Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Zenmap VS PingPlotter

Compare Zenmap VS PingPlotter and see what are their differences

Zenmap logo Zenmap

Zenmap is the official cross-platform GUI for the Nmap Security Scanner.

PingPlotter logo PingPlotter

PingPlotter is a troubleshooting tool that helps IT professionals and neophytes identify, diagnose, and resolve network issues.
  • Zenmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-01
  • PingPlotter Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-09-13

Zenmap features and specs

  • User-friendly Interface
    Zenmap provides a graphical interface that makes it easier for users to conduct network scans without needing to memorize command-line options.
  • Visualization Tools
    It includes tools for visualizing scan results, such as network topology diagrams, which can help in understanding network structure and vulnerabilities.
  • Profile Management
    Supports saving scan configurations as profiles, enabling quick re-runs of common scans with predefined settings.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Zenmap is available for multiple operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it versatile for different environments.
  • Integration with Nmap
    Leverages the powerful capabilities of Nmap, a well-known network scanning tool, providing advanced scanning options and performance.

Possible disadvantages of Zenmap

  • Performance Overhead
    The graphical interface can add additional performance overhead compared to the command-line version of Nmap, which may be noticeable during large scans.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its graphical interface, Zenmap still requires a certain level of understanding about network scanning concepts and Nmap parameters to effectively use it.
  • Limited Customization
    While it supports many Nmap features, some advanced customization options available in the command-line version may be less accessible or harder to implement in Zenmap.
  • Security Risks
    Running a graphical network scanning tool can attract unwanted attention on shared or monitored systems as it might appear in process lists or leave trace logs, potentially indicating a security tool is being used.
  • Complexity in Large Data Sets
    When dealing with very large data sets or complex networks, the visual output can become cluttered or difficult to interpret efficiently.

PingPlotter features and specs

  • Detailed Network Diagnostics
    PingPlotter provides advanced network diagnostics by visualizing latency and packet loss over time, helping identify problematic areas in the network.
  • Historical Data
    The tool allows users to save and review historical data, which is invaluable for troubleshooting intermittent network issues that are not easily reproducible.
  • Ease of Use
    PingPlotter offers an easy-to-use interface that makes it accessible even for users who aren't network experts, allowing them to quickly start diagnosing issues.
  • Customizable Alerts
    Users can set up customizable alerts to notify them when latency or packet loss exceeds certain thresholds, providing timely insights into network performance issues.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    PingPlotter is available on Windows, Mac, and iOS, which offers flexibility for different types of users and environments.

Possible disadvantages of PingPlotter

  • Cost
    PingPlotter is not free, and the cost can be prohibitive for individuals or small businesses, especially for the Pro version which offers more advanced features.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running PingPlotter for extended periods can consume significant system resources, which might be a concern for users with lower-end hardware.
  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of PingPlotter has limited functionality, which may not be sufficient for diagnosing more complex network issues.
  • Learning Curve
    While the basic functions are user-friendly, some of the more advanced features and data interpretation can have a learning curve, requiring users to invest time to fully utilize the tool.
  • No Linux Support
    PingPlotter does not support Linux, which can be a drawback for network administrators working in a Linux-dominated environment.

Analysis of Zenmap

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Zenmap is a good tool.

Why this product is good

  • Zenmap is the official graphical user interface (GUI) for the Nmap Security Scanner, which is highly regarded for its ability to discover hosts and services on a computer network. Zenmap simplifies Nmap's complex functionality, making it more accessible to users who may not be as comfortable with command-line operations. It provides features such as network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime. Additionally, Zenmap is open-source and supports multiple operating systems, making it flexible and widely available.

Recommended for

  • Network administrators who need to map out or monitor their networks.
  • Security professionals performing security audits or vulnerability assessments.
  • IT personnel responsible for managing enterprise networks.
  • Enthusiasts interested in learning more about network security and scanning techniques.

Analysis of PingPlotter

Overall verdict

  • PingPlotter is generally regarded as a good choice for network monitoring and troubleshooting, especially for users who need detailed visibility into the performance and health of their network connections.

