Netstat (Network Statistics)

Netstat (Network Statistics) is like a network diagnostic tool that shows you what's happening with your computer's network connections - kind of like a traffic monitor for your computer's internet and network activity.

It shows you:

• Which programs are connected to the internet
• Which ports are open and listening
• What connections are currently active
• Where your computer is connecting to

Example Output:

netstat -an

Active Connections
Proto  Local Address      Foreign Address    State
TCP    192.168.1.5:80    216.58.200.4:443   ESTABLISHED
TCP    127.0.0.1:3306    0.0.0.0:0          LISTENING

In this example:

• The first line shows your computer is connected to a website (probably Google) using TCP protocol
• The second line shows MySQL database (port 3306) is running and waiting for connections

Think of it like a real-time list of:

• Phone calls your computer is making (active connections)
• Phone lines that are open and waiting for calls (listening ports)
• Who's calling whom (IP addresses and ports)

It's commonly used by network administrators and developers to troubleshoot network issues or check what programs are communicating over the network.