Packet Monitor software (PacketMon) is a free built-in network diagnostic tool for Windows 10. With the May 2020 update it has acquired new features.
Network problems can be difficult to diagnose. In recent years, due to the increase of networking but also its advanced capabilities, the complexity of the debugging process has increased significantly. There are some advanced package binding tools, such as wireshark, that help developers diagnose problems.
In 2018, Microsoft introduced the Packet Monitor (PacketMon), a built-in network diagnostic tool for Windows. PacketMon can be used for packet capture, packet drop detection, packet filtering and counting.
Packetmon monitors packets at multiple locations throughout the networking process, revealing the packet path. If a package was rejected by a supported item, PacketMon will report that lost package.
Recently, Microsoft added new features to PacketMon in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 version 2004 (May 2020 update). These are:
- Receive packages at multiple locations from the network
- Packet crash detection, including crash report
- Packet filtering with encapsulation support
- Flexible package counters
- Real-time package monitoring
- Large volume recording in memory
- Compatibility with Microsoft Network Monitor (NetMon) and Wireshark (pcapng)
PacketMon also has its limitations. It only supports Ethernet and is not included with the Firewall. Also, lost packet reporting is only available for supported data.
You can access Packet Monitor (PacketMon) via the command prompt (requires administrator privileges) and the pktmon command. Click pktmon help for help.
And alternatively through the free tool of Micorosft Windows Admin Center, if you have downloaded it to your computer. If you have not downloaded it you can do it for free.
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