Home/ Questions/Q 2362
Next
In Process

askthedev.com Latest Questions

Asked: 2024-09-24T06:09:09+05:30 In:

How can I resolve the error indicating that the netstat command is not found on my Ubuntu system? Are there alternative methods or packages I can use to achieve similar functionality?

I’ve been trying to troubleshoot some network issues on my Ubuntu system, and I kept reading that the netstat command is super helpful for checking active connections and listening ports. But every time I try to use it, I get an error message saying that the command is not found. I thought netstat came pre-installed, but I guess I was wrong?

At first, I assumed maybe I just needed to install it, but then I learned that it’s deprecated in some versions of Ubuntu. That left me a bit confused because I’ve seen tutorials online that still reference it. So, I started digging into alternatives, and I came across tools like ss and ip. However, I’m not entirely sure how to use them effectively or if they will give me the same output that netstat would.

I’m pretty comfortable in the terminal, but being new to these alternative commands, I’m a bit lost on where to start. For example, does ss provide similar information to what I’d get from netstat? I’ve heard it’s faster and more efficient, but how do I interpret the output? And what about opnet or lsof? Are they worth trying? Is there a package I can install that can give me back netstat-like functionality without having to hunt around for other commands?

It feels overwhelming to navigate through these options when I just want to get my network situation sorted out. If anyone has run into this issue before, how did you go about resolving the error for the netstat command? And could you share some tips or steps on how to use ss or any other handy tools to get that network info I need? I’d really appreciate any guidance to help me through this. Thanks!

Share

    Leave an answer

    You must login to add an answer.

    Need An Account,

    2 Answers

    1. The netstat command was indeed a popular tool for monitoring network connections, but it has been deprecated in some recent versions of Ubuntu in favor of more modern tools like ss and ip. If the command returns “not found,” it means that the package containing netstat is no longer installed by default. To install a compatible package, you can use sudo apt install net-tools, which will bring back netstat along with other networking utilities. However, as you noted, transitioning to alternatives like ss is recommended, as they offer improved performance and more comprehensive output for analyzing sockets and connections.

      The ss command can provide similar information to netstat but in a more efficient manner. For instance, you can use ss -tuln to display all active TCP/UDP sockets along with the listening ports without resolving hostnames, which can be quite handy for quick diagnostics. The output will show you the state of each connection, the local address, and the PID linked to each socket. The lsof command can also be used to see which files and ports are in use, but it may require a bit more parsing. Overall, utilizing ss and ip will help streamline your network troubleshooting process, as these commands are more suited to handling the networking needs of current Linux distributions. Familiarize yourself with the syntax and options of these commands, and you’ll find them to be powerful tools for monitoring your network effectively.



    2. Network Troubleshooting on Ubuntu

      Network Troubleshooting on Ubuntu

      Sounds like you’re running into some classic Ubuntu issues with network tools! You’re right that netstat used to be the go-to for checking active connections and ports, but it’s true that it’s a bit outdated in the newer versions of Ubuntu.

      So, don’t worry too much about the netstat command not being available. Instead, you can use ss, which is indeed a powerful and faster alternative! You can get similar info using:

      ss -tuln

      This will show you listening ports and active connections. Here’s a quick breakdown of the options:

      • -t: Show TCP sockets
      • -u: Show UDP sockets
      • -l: Display listening sockets
      • -n: Show numerical addresses instead of trying to determine symbolic host, port or user names

      The output might look a bit different than netstat, but you’ll see similar information about active connections, listening ports, etc. If you want to see all established connections, you can run:

      ss -tun

      As for lsof, it’s another handy tool that can show you which files (including network connections) are open by which processes. It might be useful if you want to see more detail about what’s happening on your system

      To install lsof (if it’s not already installed), you can run:

      sudo apt install lsof

      If you really miss the netstat feel, you could install net-tools, which includes netstat:

      sudo apt install net-tools

      However, I’d encourage you to get used to ss since it’s more modern and faster. Just take a look at the output and you’ll eventually get comfortable with it.

      In case you’re still having trouble, make sure to check if your command is typed correctly. If the issue persists, it might be worth checking your PATH or looking into user permissions.

      Good luck, and don’t hesitate to keep asking questions as you go along!


    Related Questions