Field Tested

Tech Field Kit

A personal curated index of trusted software for IT professionals and power users — network tools, security utilities, system diagnostics, dev tooling, and more. No trials, no paywalls.

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Total Tools
6
Categories
Field Tested
Curated
Hand-Picked
Section 01 · Repository Index

Software Catalog

Browse or search all tools across 6 categories. Grid view shows cards with descriptions; tree view shows folder structure.

No tools match your search.
📁 free-software/
WiresharkFREEGold standard for capturing and analyzing network traffic. Essential for diagnosing connectivity issues. Advanced IP ScannerFREEFast LAN discovery — IP, MAC, open ports, manufacturer, WOL support, and remote access. Angry IP ScannerFREECross-platform IP and port scanner. Lightweight, no install required, extensible with plugins. NmapFREEIndustry-standard network mapper. OS detection, service version scanning, scripting engine. Fing DesktopPAID TIERNetwork discovery and device identification with vendor lookup. Clean UI, great for quick audits. SoftPerfect Network ScannerPAID TIERFast multi-threaded LAN scanner with shared resource detection, remote WMI, and Wake-on-LAN. Slitheris Network DiscoveryPAID TIERPassive agentless LAN discovery — finds devices without pinging them. Great for stealthy audits. NETworkManagerFREEWindows GUI for network connections, IP config, WiFi, VPN, ping, and traceroute in one place. NetworkMinerPAID TIERNetwork forensics tool. Reconstructs files, credentials, and sessions from captured PCAP files. PingPlotter (Free)PAID TIERVisualizes every hop between you and a destination with latency graphs over time. The Dude (MikroTik)FREEFree network monitoring and topology mapper. Auto-discovers devices and draws your network map. SNMPBFREESNMP browser and MIB walker. Query and browse SNMP-enabled devices graphically. PuTTYFREEClassic SSH, Telnet, and serial terminal client for Windows. Rock-solid and universally trusted. mRemoteNGFREEMulti-protocol remote connection manager. RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet — all in one tabbed window. GlassWire (Free)PAID TIERVisual network monitor showing per-app bandwidth. Alerts on new or suspicious connections. Fiddler ClassicFREEHTTP/HTTPS web debugging proxy. Inspect, modify, and replay web traffic. Great for API work. WifiInfoView (NirSoft)FREEDetailed info on all nearby wireless networks — channel, signal, security type, vendor. Speedtest by OoklaFREEFast and reliable internet speed, latency, and jitter testing. Desktop app version.
Malwarebytes FreePAID TIEROn-demand malware scanner and remover. Excellent at catching threats traditional AV misses. VirusTotal (web)FREEUpload any file or URL and scan against 70+ antivirus engines simultaneously. No install needed. AutorunsFREEThe most comprehensive Windows startup manager available. Spot malware persistence instantly. Process ExplorerFREESee exactly which files, registry keys, and DLLs every process uses. Task Manager on steroids. ESET SysInspectorFREEDeep system snapshot — processes, registry, drivers, network connections — for forensic comparison. KeePassFREEOffline, open-source password manager. AES-256 encrypted local database — no cloud, no fees. BitwardenPAID TIEROpen-source password manager with free cloud sync. Best free tier in the category, fully audited. VeraCryptFREEFull-disk and container encryption. TrueCrypt successor — actively maintained and independently audited. BrowsingHistoryView (NirSoft)FREEReads browser history from Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and IE into a unified timeline. Great for forensics. LastActivityView (NirSoft)FREEReconstructs a timeline of user activity from event logs, prefetch, MRU lists, and shell bags. RegistryChangesView (NirSoft)FREECompare before/after registry snapshots to see exactly what an installer or malware changed. Product Key Scanner (NirSoft)FREEScan and recover Windows and software license keys from local and remote machines. ClamAVFREEOpen-source antivirus engine. Ideal for scripted/automated scanning pipelines and server environments.
