ntopng CE — Community Edition for Network Visibility
General Information
ntopng CE is the free community version of ntopng, designed to give administrators real-time visibility into network traffic without the cost of commercial editions. It is often deployed on a SPAN port or mirror interface, where it can instantly show which hosts and applications are consuming bandwidth. While the professional tiers add reporting and long-term analytics, CE remains a practical choice for quick troubleshooting and live monitoring.
How It Works
At its core, ntopng analyzes packets captured from interfaces or flows exported by devices. It relies on nDPI, the deep packet inspection library, to recognize applications and protocols. Redis is used as a fast in-memory store for live data, while time-series metrics are written locally in RRD-style files. The web interface provides drill-downs by host, interface, or application, so operators can quickly identify traffic spikes and anomalies.
Functions
Feature | Description |
Real-time stats | Live view of hosts, interfaces, and applications. |
nDPI detection | Identifies protocols and traffic types automatically. |
Web interface | Browser-based dashboards, role-based access control. |
Flow analysis | Supports packet capture and NetFlow/IPFIX data. |
Storage | Stores short-term metrics in local databases. |
Community add-ons | Extensible through plugins and integrations. |
Installation Guide
– Debian/Ubuntu: add the ntop repository, then install `ntopng` and `redis-server` packages.
– RHEL/CentOS: enable the official repository and run `yum install ntopng redis`.
– BSD/pfSense/OPNsense: available as a package through system repositories.
After installation, start the service and open the web UI in a browser. Default access is via `http://:3000`, with admin credentials set during the first run.
Everyday Use
Network teams often deploy ntopng CE on a dedicated box connected to a mirror port. In day-to-day work, it helps identify which users or devices are causing unexpected bandwidth usage. During troubleshooting, it can highlight top talkers, heavy applications, or sudden protocol changes. For smaller offices or labs, CE alone is often enough to cover visibility needs.
Limitations
The community edition is intentionally limited. Long-term historical data is minimal compared to professional or enterprise tiers. Advanced features such as scheduled reports, LDAP authentication, and extended analytics are not included. For environments that need detailed auditing or compliance-ready reports, upgrading is usually required.
Comparison
Tool | Platforms | Strengths | Typical Use Case |
ntopng CE | Linux, BSD | Free, live dashboards, strong DPI support | Labs, small networks, quick checks |
ntopng Pro | Linux, BSD | Adds reporting, traffic profiles, LDAP | SMEs needing structured reports |
ntopng Ent. | Linux, BSD | Full analytics, long-term storage, SNMP | Large networks, service providers |