Port Explorer Alternatives

Well, it doesn't look like DiamondCS intends to make a comeback. So, I can't register my Port Explorer. So, can anybody tell me what would be a perfect alternative to Port Explorer? I am more interested in a paid program than I am a free program.

 

Hi,

An alternative could be AWPTA (Atelier Web Ports Traffic Analyzer)
http://www.atelierweb.com/pta/index.htm

I've used it in the past.

I just saw that it has been updated on November 13th 2006.

 

I never bought/used Port Explorer but if a free tool works for you, why not...

Angry IP scanner http://www.angryziber.com/ipscan/

and/or

TCPView http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Networking/TcpView.mspx

 

I use ethereal.

 

I use wireshark and tcpview

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

 

WOW! I was worried I was going to be told nothing was out there.

HAN,

Well, there has always been a catch with free. Limited support, instructions are usually not self-explanatory or user friendly, and limited functions. Plus the ever popular but dreaded problem of it won't work on my computer.

Alphalutra1,

Against my better judgement I went ahead and violated my own, "I don't use freeware!" rule. I did download Wireshark and it displays nothing. Would you happen to know why? The problem is just like I told HAN, the instructions are not self-explanatory. Yes, I did disable my firewall for the test run.

FanJ,

Now that program looked like it did everything I wanted it to do. So, I downloaded it and Security Port Scanner. However, I am having a few problems with Security Port Scanner. I don't know if it is going to work out or not. I am still working with tech support on the matter; Unfortunately, they seemed to be very confused that everything wasn't working correctly. Anyway, only time will tell if I can use it.

nickr,

No, the screen display for that program was too confusing for me. I'm am no expert at this subject, so I don't want a program that I have to think for it in order to understand the data. That is the problem with most of these programs. They design the display assuming you know everything there is to know about this subject. Which, if I did even Ethereal's display would have been logical to me. However, I am as dumb as stump when it comes to this subject and I need to know what is going on at a glance.

 

IMO TCPView and CurrPorts are the closest alternative to Port Explorer.

 

SIW and Super Scanner are interesting, though a bit limited in comparision to Port Explorer.

 

I am still using DCS Port Explorer....and I think I could not compare it to others coz it is still for me is the best.

 

Gidday Guys,

I am also a Port Explorer reject and received a reasonably quick refund once it was clear a registration key was not going to be provided. Pity PE seemed to be a very good program. I believe if they have folded the best thing they could do is to offer a universal key to activate the program.

Anyway, in an effort to find something else, I found some strong recommendations from a post from some admins about Currports (http://www.nirsoft.net/) and I also downloaded the sister apps of IPNetinfo and Smartsniff. The three programs have a relatively small memory and disk foot print and seem to provide all the information you could ever need (well for what you could expect from a free program anyway).

With the foregoing in mind, I was wondering if I could rack the brains of some of the more leanered about some measures I could take to deal with multiple instances of svrhost.exe. Currports tells me that I have 10 svrhost instances all reporting DNScache as the underlying process service (this is not an isolated instance). Whilst it doesn’t appear to be creating performance problems it just makes me wonder if something subversive is going on in the background. Anyway, I am running WINXP-SP2 home with a dlink HW firewall gateway and Windows Oncecare for desktop protection. Yeh Yeh …. I know I am going to get some stick from you guys about being a nocare Oncare user ... but I find it reduces admin considerably and I don’t have a lot of time to spare rooting around trying to keep everything up to date. Anyway, any suggestions re Svrhost.exe would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Pete

 

Thanks to all mentioning CurrPorts and IPNetInfo. When used together, they are quite handy. They may become my new favs!

Pete: svchost can be analyzed by using Process Explorer from Sysinternals
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/ProcessExplorer.mspx Just right click the svchost session you want to look at, choose Properties and then click on the Services Tab. Everything running in that svchost session will be listed.
Process Monitor from Sysinternals is also supposed to be very good. But my PC would not run the first version. It just froze up on me. I haven't tried it again so I don't know how 1.01 would be...

