Easy-to-Use Mobile and Desktop Networks Apps that Will Help You Become an IT Pro
If you’re thinking that network management is only for the IT Managers, Network Administrators and Systems Engineers, well, not anymore. There are now easy-to-use network apps that can teach you exactly what they’re doing.
Do these simple IT stuffs.
On your Windows desktop, press CTRL+ALT+DEL, select Task Manager and click Networking. CTRL+SHIFT+ESC will work too. On any mobile device, simply navigate to the Settings menu and then find wireless and network settings.
What you just did are basic network management tasks.
Let’s talk more about the basics.
Networking and Internet
Windows Task Manager is a basic monitoring tool of you computer’s performance. If you’re connected to a network, you can also view the network status and the users (and their activities) connected to your network.
If you’re connected to the internet, by using more sophisticated network apps, you will be able to monitor the performance of multiple devices, connect to those devices, and troubleshoot network issues.
Remote Desktop Management
Remote access software helps you connect to a desktop computer on your home or office network. The technology behind this is called Virtual Network Computing (VNC).
You may want to establish a remote connection because you want to:
access an important file
share your screen for presentation purposes
control the screen to troubleshoot network problems
Here’s the basic process of remote desktop management using a Mac desktop.
You can enable screen sharing by going to System Preferences, clicking the Sharing icon and enable the Screen Sharing checkbox.
If you want to view and control the screen of another Mac, open a Finder Window. From the Share section, select the computer you want to control and click Share Screen.
If you want to access a Mac over the internet, setup an iCloud account, and set up the Screen Sharing.
Alternatively, you can use a network app to share your screen and access other screens over the internet. For Mac desktop, you can use the Apple Remote Desktop app. The setup process works almost the same way as the basic setup process.
If you’re using Chrome, Chrome Remote Desktop is the right app. For other platforms like Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android or Windows phone, you can try third party apps like TeamViewer, Symantec pcAnywhere and Laplink Gold.
Let’s bring this topic to another level.
Network Diagnostic and Administration
Network Management Software enables you to conduct a full scan of all your devices, software programs, cloud services, and view the performance, availability, faults, traffic, and configurations of an entire network.
What could be the reasons you would want to manage a network if IT is not your main job?
Well, let me broaden your imagination here. Here are the few likely scenarios the trends in technology will bring us.
A couple of years from now, your home Wi-Fi network is already like your office network today – crowded with devices.
Home security system is a growing business and you are more likely to become one of its customers soon.
The company you’re working for right now (or in the near future) supports BYOD movement. You will be required to work at home, in the field, or even while commuting.
Given these scenarios, learning the basic to complex of network management today can be an advantage.
If you’re serious in learning network management, then you have to explore and learn how hardware and software stuffs such as Network Performance Monitor, Network Bandwidth Analyzer, User Device Tracker, IP Address Manager, Traffic Analyzer and Network Topology Mapper works.
I know. That’s tough. But I also know a simple approach on how you can start.
Let me suggest that you download, install and explore some of these easy-to-learn and use network apps.
With your android device, network apps like Network Mapper, Wi-Fi Analyzer, and Fling will help you find out which devices are connected to your Wi-Fi network or Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Whether you are at home or in the office, iNetPro, Network Pro and NetToolz are the network apps to guide you in troubleshooting your network using your iPhone.
Now if you really want to become an IT pro, Spiceworks and SolarWinds have a lot of desktop network apps to offer.