ntopng CE

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 troubleshootin

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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

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