Every MacBook and iMac come with an application called Network Utility, which is convenient for every Apple customer because they don’t have to buy or download this app on their own.
This app is more of a necessary tool than anything else. It can be used for multiple reasons, such as troubleshooting an issue on your device or learning about your device, websites, and internet users.
How to Open Network Utility on Your Mac
The shortcut for opening this app is:
/System/Library/CoreServices/Applications
You can either follow the steps on your Mac that are listed in this shortcut, or you can open Finder, click Go, click Go to Folder, enter the shortcut, click Go, and then click on Network Utility.
How to Open Network Utility with an Old Mac
For those using older Mac versions called OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, and Snow Leopard, follow the shortcut: /Finder/Applications/Utilities.
Tools within Network Utility
Once you finally open the Network Utility app, you will find numerous tools that serve different purposes.
How to Use Info
The first tab in this app is Info, which provides information about networks, interfaces, and transfer statistics.
How to Use Netstat
This is the second tab in the Network Utility app, which means network statistics, which is exactly what it sounds like: it provides information about network connections and statistics on the device.
There are four choices here to click on, each providing different information. They are:
- Display routing table information
- Display comprehensive network statistics for each protocol
- Display multicast information
- Display the state of all current socket connections
Pick one and then click the Netstat button for more information on whichever you chose.
How to Use Ping
This is the third tab under the Network Utility app. This allows a Mac user to discover the effectiveness of an Internet network. For this tool, it’s necessary to type an IP number or a website address. After that, you have the option of sending an unlimited number of Pings or sending a specific number (whichever number you want or need). Then click Ping.
How to Use Lookup
The fourth tab in the Network Utility app allows a user to verify how well a Mac’s DNS Server operates. A DNS Server is a database of IP addresses and their hostnames. All you have to do here is enter a website address and click Lookup.
How to Use Traceroute
The fifth tab in Network Utility allows you to diagnose connectivity issues on your Mac, because it is a tool for connectivity diagnostics. To do this, enter any website address and click Trace.
How to Use Whois
The sixth tab in the Network Utility is where a Mac user goes to learn information about the owner of a specific website or domain name and how you can contact this owner. To do this, enter a website address and click Whois.
How to Use Finger
The seventh tab in the Network Utility app is used for discovering information about various website and computer users. Enter a username or a website address to gain this information.
How to Use Port Scan
Finally, the last tab in the Network Utility app allows a Mac user to search for available TCP and IP ports. Essentially, these ports are numbers assigned to various users and sessions within an IP network. To learn this information, type in any website address.
Whether you’re using your Mac for games, creativity, or business matters, it is essential to check your tool apps such as Network Utility to keep your computer free from viruses, cookies, and more by learning about the websites and users you’re interacting with. Doing this will keep your Mac healthy, fast, and long-lasting for years to come.
