When OT network traffic slows or fails, the results can range from tenant complaints to building-wide system outages. That’s why OT network monitoring tools are essential for maintaining performance, uptime, and energy efficiency.
In this guide, we compare six of the best OT network monitoring tools for 2025. We want to know: which are designed to best help you detect, diagnose, and resolve issues across your building automation networks.
Editor’s note: You’ll find this is a shorter list than many “round-up” articles of more broadly used solutions – like cybersecurity services or IT monitoring software – and that’s because it is. OT network monitoring and maintenance is a much smaller niche, so choices are fewer. There aren’t a lot of solutions dedicated to the health and performance of your OT network itself, rather than the individual components. All the more reason to have a good comparison of options currently available!
TL;DR: How Does Everyone Stack Up?
| Feature | OptigoVN | BACbeat (Polarsoft) | YABE (Free) | Wireshark (Free) | PRTG (Commercial) | Nozomi Guardian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supports BACnet (incl. MS/TP) | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not specified | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not specified | ✅ BACnet/IP only |
| Real-Time Monitoring | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not specified | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Advanced Troubleshooting | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not specified | ❌ No | 🟡 Low-level | ❌ No | ⚠️ Not specified |
| Cloud Scalability | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Historical Logging | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not specified | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Vendor Agnostic | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Data Sharing & Collaboration | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Remote Access | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not specified | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (via setup) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
How We Chose
To whittle down the broad list of results you’d get from a Google search, we started by distinguishing between OT network monitoring—focused on visibility, diagnostics, and performance management, the category of solutions we’re interested in—and OT cybersecurity, which is about threat prevention and response, and purposely excluded. That means many well known brands aren’t here: SolarWinds, Huntress, Dragos, Forescout, or Claroty, because their focus is primarily on extending security envelopes across BACnet/IP networks.
We then filtered for platforms that support BACnet, and scored each on the same critical network-monitoring functions that we use to define features with Optigo Visual Networks: Supports all aspects of BACnet protocol, allows for real-time monitoring, advanced troubleshooting diagnostics, cloud scalability, logging of diagnostic results, the ability to share access or collaborate with others, and remote access.
This approach ensured we’re comparing apples to apples—tools that, like OptigoVN, are built specifically to keep your building automation network running smoothly.
We’ll dive into results and how they compare against OptigoVN below:
Optigo Visual Networks (OptigoVN)
Optigo Visual Networks (OptigoVN) is an advanced, cloud-based OT network monitoring and diagnostic platform designed for keeping building automation systems running at peak performance. It provides real-time insights into network health, enabling users to identify and resolve BACnet/IP and MS/TP issues like broadcast storms, misconfigurations, device failures, traffic slowdowns, and more.
Its design makes for scalable architecture that allows for monitoring an unlimited number of OT networks, making it suitable for both single-site facilities and large portfolios. The platform’s user-friendly interface, combined with features like dynamic device databases and comprehensive reporting, ensures efficient collaboration among partners.
Pros:
- No additional seat costs for team members
- Full support for BACnet (MS/TP/IP/Ethernet)
- Growing suite of 30 advanced diagnostics to assess OT network performance, configurations, and issues
- Real-time available traffic capture and monitoring
- Cloud-based platform allows for remote access and scalability, compatible with all major operating systems
- Device level insights and troubleshooting context for quick resolution.
- Historical results logging for advanced RCA and auditing compliance.
- Free onboarding and expert technical support
- Advanced analytics and collaboration tools with clients and other integrators available as self-serve options.
Cons:
- Advanced diagnostic tools require a paid Site Scope+ subscription
- No current support for BACnet/SC
- Requires an internet connection
PolarSoft BACbeat
PolarSoft BACbeat (Basic Evaluation, Analysis, and Testing) is easy-to-use, all-purpose BACnet Windows client software for real-time evaluation, analysis, and testing tools for multi-vendor BACnet systems. The solution features a series of common BACnet diagnostic tools for devices, including pulling detailed information from a device inspector.
