node-red-contrib-network-tools 2.1.3

Comprehensive network monitoring and discovery tools for Node-RED

npm install node-red-contrib-network-tools

node-red-contrib-network-tools

A comprehensive collection of network monitoring and discovery tools for Node-RED. This package provides four powerful nodes for network analysis, monitoring, and discovery in your Node-RED flows.

Installation

Install directly from the Node-RED palette manager or via npm:

npm install node-red-contrib-network-tools

After installation, restart Node-RED and you'll find all nodes under the "networktools" category in the palette.

Quick Start

1. Install the package using the palette manager or npm
2. Drag nodes from the "networktools" category into your flow
3. Configure targets (IP addresses, hostnames, or network ranges)
4. Deploy and start monitoring your network!

Available Nodes

🏓 Ping IP

Basic ping functionality to test connectivity to IP addresses or hostnames.

Features:

• Simple ping operations
• IPv4 and IPv6 support
• Hostname resolution
• Configurable timeout
• Success/failure status reporting

Usage:

Input: { payload: "8.8.8.8" }
Output: { payload: true, latency: 23, target: "8.8.8.8" }

🎯 Enhanced Ping

Advanced ping with statistics, retry logic, and continuous monitoring capabilities.

Features:

• Multiple ping attempts with statistics
• Continuous monitoring mode
• Jitter calculation
• Packet loss tracking
• Custom packet sizes
• Historical data storage

Usage:

Input: { payload: "google.com", count: 5 }
Output: { 
  payload: { 
    alive: true, 
    stats: { avg: 25, min: 20, max: 30, loss: 0, jitter: 2.5 } 
  } 
}

🔍 Network Discovery

Discover devices on your network using CIDR notation, IP ranges, or single addresses.

Features:

• CIDR subnet scanning (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24)
• IP range scanning (e.g., 192.168.1.1-50 or 10.13.37.1-20)
• Port scanning capabilities
• Hostname resolution
• Concurrent scanning with progress reporting
• Configurable timeouts and concurrency

Usage:

Input: { payload: "192.168.1.0/24" }
Output: { 
  payload: [
    { ip: "192.168.1.1", alive: true, hostname: "router.local" },
    { ip: "192.168.1.100", alive: true, ports: [22, 80] }
  ]
}

📊 Network Performance Monitor

Monitor network performance with configurable thresholds and alerting.

Features:

• Continuous network performance monitoring
• Multiple target monitoring
• Configurable thresholds for latency and availability
• Alert generation for threshold violations
• Performance trend analysis
• Historical data and reporting
• Start/stop monitoring commands

Usage:

Input: { command: "start" }
Output: { 
  payload: {
    measurements: [
      { target: "8.8.8.8", alive: true, latency: 15 },
      { target: "1.1.1.1", alive: true, latency: 12 }
    ],
    aggregateStats: { averageLatency: 13.5, aliveTargets: 2 }
  }
}

Configuration Tips

All nodes are organized under "networktools" in the Node-RED palette for easy access.

Best Practices

• Start small: Begin with a single target before monitoring multiple hosts
• Set reasonable timeouts: Use 3-5 seconds for local networks, 10+ seconds for internet hosts
• Monitor critical services: Focus on essential infrastructure components
• Use appropriate intervals: 30-60 seconds for most monitoring scenarios

Common Use Cases

🏠 Home Network Monitoring

Monitor your home router, smart devices, and internet connectivity:

192.168.1.1 (router)
192.168.1.0/24 (discover all devices)
8.8.8.8 (internet connectivity)

🏢 Business Network Monitoring

Monitor servers, switches, and critical infrastructure:

server.company.com
192.168.10.1 (main switch)
10.0.0.0/16 (corporate network scan)

☁️ Cloud Service Monitoring

Monitor external services and APIs:

api.service.com
cdn.provider.com
database.cloud.com

Flow Examples

Example 1: Basic Internet Connectivity Check

[Inject] → [Ping IP: 8.8.8.8] → [Debug]

Simple flow to check if internet is reachable

Example 2: Network Device Discovery

[Inject: 192.168.1.0/24] → [Network Discovery] → [Function: Filter Alive] → [Debug]

Discover all devices on your local network

Example 3: Continuous Server Monitoring

[Inject: start] → [Performance Monitor] → [Switch: Alert/Normal] → [Dashboard/Email]

Monitor multiple servers with alerting

Example 4: Advanced Network Health Dashboard

[Inject] → [Enhanced Ping] → [Function: Parse Stats] → [Chart Widget]

Create network performance charts with statistics

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Host unreachable" errors:

• Check if the target IP/hostname is correct
• Verify network connectivity
• Increase timeout values for slow networks

No devices found in network discovery:

• Ensure the subnet notation is correct (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24)
• Check if devices respond to ping (some may have firewalls)
• Try smaller IP ranges first

Performance monitor not starting:

• Verify at least one target is configured
• Check that targets are reachable
• Ensure monitoring interval is reasonable (minimum 10 seconds)

Support & Documentation

• Node Help: Each node includes detailed help text accessible in Node-RED
• Configuration: All settings have tooltips and validation
• Error Handling: Errors are displayed in Node-RED debug panel

Requirements

• Node-RED: v1.0.0 or higher
• Node.js: v12.0.0 or higher
• Operating System: Windows, macOS, Linux

License

MIT License - Free for personal and commercial use.

About

Created by Brian Rodriguez - BRDC.nl for the Node-RED community.

Version History

v2.1.4 (Latest)

• Organized all nodes under "networktools" category
• Enhanced network discovery with shorthand IP ranges
• Comprehensive network performance monitoring
• Full English documentation and help text

v2.1.0

• Added Network Performance Monitor node
• Enhanced ping statistics and jitter calculation
• Improved network discovery performance

v2.0.0

• Initial release with four network monitoring nodes
• Support for IPv4/IPv6 and hostname resolution
• CIDR and IP range scanning capabilities