 

Gidday HAN,

Thanks for the tip. I'll have a look

Regards

Pete

 

Gidday HAN,

Whew, thanks for the tip! Process Explorer is certainly a nice little app that revealed all. The Srvhost's I was seeing were predominately sitting under Microsoft's Malware Protection Service.

Kind Regards

Peter

 

Hi,

I have (from long time ago) lifetime licences for both AWPTA and AWSPS.

I've used both in the past on my old Win98SE machine (Dutch).
As far as I remember I had no serious problems with them.
Both are different programs.
The fact that you might have a problem with AWSPS, doesn't say much about how AWPTA is doing on your machine. But I guess that you knew that already I'm sure that Jose Pascoa will try to help you.

At the moment I have PortExplorer installed on my XP-home machine (Dutch).
Maybe I will install AWSPS on XP-home and see how it is doing.
(AWSPS is a little bit off topic for this thread )

 

That's all i use Seems to help save me money for some reason

I always go to the first icon on the left when it starts up under File, then click the icon. It brings up a list of the interfaces, then hit start on the one with your ethernet card. Then, you will see that it records all packets sent to and from the machine. Once you are content, tell it to stop and it will list detailed information about every packet.

By the way, there is no need to disable the firewall.

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

 

Hi,

I'll start a new thread for you about AWSPS, because I think it is a little off topic in this thread

Edited :
Thread is here:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=162247

 

Sweater,

Yeah, it is a great program. Unfortunately, without the registration codes it is just an icon on your desktop that read Port Explorer. So, I am forced to find a replacement.

pots8pans,

I am still wainting for my refund. I think RegSoft is in disbelief that DiamondCS is no longer going to provide those codes. I contact RegSoft asking for a refund, then they contact DiamnodCS asking them to send the codes, I give it some time and contact RegSoft again. I think yesterday was my fourth request for a refund.

In responce to CurrPorts. I do have that on my computer. It has proven to be qutie useful, as a temporary fill in solution. However, it still doesn't do everything that I am looking for it to do. It can serve its purpose for the time being.

HAN,

Now, that was a great freeware program. I did download that little gem.

Alphalutra1,

I figured out what I was doing wrong. It was the filter I was using. I guess the one I picked had no network traffic coming or going, and it just kept coming up blank. However, I changed filters and it is all working perfectly.

I have to admitt, for a free porgram, it is a great application. The data left me confused. I would have to be experienced in the field to know what it all means. However, I will keep it just as a backup solution.

Yeah, I know what you mean. When you aint got the money what choice do you have. I just happen to have a little spending money, so I can splurge this time. Just so long as no surprise expenses (spelling?) come up.

TheTOM_SK,

Yeah, it is kind of hard to top that progam isn't it? So far I have been really impressed with Port Traffic Analyzar and Security Port Scanner. However, it is going to cost me quite a bit of money to get those programs.

Then there was another program I really thought would be great. It is an off topic program, but it had TCPView Pro among other things. Had a lot of additional administartive programs to go with it. I would love to buy that program, but I don't have $2,000.00.

 

For Nevermore,

I went through the same exercise of twoing and frowing. Just tell Regsoft that DiamondCS has not replied and that you want your money back immediately! Once you do that they are very responsive ... well that's what I found anyway. Good Luck ...

Pete

 

Has anyone found software that has logging and packet sniffing abilities like Port Explorer has ? Some of the software mentioned just lets you view whats going on without keeping a log of all the activity.

 

Ethereal does loggin, though I've never used logging personally, so cant comment on how good/bad it is.

 

I am also preparing for migration from Port Explorer. I did download a nice program mentioned in this thread: AW Port traffic analyzer. It has logging and sniffing in the main gui. No need to start the sniffer separately like in PE, just click on the process and you will see what it catches, very nice and simple. As far as I can see you can archive the log, or it does it automatically (I cant open the help file to verify. I have to reboot, but I cant do that yet)
Too bad they have so short evaluation period; 15 days or 15 program starts.
Dont have the time to evaluate it fully right now. So there will not be time enough to do a impulse buy for me. But maybe that is a good thing, I have bought too many software that I only use a short period of time anyway

 

CommView
and I also use Ethereal, Wireshark.