Pros:
- Supports real-time decoding and visualization of BACnet packets
- Vendor agnostic
- Log file generation
- Can be run locally, no internet connection needed
Cons:
- MS/TP support requires additional equipment
- Primary use is for diagnosing or examining individual BACnet devices, not the OT network itself
- Part of a larger suite of diagnostic tools that have to be purchased individually (BACbeat, BACNet Quick Test, BACtrace, etc.)
- Individual app solutions are expensive
- No support for access sharing
- No remote or cloud support (local application)
- No free sign up
How it Compares
Polarsoft BACbeat is a useful, open-source BACnet analyzer focused mainly on packet-level inspection and troubleshooting. However, it requires manual analysis and lacks a broader network context. OptigoVN goes beyond packet capture by providing comprehensive, user-friendly network visualization, real-time monitoring, and diagnostic tools tailored for OT environments. For ongoing BACnet management and quick problem resolution, OptigoVN offers a more complete and accessible solution than Polarsoft BACbeat.
Yet Another BACnet Explorer (YABE)
YABE is a graphical explorer program for BACnet devices for Windows and Linux. It facilitates real-time browsing of BACnet devices, reading and writing of object properties, and supports basic network diagnostics. Additionally, it includes demo server applications and sample code to assist developers in testing and extending its functionalities.
Pros
- Good for basic exploration and learning
- Free and Open Source
- Supports BACnet/SC connections
- Real-time reading of BACnet object properties
Cons
- Requires additional software for packet capture (Wireshark)
- Diagnostics are limited to device object properties
- No support for access sharing
- No remote support (local application)
- No cloud support
How it Compares
YABE is a free, open-source tool that’s useful for simple BACnet device discovery and browsing—but it lacks advanced diagnostics, historical data, and network-wide visibility. OptigoVN, by contrast, provides a full-picture view of BACnet traffic, identifies problematic patterns, and helps pinpoint root causes quickly. While YABE is helpful for quick checks, OptigoVN is built for ongoing monitoring, troubleshooting, and maintaining the health of complex OT networks.
Wireshark
Wireshark is a widely used capture tool available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. It captures and inspects network traffic at the packet level, supporting a broad range of protocols including BACnet. Wireshark provides detailed insights into network behavior, packet-level diagnostics, and troubleshooting capabilities, but only if you know how to configure your captures and interpret the results.
As a simple packet capture and display tool, it is primarily designed for deep packet inspection rather than device-level monitoring or management.
Pros
- Industry-standard packet capture and analysis tool
- Supports BACnet protocol decoding
- Detailed packet-level analytics and filtering
- Free and Open Source
- Cross-platform compatibility
Cons
- Not a diagnostic suite
- Steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with packet analysis
- No access sharing or multi-user collaboration features
- Lacks cloud-based monitoring or remote access capabilities
- Does not provide continuous monitoring or alerting
How it Compares
Wireshark is a powerful packet analyzer with deep capabilities—but it’s complex, time-consuming, and not designed with any one protocol in mind. OptigoVN, paired with our own traffic capture tools, is purpose-built for OT environments, streamlining data capture and delivering clear, actionable insights without needing deep protocol expertise.
While Wireshark is useful for experts, OptigoVN makes BACnet diagnostics faster and more accessible for real-world building operations.
Why Include Wireshark?
Wireshark is a tool that is talked about a lot in any network troubleshooting environment. It’s a powerful packet capture and inspection tool. It’s used across many industries for low-level protocol analysis, including BACnet.
But at its core, Wireshark is just that—a general-purpose capture tool. It helps you inspect packets one by one, but it doesn’t offer any context about your OT network’s structure, device health, or long-term trends.
OptigoVN, on the other hand, is a complete OT network monitoring and maintenance platform, purpose-built for smart building systems. Optigo Networks offers a BACnet-specific traffic capture tool that’s more efficient than Wireshark for BACnet analysis. It’s already pre-configured to filter out irrelevant data and focus solely on what matters for BACnet troubleshooting—so you don’t have to set up complex filters or manually hunt through thousands of packets.
