Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

TCPView VS Connections Viewer

Compare TCPView VS Connections Viewer and see what are their differences

TCPView logo TCPView

TCPView is a Windows program that will show you detailed listings of all TCP and UDP endpoints on...

Connections Viewer logo Connections Viewer

Connections Viewer is a useful network software utility with the primary focus of listing (and managing) both UDP and TCP connections inside the host system.
  • TCPView Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05
  • Connections Viewer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-16

TCPView features and specs

  • Detailed Connection Information
    TCPView provides detailed information about all TCP and UDP endpoints, including the local and remote addresses and the state of TCP connections.
  • Real-Time Monitoring
    The utility updates in real-time, allowing users to monitor active connections and their status changes as they happen.
  • Intuitive Interface
    TCPView offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate graphical user interface that makes it accessible even for less technical users.
  • Free Tool
    As part of the Sysinternals suite, TCPView is a free utility, making it cost-effective for personal or enterprise use.
  • Identify Suspicious Activity
    Allows users to identify and terminate unauthorized or suspicious connections, enhancing network security.
  • Lightweight
    TCPView is a lightweight application, requiring minimal system resources, which makes it suitable for use on a wide range of hardware configurations.
  • Integration with Process Explorer
    Seamless integration with Process Explorer helps users correlate network activity with specific processes.

Possible disadvantages of TCPView

  • Windows Only
    TCPView is only available for Windows, limiting its use for cross-platform environments or users on macOS or Linux systems.
  • No Historical Data
    The tool does not provide historical data or logs of past connections, making it less useful for long-term network analysis.
  • Basic Functionality
    TCPView offers basic network monitoring features and lacks advanced options available in more comprehensive network monitoring tools.
  • Manual Intervention Required
    While it allows users to terminate connections, this requires manual action, which may not be practical in automated environments.
  • No Built-in Alarms
    TCPView does not come with built-in alarms or notifications for specific activities, requiring constant monitoring for immediate response.
  • Limited Analysis Features
    The tool lacks detailed analysis and reporting features that more advanced network management solutions offer.

Connections Viewer features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Connections Viewer offers a clean and intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, allowing users of all skill levels to understand and utilize the tool effectively.
  • Comprehensive Data Visualization
    The tool provides detailed and insightful data visualizations that help users understand network connections and traffic patterns more clearly.
  • Real-Time Monitoring
    Connections Viewer supports real-time monitoring of network activity, enabling users to identify suspicious activity or network issues as they happen.
  • Customization Options
    Users can customize alerts and views to focus on specific aspects of their network, enhancing usability and relevance.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    The tool is compatible with a variety of platforms and devices, making it versatile and easy to integrate into existing network infrastructure.

Possible disadvantages of Connections Viewer

  • Resource Intensive
    Connections Viewer may consume significant system resources during operation, which could affect performance on less powerful machines.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic features are easy to use, leveraging the full power of advanced functionalities may require additional learning and experience.
  • Limited Offline Functionality
    The tool's features might be limited without an active internet connection, which could be a drawback in offline or remote environments.
  • Pricing
    For extended features and larger networks, the cost of the software might be a concern for some users, especially small businesses or individual users.
  • Potential Security Concerns
    As with any network monitoring tool, there may be security concerns regarding data privacy and exposure, particularly when used on sensitive networks.

Analysis of TCPView

Overall verdict

  • TCPView is considered a reliable and effective tool for monitoring network connections on Windows systems. Its authenticity as a Microsoft product assures users of its security and integration capabilities. While it is highly specialized, its focused functionality makes it an excellent choice for its intended purposes.

Why this product is good

  • TCPView is a network monitoring tool developed by Microsoft for Windows, useful for viewing detailed listings of all TCP and UDP endpoints on your system, including local and remote IP addresses and their associated ports. It provides a real-time view of network activity, making it valuable for identifying and troubleshooting network-related issues. As an official Microsoft tool, it integrates well with Windows environments and offers a user-friendly interface for both advanced users and beginners interested in network management.

Recommended for

  • Network administrators who need to monitor and troubleshoot active connections.
  • IT professionals looking for a reliable tool to diagnose network issues on Windows.
  • Advanced users interested in detailed network activity insights.
  • Security enthusiasts who want to analyze potential unauthorized connections.

TCPView videos

TCPView - Monitor the Network Activity on your local computer.

More videos:

  • Review - RouterGods - TCPView utility for easy port/process info

Connections Viewer videos

No Connections Viewer videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to TCPView and Connections Viewer)
Monitoring Tools
84 84%
16% 16
Log Management
77 77%
23% 23
Security
86 86%
14% 14
OS & Utilities
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using TCPView and Connections Viewer. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, TCPView seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 37 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

TCPView mentions (37)

  • Why there is no good task manager and system monitoring software on linux?
    It's basically like https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/tcpview but for Linux. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Some people prefer using DCS on Steam for the download speed, yet I get my whole 1Gbps bw used every time with the ED installer. What is the deal?
    Unfortunately I don't think there is an existing list of CDN endpoints to pick from, I found a few by starting updates while using a VPN and using tcpview to find which IP address it was connecting to. Once I'd found one that was faster than the default I opened my hosts file: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How do I know what ports an application is using?
    Try https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/tcpview and it will show you in real time what ports are being used to connect to there. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How to detect RCE/arbitrary code injection/RAT's from video games
    Maybe something like TCPView: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/tcpview. Source: over 2 years ago
  • strange remote listeners from private ip with "winrm" command
    I understand that netstat isnt exactly user friendly so if you'd like to keep monitoring the situation you can use SysInternal's TCPView https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/tcpview which displays everything for you in a GUI. Just don't forget to filter for only listening ports cause it will show all connection states by default (use the green flag icon). It even has the added benefit of... Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Connections Viewer mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Connections Viewer yet. Tracking of Connections Viewer recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing TCPView and Connections Viewer, you can also consider the following products

Open Nettest - Open Nettest is a platform for collecting, processing and visualizing data related QoS and QoE.

CurrPorts - CurrPorts displays the list of all currently opened TCP/IP and UDP ports on your local computer.

KeyCDN Tools - Website speed test, online curl, ping tool, https/2 and other services

Proc Net Monitor - SecurityXploded is an Infosec Research Organization offering 200+ FREE Security/Password Recovery Tools, latest Research Articles and FREE Training on Reversing/Malware Analysis

Ping Meter Gadget - Customizable, graphical, semi-transparent ping (latency) meter.

Paessler PRTG - An advanced network monitoring solution to monitor network up/downtime, traffic and usage.