NETSTAT Command Explained

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore the NETSTAT command, a powerful command-line tool used to display current network connections and port activity on your computer. Understanding how to use NETSTAT is crucial for network troubleshooting and monitoring, giving you insight into services running on your system and the status of open ports.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

To use certain NETSTAT options, you need to run Command Prompt with elevated privileges.

1. Click on the Windows search bar at the bottom left of your desktop.
2. Type cmd in the search field.
3. Right-click on "Command Prompt" from the search results.
4. Select "Run as administrator" from the context menu.

Step 2: Basic NETSTAT Command

To view all current network connections and listening ports, simply type the following command:

netstat

• This displays a list of active connections, including the protocol (TCP/UDP), local and remote addresses, and the state of the connection.

Step 3: Using NETSTAT with Options

NETSTAT has several options that provide more detailed information. Here are some commonly used parameters:

Step 3.1: Netstat -n

To show addresses and port numbers in numerical form, use:

netstat -n

• This skips the DNS lookup, making the output faster and clearer.

Step 3.2: Netstat -a

To display all connections and listening ports, type:

netstat -a

• This includes both established connections and ports that are open and waiting for connections.

Step 3.3: Netstat -b

To display the executable involved in creating each connection, use:

netstat -b

• Note that this command requires administrative privileges.

Step 3.4: Netstat -f

To display the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for foreign addresses, run:

netstat -f

• This is useful for identifying the remote server associated with a connection.

Step 3.5: Netstat -bf

To combine the previous commands and show both the executable and FQDN, type:

netstat -bf

• This command also requires administrative privileges.

Step 3.6: Netstat -an

To show all connections and listening ports without resolving hostnames, use:

netstat -an

• This provides a quick overview of the status without the overhead of DNS resolution.

Step 3.7: Netstat -?

To get help with the NETSTAT command and see all options, type:

netstat -?

• This displays a list of all available commands and their descriptions.

Conclusion

The NETSTAT command is an essential tool for monitoring network activity and diagnosing connectivity issues. By understanding the various options available, you can effectively gather information about your network connections and services. To further enhance your networking skills, consider exploring other command-line tools and their functionalities.