4 Ways to Use Windows Network Monitor Tools

Microsoft is known for listening to feedback from its users. However, the requirement for a native Windows network speed monitor was neglected for a while and was even missing from the tech giant’s latest desktop operating system, Windows 11.

Network Monitoring Tools for Windows

A network speed monitor is useful if you want to check your current Internet speeds and see if your Internet service provider is delivering the speeds that they have promised.

However, did you know that you can also enable the network speed monitor in Windows 11? Sounds rousing, right? Let us take a detailed look at some of the ways to enable Windows Network Monitor.

1. Net Speed Meter – Enable Network Monitoring on Windows 11

Probably the best way to enable Windows network monitoring is to use an app called Net Speed Meter.

First, the app can be easily downloaded and installed from the Microsoft Store, and second, it works flawlessly on Windows 10 and 11.

So what are you waiting for? Let us see how you can use Net Speed Monitor to enable Windows network speed monitoring.

1. Launch the Microsoft Store on your laptop/PC and search for Net Speed Monitor.
2. Hit install and log in with your Microsoft account.
   
3. Once done, it will now start installing Net Speed Monitor on your laptop/PC.
4. Launch the application after the installation is completed, and you are good to go.
5. Now, it is possible if you want to permanently place it in the taskbar not to interfere when you are working on your PC.
6. Right-click on the Network Speed widget and select Keep in Taskbar from the drop-down list.
   
7. Moreover, you can also customize the overall look and feel of the network speed widget. From changing the font to changing the colors, everything is possible.

2. 8GadgetPack – A Sidebar with more than just a Windows Network Speed Monitor

If, for some reason, you do not prefer Network Speed Monitor, then 8GadgetPack is an excellent alternative. Not only does it display your current network in detail, but it also has some impressive tricks up its sleeve that we should take a look at.

1. Download 8GadgetPack
2. Once you have successfully downloaded the 8GadgetPack installation file, run the setup file on your laptop/PC.
3. Now, follow the on-screen steps to set up and install 8gadgetPack.
4. After successfully installing the software, a sidebar will get added to your desktop.
5. Right-click anywhere on the sidebar and hit the add gadget option.
   
6. You will now be greeted with many widgets, navigate to page 3, and select Network Speed Monitor.
   
7. Boom, it will now add a network speed monitor to your sidebar directly on the desktop.
8. Remember I said it has a few tricks up its sleeves? Well, the network speed widget is a very detailed widget comprising speed information(Download and Upload speed), IP address, connection status, and more.Further, you can also choose from the slew of other helpful widget options to add them to your sidebar on Windows 11.

3. Checking Connection Status Natively on Windows 11

Did you know that you can natively check the status of your network connection on Windows? And do you know what the best part is? It works with most versions of Windows, including Windows 7 and 8.

But beware: the native method provides only limited information, such as whether the Internet connection is active or not, or what maximum speed you can expect from your WiFi connection on Windows.

With that out of the way, let us have a look at how you can use Windows network speed monitoring natively.

1. Open the start menu and search for the Control panel.
   
2. Under the Control panel, click on Network and Internet.
   
3. Here, select view network status under the Network and Sharing option.
   
4. Now, click on your Internet SSID next to connections.
5. It will now display the information related to your internet connection.

4. Checking Internet speed using the browser

However, if you want to check your internet speed only at a certain time, using the browser is the best option.

Simply, launch your browser and visit any one of these websites to check your current internet speed with ease.

Use Windows Network Speed Monitor Seamlessly

Windows 11 does not have a native network speed monitor, but using one of the methods described above, you should be able to seamlessly enable the Windows network speed monitoring feature and check the speed of your Internet connection.

Let us know in the comments below if you found this article helpful and have successfully enabled Windows network monitoring on your laptop/ PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to install Net Speed Meter on Windows 7?

Since Windows 7 does not have a native Microsoft Store, you cannot install Net Speed Store directly. Having said that, you can still download and install software known as Net Speed Monitor using this link.

2. How to uninstall any Network Speed Meter I recently installed on my PC?

If for some reason you do not like Network Speed Meter, uninstalling it is a fairly simple process.

Simply run the control program and click on the Uninstall a program option. Here, select Windows Network Speed Meter that you have recently downloaded and click the Uninstall button.

3. Didn’t the Widgets panel on Windows 11 already have a Network speed Monitor?

With Windows 11, Microsoft added a Widgets panel and also added some customization abilities. However, there is no option for a network speed monitor in the widgets panel on windows 11.