Ping_monitor/README.md

Network Monitor

A PowerShell-based network monitoring tool that provides real-time status monitoring of multiple IP addresses with comprehensive logging features.

Features

• Real-time Network Monitoring: Continuously pings specified IP addresses and displays their status
• Visual Status Display: Color-coded console output shows UP/DOWN status at a glance
• Performance Metrics: Tracks min/max/mean response times and success rates
• Trend Indicators: Shows whether response times are increasing, decreasing, or stable
• Comprehensive Logging: Multiple log types for different purposes
• Flexible IP Configuration: Supports both individual IPs and IP ranges

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Windows with PowerShell 3.0 or later
• Administrative privileges (recommended for reliable ICMP ping)

Installation

1. Download the NetworkMonitor.ps1 script
2. No additional installation required

Usage

Run the script in PowerShell:

.\NetworkMonitor.ps1

To stop monitoring, press Ctrl+C.

Configuration

Edit the script to modify the following:

IP Addresses

Modify the $addressDefinitions array at the top of the script:

$addressDefinitions = @(
    "1.1.1.1",           # Single IP address
    "1.0.0.1",           # Single IP address
    "8.8.8.8-9"          # IP range (will monitor 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.8.9)
)

Monitoring Parameters

Adjust these values in the main monitoring loop:

$pingInterval = 1        # Seconds between pings
$statsLogInterval = 15   # Minutes between logging statistics
$csvLogFrequency = 5     # Log every Nth ping to CSV

Log Location

Change the log directory by modifying:

$logFolder = ".\Logs"    # Default is a "Logs" subfolder in the current directory

Log Files

The script creates the following log files in the Logs folder:

File	Description
network_monitor.log	General events and status changes
statistics.log	Periodic performance metrics
ping_data.csv	Structured ping data for analysis
errors.log	Detailed error information

Console Display

The console display shows:

• IP Address: The address being monitored
• Status: UP (green) or DOWN (red)
• Min: Minimum response time in milliseconds
• Max: Maximum response time in milliseconds
• Mean: Average response time in milliseconds
• Success%: Percentage of successful pings
• Fails: Count of failed pings
• Trend: Direction of recent response times (↑, ↓, or ━)

Use Cases

• Server Monitoring: Track the availability of critical servers
• Network Troubleshooting: Identify intermittent connectivity issues
• Performance Analysis: Monitor response times over time
• Historical Reporting: Use CSV logs for creating reports and visualizations

Advanced Usage

Creating Visualizations

The CSV log file (ping_data.csv) can be imported into tools like Excel or PowerBI to create visualizations of network performance over time.

Scheduled Monitoring

To run the monitor as a scheduled task:

1. Create a .bat file with:

   powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\path\to\NetworkMonitor.ps1"
   

2. Set up a scheduled task to run this batch file

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

1. Permission errors: Run PowerShell as Administrator
2. No responses: Check firewall settings that might block ICMP traffic
3. Script errors: Check the errors.log file for detailed error information

License

This script is provided as-is with no warranty. Use at your own risk.

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by the need for a simple yet effective network monitoring solution
• PowerShell community for various examples and best practices