Smokeping Alternative For Windows [2021] Review
Smokeping is a popular open-source tool for monitoring network latency and packet loss. While it's primarily designed for Linux, there are some alternatives available for Windows. Here are a few options:
Feature Comparison: Smokeping vs. Windows Alternatives
| Feature | Smokeping (Native Linux) | PRTG | PingPlotter | DIY PowerShell | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | ICMP Ping | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Packet Loss Graphing | Excellent (RRDtool) | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate (DIY) | | Jitter Calculation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Manual calc | | TCP/HTTP Monitoring | Yes (via probes) | Yes | No (Ping only) | Yes | | Scheduler | Cron | Internal Service | Internal Service | Task Scheduler | | Windows Event Log | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Cost | Free | Free (100 sensors) | $199 (Standard) | Free | | Setup Time | 2+ hours (WSL) | 15 minutes | 5 minutes | 8+ hours | smokeping alternative for windows
Best for quick troubleshooting (not 24/7 monitoring):
👉 PingPlotter – Excellent for spotting where latency/loss occurs along the route. Smokeping is a popular open-source tool for monitoring
1. PRTG Network Monitor
PRTG (Paessler Remote Probes Technology) is a comprehensive network monitoring tool that offers a range of features, including: Best for quick troubleshooting (not 24/7 monitoring): 👉
- ICMP-based monitoring: PRTG uses ICMP echo requests to measure network latency and packet loss, similar to Smokeping.
- Windows support: PRTG has a native Windows installer and supports Windows 10, 8, 7, and Server editions.
- Comprehensive monitoring: PRTG offers a wide range of monitoring features, including bandwidth monitoring, SNMP monitoring, and more.
Pros: Comprehensive monitoring features, native Windows support, and a user-friendly interface. Cons: PRTG has a steeper learning curve, and the free trial is limited to 30 days.
Best open-source (if no budget and willing to tinker):
👉 Zabbix (Windows Server install) or Telegraf + InfluxDB + Grafana
- More complex but completely free and highly scalable.
✅ Core Features (SmokePing-like)
| Feature | Description | |---------|-------------| | Continuous ICMP Ping | Measure latency to multiple targets at configurable intervals (e.g., every 300s) | | Packet Loss % | Track loss over time per target | | Latency Metrics | Min / Avg / Max / Std Dev / Jitter | | Rolling Graphs | Visualize latency trends over hours, days, weeks, months | | Loss & Latency Alerts | Trigger email/script alerts on high latency or packet loss | | Multi-target support | Monitor routers, servers, websites, APIs | | HTTP/HTTPS latency | Measure response time for web endpoints | | TCP port latency | Check specific services (e.g., DNS, SSH, HTTP) |
3. PingPlotter (Freemium / Paid)
- Best for: Traceroute + ping + jitter over time (similar to Smokeping’s traceroute probes).
- Key features:
- Continuous path analysis with historical graphs.
- Free version saves 1 hour of data.
- Paid version gives weeks/months of retention.
- Web interface? No – desktop GUI only, but can output data for Grafana.