Why this product is good

  • PingPlotter is considered a reliable network monitoring tool because it provides detailed insights into network performance and helps identify the location and nature of connectivity issues. It offers a user-friendly interface with comprehensive graphical representations of network data, making it easier to diagnose problems. Additionally, it supports both live monitoring and historical data analysis, which is beneficial for ongoing network management.

Recommended for

    PingPlotter is recommended for IT professionals, network administrators, and any users who need to maintain network reliability and optimal performance. It is also suitable for remote workers experiencing connectivity issues and gamers who require low-latency connections.

Zenmap videos

Scan for Open Ports w/ Zenmap - Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Zenmap Tutorial - Network Scanning Tool

PingPlotter videos

Analyzing PingPlotter Data

More videos:

  • Review - Use PingPlotter to identify poor QoS or intermittent connectivity issues.
  • Tutorial - How to Use PingPlotter to Dignose Server Network Issues

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Zenmap and PingPlotter)
Security
100 100%
0% 0
Monitoring Tools
60 60%
40% 40
SSH
0 0%
100% 100
Web Application Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Zenmap and PingPlotter

Zenmap Reviews

15 Best Nmap Alternatives Network Security Scanner
The aim of the Zenmap app is to learning the Nmap tool easy for newbies to use and at the same time giving the best-advanced features to Nmap professionals.
Top 5 Best Port Scanners
Zenmap is not a new port scanner, but the official NMAP Front End interface (GUI). For those who are not familiar with command line terminals, Nmap creators launched this GUI release that will allow you to scan remote hosts in a fancy and friendly way.

PingPlotter Reviews

We have no reviews of PingPlotter yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Zenmap should be more popular than PingPlotter. It has been mentiond 12 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.

Zenmap mentions (12)

  • Would you like to be a movie star by contributing to open source?
    It is a command line tool that also has an official GUI called Zenmap. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Upgrading my opnsense setup. Today I am trying to give names to all my devices checking what is connected to my network, need help.
    Another way would be to use nmap from a Linux machine or virtual machine using: $ sudo nmap 192.168.0.1/24 where the subnet address is replaced with yours. They have a graphic interface, that I haven't used, but you might want to test it. It's called zenmap https://nmap.org/zenmap/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • What is this eye icon on the taskbar? Never seen it before.
    I agree with this but the eye is not exactly the same. https://nmap.org/zenmap/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • SSL / TLS scanning utility (internal) ?
    There's also the GUI version if you want. https://nmap.org/zenmap/. Source: about 4 years ago
  • If OpenSSL Were a GUI
    I... Kind of like it? Not the fact that using such a GUI would be almost impossible, like the humorous example of an "engineer oriented UI" in the Silicon Valley series https://www.reddit.com/r/SiliconValleyHBO/comments/4nvvnl/pied_pipers_easytouse_tools/ which might be confusing for most people. But rather the fact that all of the complexity the software has is laid bare, so that nobody could mistakenly assume... - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
View more

PingPlotter mentions (2)

  • Understanding missed attestations, understanding low effectiveness and improving your setup
    Once you have those in place, there is little more you can do to help. There might be some marginal benefits in connecting with more peers at the cost of higher resources usage, especially bandwidth. Under normal circumstances, the default peers count from your clients should be good. Monitoring Internet quality with tools like those from pingman can help pinpoint the cause of some of these missed attestations if... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Packet Loss with PingPlotter
    I'm attempting to use PingPlotter to find the problem but I'm fairly new with it - The Packet Loss is occurring on IP 192.168.1.1 while testing 8.8.8.8, pingman.com, google.com, akamai.com however it does not show any PL for www.google.com. Source: over 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Zenmap and PingPlotter, you can also consider the following products

Nmap - Nmap Free Security Scanner, Port Scanner, & Network Exploration Tool. Download open source software for Linux, Windows, UNIX, FreeBSD, etc.

FileZilla - FileZilla is an FTP, or file transfer protocol, client. It lets individuals transfer single files or batches to a web server. For many years, FTP was the standard for website design. Read more about FileZilla.

Nessus - Nessus Professional is a security platform designed for businesses who want to protect the security of themselves, their clients, and their customers.

PuTTY - Popular free terminal application. Mostly used as an SSH client.

Angry IP Scanner - Open-source and cross-platform network scanner designed to be fast and simple to use

Beyond Compare - Beyond Compare allows you to compare files and folders.