PRTG Network Monitor
PRTG by Paessler is a general-purpose network monitoring platform designed to monitor IT and OT environments through SNMP, NetFlow, and other standard IP protocols. Focused on high-level availability, PRTG is often used for status checks, uptime monitoring, and basic traffic metrics in hybrid IT/OT networks.
Pros
- Broad compatibility with IT protocols and some OT protocols
- Customizable dashboards and alerts
- Centralized overview of system uptime and availability
- On-prem and cloud-hosted options
Cons
- Doesn’t speak BACnet! Limited support for BACnet-specific traffic and diagnostics
- No traffic capture or forensic tools for BACnet/IP or MS/TP
- No visibility into device behavior or object-level issues
- Requires manual setup to adapt for smart building OT use cases
- Not designed for packet-level analysis
How it Compares
While it offers sensors for a variety of systems, BACnet support is limited and more focused on high-level availability rather than deep protocol diagnostics. It’s a reliable tool used by many IT professionals as a first indicator for uptime monitoring across devices as well as IT networks, but lacks the necessary protocol handling to diagnose and troubleshoot BACnet issues beyond connection monitoring. For BACnet-specific OT maintenance, OptigoVN delivers faster insights with less setup.
Nozomi Network Guardian
Nozomi Networks is a comprehensive platform designed for OT, IoT, and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environments. It offers real-time network monitoring, asset visibility, and threat detection through passive deep packet inspection and AI-driven analytics. The platform supports a wide range of industrial protocols and provides centralized management for distributed networks.
Pros
- Provides detailed, real-time dynamic network mapping, including topology views by zones, protocols, VLANs, and Purdue levels.
- Continuously updates asset information, providing near 100% accurate inventories with details like device name, type, serial number, and firmware version.
- At a glance information: connectivity issues, intrusion detection
- Support for a lot of network protocols: Modbus, BACnet/IP, netflow, honeywell-cda, etc.
- Offers flexible deployment through physical, virtual, and cloud-based solutions, including centralized management via AWS and Microsoft Azure.
Cons
- No focus on BACnet protocol issues
- Supports BACnet/IP but lacks support for BACnet MS/TP, limiting its applicability in certain building automation systems.
- Requires significant customization and filtering to extract specific OT network information.
- Some features, such as ARP agents, are part of a licensing structure that can be costly, and the pricing model may be considered high compared to other solutions.
How it Compares
Nozomi is a very powerful network monitoring software, but the emphasis is on the wrong things: Security and uptime, rather than performance and maintenance. While Nozomi excels in threat detection and security, it’s overly complex and generalized for everyday OT network diagnostics—especially for BACnet-focused environments.
When it comes to BACnet and OT network monitoring and maintenance, Nozomi Networks and OptigoVN serve very different purposes. OptigoVN is purpose-built for monitoring and maintaining smart building OT networks In contrast, Nozomi Networks is a powerful cybersecurity tool designed for broad OT and IoT environments, with limited BACnet support and minimal insight into performance or maintenance-related problems.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right BACnet Network Monitoring Tool
As smart building systems grow in complexity, the need for reliable, scalable BACnet network monitoring tools has never been greater. Whether you’re maintaining a single building or managing a multi-site portfolio, having the right tools in place can make the difference between hours of manual troubleshooting and real-time, data-driven clarity.
Free tools like YABE and Wireshark offer entry points for basic BACnet visibility and packet inspection but require significant manual effort and technical expertise. Tools like PolarSoft BACbeat add targeted device-level capabilities but lack network-wide insights or cloud-based collaboration.
For teams that need end-to-end network monitoring, diagnostics, and remote access in one platform, Optigo Visual Networks stands out. It’s designed specifically for smart building OT networks and brings together intuitive visuals, real-time alerts, advanced diagnostics, and multi-user access—all in one place.
As OT networks grow more complex, it’s worth investing in a monitoring platform that keeps pace. Choose a solution that not only supports your building automation needs today, but also scales with your portfolio tomorrow.
With Optigo Visual Networks, client OT network monitoring and troubleshooting just got easier. To find out for yourself, click here to request a demo, or create your free account and start exploring today.
