MRTG is free software for monitoring network traffic and creating HTML pages with PNG graphs. It can track router traffic, selected SNMP variables, or information supplied by an external program. Graphs show daily, seven-day, five-week, and twelve-month periods, while consolidated logs retain relevant traffic data for two years. MRTG includes an SNMP implementation written in Perl and supports SNMPv2c 64-bit counters. Configuration tools can identify router interfaces by IP address, description, or Ethernet address. The generated pages can be customized, and built-in hooks support using RRDtool. MRTG is available for Linux, Windows, and self-hosted use. Unix downloads are tar.gz files; Windows downloads are zip files. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License, with stated limits on claiming authorship and relicensing. Support options listed by the project include user, announcement, and developer mailing lists, plus Usenet and IRC.
Who it is for
MRTG suits people who need to monitor router traffic or other SNMP and program-supplied data. Its user and developer discussion options may help both operators and people modifying or building software connected to MRTG.
What is good
- Free under the GNU GPL.
- Graphs cover daily through twelve-month views.
- Supports SNMPv2c 64-bit counters.
- Can customize generated webpage appearance.
- Includes RRDtool hooks.
What to know first
- No free trial is listed.
- The license has stated authorship and relicensing restrictions.
Verdict
MRTG combines network traffic collection with configurable graph pages and long-term consolidated logs. Its monitoring options and platform-specific downloads are useful facts to weigh alongside its GPL terms.
Get started with MRTG
- Visit the MRTG website.
- Choose a download for your system; Unix downloads are tar.gz files and Windows downloads are zip files.
- Use the configuration tools to identify router interfaces by IP address, description, or Ethernet address.
- Configure the data source, such as router traffic, an SNMP variable, or external-program data.
- Set the generated webpage appearance and use the RRDtool hooks if needed.
What the free plan stops at
The free plan is MRTG software under the GNU GPL. The license states restrictions on claiming authorship and relicensing it.
Questions about MRTG
How much does MRTG cost?
The listed plan is free, as free software under the GNU GPL.
What can MRTG monitor?
It can monitor router traffic, selected SNMP variables, and data gathered by an external program.
Which platforms does it support?
The listed platforms are Linux, self-hosted, and Windows.
What graph periods are available?
Graphs include daily, seven-day, five-week, and twelve-month views. Consolidated logs retain relevant traffic data for two years.
What license does MRTG use?
MRTG is available under the GNU General Public License, with stated restrictions on claiming authorship and relicensing.
Where can users discuss MRTG?
The project lists user, announcement, and developer mailing lists, plus Usenet and IRC discussion options.
MRTG plans and pricing
All plansCompared on bandwidth monitoring software
- Free plan
- Yes
- SNMP monitoring
- Yes
- Bandwidth alerts
- Yes
