NetWorx is a bandwidth and connection monitoring tool from SoftPerfect for Windows, macOS and Linux. It records how much data a computer or network sends and receives. It shows that traffic live, keeps long-term usage records and checks the speed and reliability of the Internet connection. NetWorx is commercial software with a free, fully functional 30-day trial.
Choosing what to measure
When NetWorx starts for the first time, it asks for a language and a monitoring mode. The mode decides what the numbers represent:
- Network adapter counts every download and upload passing through a chosen local adapter.
- Router counts all traffic going through the router, which covers devices that do not run NetWorx. NetWorx can generally read routers that support SNMP or UPnP. The settings hold the SNMP version, community string and login details.
- Applications records usage separately for each program on the computer and ignores other local traffic.
Adapter and router monitoring give totals but cannot show which program used the connection. Per-application monitoring is not available in the portable package. You can change the mode later in the settings.
Live traffic from the tray or menu bar
NetWorx runs in the background with an icon in the Windows notification area or the macOS menu bar. A left click shows the current transfer rate, and a right click opens the main menu with the Speed Meter, Connection Monitor, Usage Report and other tools.
A floating graph plots uploads and downloads as they happen. You can adjust its colours and display behaviour. You can also show current upload and download speeds directly in the Windows taskbar or the macOS menu bar. A separate list shows which applications are using the Internet at that moment.
For a closer look, NetWorx includes an enhanced netstat view. It lists the programs that access the network together with their individual connections and transfer speeds. This helps identify an unexpected process that is sending or receiving data.
Usage reports and ISP quotas
NetWorx stores usage in hourly records and builds the Usage Report from them. The report aggregates downloads and uploads by day, week and month, and the hour-level breakdown shows when the traffic happened. In application mode, a separate report shows how much data each program used and at what times of day.
ISP billing periods rarely match the calendar. You can set the first day of both the week and the month to line up with the provider’s cycle. The quota function then compares accumulated usage with the plan’s data allowance and warns when usage approaches the limit.
You can also schedule reports. NetWorx can send one or more automatic reports by email or write them to a file, for example a daily usage summary sent by email.
Notifications and automatic actions
Notification rules react when too much or too little data is transferred. Beyond warning about excessive usage, a rule can act on a drop in traffic. For example, it can turn the computer off once a large download or upload has finished and the transfer rate falls.
Checking connection speed
The Speed Meter actively tests the connection by uploading and downloading random data to a nearby server. It then shows the download and upload speeds in graphs. Tests run on demand or on a schedule as often as every five minutes. Each test transfers real data, so frequent testing counts against a capped allowance.
Uptime and ping tracking
The Connection Monitor pings a set of highly available servers near the user and records response times and any periods when the connection drops. Its Uptime view summarises availability, and the Ping and Downtime view shows latency and outages by day and by hour. Together with the Speed Meter results, these logs help separate a slow connection from an unstable one and show when problems occurred.
Combining usage from several computers
A household or office can measure total traffic in two ways. You can install NetWorx on each computer with synchronisation enabled. The instances then exchange usage records peer to peer, and the Usage Report gains a tab with a breakdown per computer. This method works only on Windows and macOS computers, so phones, tablets and smart TVs are not counted.
The alternative is router monitoring over SNMP or UPnP. It captures traffic from every device on the network but gives no per-device breakdown. The computer running NetWorx has to stay on to keep recording.
