IT infrastructure. Forget about employee workstations for the moment – these components will quickly exhaust your 100 free sensors.
Three sensors for getting started
Ping Sensor
The PRTG Ping Sensor monitors the overall availability of your network devices. It promptly notifies you in the event of malfunctions. Ping monitoring is a fundamental part of bandwidth monitoring, for if a device is unavailable, then traffic cannot pass through it. More on ping monitoring
SNMP Sensor
Create an SNMP Traffic Sensor for all your most important devices (e.g. servers, routers, and switches). With this sensor, you'll immediately see how much traffic is flowing through your network. It also shows you which applications and servers are putting the greatest strain on your bandwidth. For this sensor to work, the monitored device must support SNMP. PRTG comes with separate SNMP sensors for manufacturers such as Cisco, Dell, and HP. More on SNMP monitoring
Packet Sniffer Sensor
The Packet Sniffer Sensor is ideal for in-depth bandwidth monitoring. It lets you monitor data packets and filter by IP address, protocol, data type, and more. The Packet Sniffer Sensor provides for a precise look at which devices and data are using the most bandwidth. More on packet sniffing
“Hey Gerald, I’d like to try the free 100-sensor version of PRTG. Any tips?”
“The PRTG multi-edit function is useful for deleting several sensors at the same time. First of all, filter your sensors by sensor type. Then select all the sensors you don’t want and delete them in one fell swoop. The multi-edit function helps you save time whenever you wish to lighten up your monitoring.”
Gerald Schoch, technical editor at Paessler AG
Got a few sensors left to spare?
Use them to monitor additional components in your network
CPU, RAM, MEMORY
It’s always a good idea to monitor your hardware. CPU, RAM, storage – bottlenecks can creep up in all three, causing devices to overload. With PRTG, you’ll be alerted before your devices crash, and can quickly see if their capacity limits have been exceeded. More on memory monitoring and CPU monitoring
Website monitoring
How stable is your website? Does it load quickly? Is it accessible by users all over the world? Do errors occur during the order process? PRTG comes with sensors that will answer these questions and more. If your website has a high volume of customer traffic, this monitoring is a must. More on website monitoring and performance monitoring
Cloud applications
Many companies make use of a variety of worldwide cloud services, including email, virtual machines, and SaaS solutions. PRTG monitors the availability of each of these services. Found out more about cloud monitoring with PRTG and how you can monitor your virtual servers.
Excellent investment
There’s no doubt about it – PRTG costs money. But as demonstrated by our customer ROI survey, your investment usually pays for itself in no time at all. After all, the costs of crashes, support inquires, and ineffective network management cannot be underestimated. With PRTG, you’ll reduce these costs considerably – or even eliminate them entirely.
➔ To the ROI white paper on PRTG network monitoring software
Provide for wellbeing
When the IT infrastructure is down, the support hotline can quickly become overloaded. Your coworkers are annoyed because they are no longer able to work. Frustration reigns on both sides. PRTG contributes to a stress-free workplace by allowing you to get to the root of problems before crashes arise.
Think ahead
PRTG performs long-term network monitoring so you can plan for the future. This is not only helpful for bandwidth, but for your entire network infrastructure. Stop playing catch-up – and start planning your resources with intelligence and efficiency.
Keep a constant eye on your network
– even while on the go
PRTG can be started within minutes and it's compatible with many mobile devices.
Start big
When you install PRTG, the Auto Discovery function is launched automatically. With Auto Discovery, PRTG searches for available devices within a certain range of IP addresses and sets up an initial monitoring environment. This feature is designed to facilitate the configuration and maintenance of your monitoring.
Weed out
If you plan on using the 100-sensor version of PRTG, this means you’ll have to delete most of the sensors created by the Auto Discover feature. See our tips above to find out which sensors are most important for bandwidth monitoring.
Trusted by 300,000 users
and recognized by industry analysts as a leader
“Fantastic network and infrastructure monitoring solution that is easy to deploy and easier still to use. Simply the best available.”
“Software is absolutely perfect, Support is superior. Meets all needs and requirements, This is a must have solution if you are needing any form of monitoring.”
“The tool excels at its primary focus of being a unified infrastructure management and network monitoring service.”
- Unlimited version of PRTG for 30 days
- After 30 days, PRTG reverts to a free version
- Or, you can upgrade to a paid license anytime
PRTG is worth it: You’ll optimize your entire IT!
The costs for a one-year PRTG license usually pay for themselves within a few weeks.
PRTG improves the reliability of your network
PRTG saves network management costs
PRTG saves time spent on network management
That’s it? Nope, we’re just getting started!
Monitor QoS
Lost video calls? VoIP down yet again? Monitor your quality of service with PRTG to quickly identify loopholes. Packet loss, jitter, latency, mean opinion score – PRTG keeps an eye on all your QoS parameters.
Monitor switches
The smallest network error can wreak havoc on your entire IT infrastructure. Sometimes getting to the root of the problem is like searching for a needle in a haystack – such as when one of your myriad switches goes down. PRTG monitors all the switches in your network.
Monitor files
Log files, event logs, file servers...PRTG monitors each and every file in your network. It lets you monitor individual files, as well as folders and file contents. More on file monitoring with PRTG
Over 95% of our customers recommend PRTG
Paessler AG worldwide trialled PRTG in over 600 IT departments.
The aim was to tune the network monitoring software closer to the needs of the administrators.
The result of the survey: over 95% of the participants would recommend PRTG - or already had.
PAESSLER AG –
German quality engineering
Free Download
- Unlimited version of PRTG for 30 days
- After 30 days, PRTG reverts to a free version
- Or, you can upgrade to a paid license anytime
Most administrators want to test a tool for free before deciding to make an investment.
The many advantages of PRTG:
1. Free trial version: Take the time to explore PRTG so you can determine if it satisfies your needs and meets your expectations. Once the trial is over, it’s easy to upgrade your already configured version of PRTG, which means you’re much less likely to make an incorrect purchase.
2. One tool, one overview: Administrators often use a variety of monitoring solutions for their network or for the individual components of their infrastructure. But using several different tools every time you want to create an overview costs time and energy. PRTG is an “all-in-one” solution. Our dashboard and app provide a comprehensive overview, whenever you want it.
3. Quick customer support: Got a question? Stuck on a problem and need a hand? PRTG is backed by a dedicated development and support team. We do our utmost to answer every customer inquiry within 24 hours (on business days). Browse all our support topics here.
Configure your PRTG today. The trial version is free of charge. Save time, worry, and money with our monitoring tool designed for your network and entire infrastructure.
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PRTG |
Network Monitoring Software - Version 20.4.63.1412 (October 20th, 2020) |
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Hosting |
Download for Windows and hosted version available |
Languages |
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese |
Pricing |
Up to 100 sensors for free (Price List) |
Unified Monitoring |
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more |
Supported Vendors & Applications |
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