Windows 7 Network Activity Indicator

Found this freeware on The Windows Club site and have used it for a few days. Seems to be a very small install and runs light. A fair number of stats available as well.

The Windows Club has a bit of a review and some extra pics-
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/get-t...nitor-network-activity-indicator-in-windows-7

http://www.itsamples.com/network-activity-indicator.html

 

I knew that packets weren't being properly sent/received because the net-dependent app which I was using simply refused to work as expected, but I also involuntarily used to look at that icon - many times. So, in my experience, that old icon blinking was only one more useless thing to be anxious about when the connection was simply having problems that I wasn't able to fix myself. Ended up making the icon disappear in XP.

 

Been using Network Activity Indicator for a while now and like it way better than 7's elcrappola network icon.

 

What does that provide that a basic 192.168.1.1 into your router status cant do?

 

Give you LAN information specific to your PC. For many home grade broadband routers, you cannot get specific info per PC, or on some even that kind of info for the WAN link.

There are a lot of other features that were stripped away of the LAN status w/Vista and Win7 that we IT people used....it's all info related to the local PC which was helpful in troubleshooting for clients.

 

I still fail to see what a cmd prompt and a router status page can do compared to this. Its quite obvious either your internet works or it doesnt.

 

Again...going back to LAN status...think "network of users"...don't focus just on some kid at home with a single PC behind a Nutgear or Stinksys router.

A lot of us support business networks..and that means multiple users, and that means local area networks, and that means many PCs on the same network, and that means communications between workstations and servers...not just the internet.

A lot of us have to deal with non-PC literate end users...and support them over the telephone frequently. Now since I've been doing computer networks since the DOS and Win3X and ArtiSoft and Novell days....I can sit in front of a PC and extra lots of information blindfolded with both hands tied behind my back after drinking 12 pints of Guinness and a few shots of Jamesons 12yo. But when you're dealing with a non-computer savvy end users over the telephone, having them click on the network status icon of WinXP and reading you some text from the tab and button was wonderfully easy..and most important to me...a time saver.

Just 20 minutes ago I got off the phone with a client, he's as stupid as a doorknob when it comes to computers....but it was quite painless to walk him through the wonderfully easy steps of getting to the pertinent network information that I needed from the Window XP LAN status icon and resultant information that it provides. Walking end users through 3 clicks of an icon with their mouse is easy. Getting some end users to a command prompt or other start==> functions is sometimes frustrating..based on their level of computer competency. A lot of us in IT miss the simplicity and details and ease of use of the WinXP LAN status icon. It's often frustrating trying to extra that information from users on Vista or Win7....as that information requires more drilling down through menus and more layers.

 

Using prompt is not something the average user does. Looking at pretty GUIs is what they do. That is why this sort of thing exists, not for you and I or the others who are comfortable using console, but for those who get that 'blank' look if there isn't a GUI. For us, it is a convenience item IMHO.

Sul.

 

I am guessing some people feel better about themselves now (you know who you are).