What is macOS Network Utility and How to use it?

The Apple MacBook offers a range of networking options ranging from wifi to Ethernet etc. While a host of networking options is intended for a much more efficient user experience, one might occasionally witness certain network related issues. There can be different types of networking issues which might hinder the day to day activities of a user on the Apple MacBook.

While a user may face certain network network issues on the Apple MacBook, the solution to these network troubles is also usually present on the Apple MacBook itself. The Network Utility Application on the Apple MacBook is the tool which acts as a solution to these network issues on the MacBook.

macOS Network Utility:

The Network Utility Application is an in-built application in the macOs which allows the management of network operations on the Apple MacBook. It helps to troubleshoot and fix the different network issues faced by the user, by allowing the user control over the different network functions in the Apple MacBook.

The Network Utility Application on the macOS allows the user to use different network terminal commands on the macOS including commands such as –

• netstat: to check the network stats and routine tables
• ping: to check the network connection between two specific devices.
• port scan: device to search and scan for open network ports
• lookup: device to search and scan for open network ports

We will be discussing more about each and every of these commands in the later section of this article.

One of the important functionalities of the Network Utility Application on the Apple MacBook is that it provides a graphical interface to approach the network terminal commands mentioned above. This allows users to much easily and efficiently use these commands to troubleshoot and fix the network issues.

Accessing the Network Utility Application on macOS

Follow the given steps to access the Network Utility Application on the Apple MacBook :

1. Open the Finder on your Apple MacBook device.
2. Select the Applications options from the Finder menu.
3. In the Applications sub menu, locate the Utilities option and select it.
4. Now select the Network Utility option.

Another method to access the Network Utility Application on the macOS is via the spotlight method. This method includes searching for Network Utility in spotlight, which directly takes a user to the Network Utility Application. Press the Command and Spacebar keys on your Apple MacBook at the same time to launch the spotlight on an Apple MacBook.

Network Utility Application : Viewing Information.

One of the main uses of the Network Utility Application on the Apple MacBook is to view information regarding the different aspects of the Network configuration on a user’s Apple MacBook. The different network details which can be accessed using the Network Utility Application on the Apple MacBook are as following :

1. MAC Address: The full form of MAC Address is Media Access Control address. The Media Access Control address is a unique identity which is given to each network interface in form of a numerical arrangement.
2. IP Address: the full form of IP Address is Internet Protocol Address. The IP Address represents the LAN (Local Area Network) IPv4 address which is assigned to each network interface.
3. Speed: The Speed section in the Network Utility Application shows the speed of the network interface itself.
4. Status: The Status section of the Network Utility Application shows the activity status of the Network Interface on the Apple MacBook. It may show the status as active or inactive.
5. Vendor: The vendor section in the Network Utility Application shows the name of the manufacturer of the hardware used in the network configuration in the Apple MacBook. Other than the manufacturer it may also show the name of the supplier of networking hardware used in the Apple MacBook. This may include network hardware such as Ethernet port and Wifi etc.
6. In/Out data: The In/Out data section in the Network Utility Application shows the numbers of data packets exchanged on the Apple MacBook since its last restart. It is essentially the number of data packets which were received and sent by the network configuration on the Apple MacBook.
7. Errors and Collisions: This section on the Network Utility Application keeps a record of the number of Errors and Collisions in the network interface. Hence any value greater than zero would indicate a slow network connection, characterized by a slow network download speed and so on.
8. Model: The model section of the Network Utility Application shows the Model of the Network configuration on the Apple MacBook.

The above mentioned details can be viewed for the different network configurations on the Apple MacBook. It means that the different details of the network mentioned above can be accessed for the different network interfaces in the Apple MacBook such as Wifi, Ethernet, and Thunderbolt etc. In order to move between these different network configuration details, the drop down menu option should be used.

Network Utility Application: Features

The Network Utility Application provides the following options to control and manage the network configuration on the Apple MacBook :

Netstat

The Netstat feature in the Network Utility Application can be used to access the network statistics on an Apple MacBook. The feature allows the user to procure a detailed summary of the incoming and outgoing data packets in real time. In order to use the Netstat feature, the user must select the Netstat option in the Network Utility Application. The Netstat feature in the Network Utility Application sports four primary sections which are as follows :

1. Routing Table Information: This section allows the user to access a list of local network destinations to clearly understand the network system and its components.
2. Socket connection status: This section provides the user with the information of open network connection and every open network socket and their status.
3. Network Statistics: This section provides comprehensive information regarding data connection, exchange of data packets and other important statistics relating to the network.
4. Multicast information: This section provides the information regarding IP (Internet Protocol) groups which include the user’s Apple MacBook.

Ping

The Ping feature is used to check the network connection between specific devices. This feature helps to gain information regarding the network connectivity and its ability to reach a certain destination device in the network. The Ping essentially allows the user to verify the network connectivity between two units in a network system.

Port Scan

The Port Scan feature allows the user to search and Scan for open network ports on the Apple MacBook. Additionally this feature may also allow the user to search for open ports on different computers on the internet.

Lookup

The Lookup feature on the Network Utility Application allows the user to examine the Domain Name System on the MacBook. The Domain Name System servers save different Internet Protocol addresses with their respective Domain names for effective usability. The feature allows a user to retrieve the domain name associated with a specific Internet Protocol address and so forth.

Conclusion

The Network Utility Application on the MacOs is an important tool regarding the network and connections aspect. The Network Utility Application provides different features which help a user gain important information regarding the network status of their MacBook. The Network Utility Application is a useful tool to troubleshoot any network related issues on the Apple MacBook and helpful in ultimately fixing them.

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