WinDirStatFREEDisk usage visualizer with treemap — instantly see what is consuming your storage space. RufusFREECreate bootable USB drives from ISO images. Fast, reliable, supports Windows and Linux ISOs. VentoyFREECreate a multi-boot USB — just copy ISOs to the drive and pick one at boot. No reflashing needed. CrystalDiskInfoFREEMonitor drive health via S.M.A.R.T. Get early warning of impending disk failure. CPU-ZFREEDetailed CPU, RAM, motherboard, and GPU information. The go-to hardware identification tool. HWMonitorPAID TIERReal-time temperature, fan speed, and voltage readings from every sensor in your system. PowerToysFREEMicrosoft power-user toolkit — FancyZones, PowerRename, Run launcher, Color Picker, and more. BGInfoFREEDisplay hostname, IP, OS version on the desktop wallpaper. Essential for server rooms and labs. MemTest86PAID TIERBootable RAM diagnostic tool. Essential for diagnosing memory errors and system instability. DevManView (NirSoft)FREEAlternative device manager with full driver version details and remote machine support. WinCrashReport (NirSoft)FREEAnalyze Windows crash dumps and BSOD reports in a readable format — no debugger skills needed. FolderChangesView (NirSoft)FREEWatch any folder in real-time and see every file created, modified, or deleted. FileActivityWatch (NirSoft)FREEShows which processes are reading and writing which files in real-time. Useful for I/O diagnostics. WinUpdatesView (NirSoft)FREEView the full history of installed Windows updates with date, KB number, and status.
🌐Network
FREE
Wireshark
wireshark.org
Gold standard for capturing and analyzing network traffic. Essential for diagnosing connectivity issues.
FREE
Advanced IP Scanner
advanced-ip-scanner.com
Fast LAN discovery — IP, MAC, open ports, manufacturer, WOL support, and remote access.
FREE
Angry IP Scanner
angryip.org
Cross-platform IP and port scanner. Lightweight, no install required, extensible with plugins.
FREE
Nmap
nmap.org
Industry-standard network mapper. OS detection, service version scanning, scripting engine.
PAID TIER
Fing Desktop
fing.com
Network discovery and device identification with vendor lookup. Clean UI, great for quick audits.
PAID TIER
SoftPerfect Network Scanner
softperfect.com
Fast multi-threaded LAN scanner with shared resource detection, remote WMI, and Wake-on-LAN.
PAID TIER
Slitheris Network Discovery
slitheris.com
Passive agentless LAN discovery — finds devices without pinging them. Great for stealthy audits.
FREE
NETworkManager
networkmanager.dev
Windows GUI for network connections, IP config, WiFi, VPN, ping, and traceroute in one place.
PAID TIER
NetworkMiner
netresec.com
Network forensics tool. Reconstructs files, credentials, and sessions from captured PCAP files.
PAID TIER
PingPlotter (Free)
pingplotter.com
Visualizes every hop between you and a destination with latency graphs over time.
FREE
The Dude (MikroTik)
mikrotik.com
Free network monitoring and topology mapper. Auto-discovers devices and draws your network map.
FREE
SNMPB
sourceforge.net
SNMP browser and MIB walker. Query and browse SNMP-enabled devices graphically.
FREE
PuTTY
putty.org
Classic SSH, Telnet, and serial terminal client for Windows. Rock-solid and universally trusted.
FREE
mRemoteNG
mremoteng.org
Multi-protocol remote connection manager. RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet — all in one tabbed window.
PAID TIER
GlassWire (Free)
glasswire.com
Visual network monitor showing per-app bandwidth. Alerts on new or suspicious connections.
FREE
Fiddler Classic
telerik.com
HTTP/HTTPS web debugging proxy. Inspect, modify, and replay web traffic. Great for API work.
FREE
WifiInfoView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Detailed info on all nearby wireless networks — channel, signal, security type, vendor.
FREE
Speedtest by Ookla
speedtest.net
Fast and reliable internet speed, latency, and jitter testing. Desktop app version.
🛡️Security
PAID TIER
Malwarebytes Free
malwarebytes.com
On-demand malware scanner and remover. Excellent at catching threats traditional AV misses.
FREE
VirusTotal (web)
virustotal.com
Upload any file or URL and scan against 70+ antivirus engines simultaneously. No install needed.
FREE
Autoruns
sysinternals / microsoft
The most comprehensive Windows startup manager available. Spot malware persistence instantly.
FREE
Process Explorer
sysinternals / microsoft
See exactly which files, registry keys, and DLLs every process uses. Task Manager on steroids.
FREE
ESET SysInspector
eset.com
Deep system snapshot — processes, registry, drivers, network connections — for forensic comparison.
FREE
KeePass
keepass.info
Offline, open-source password manager. AES-256 encrypted local database — no cloud, no fees.
PAID TIER
Bitwarden
bitwarden.com
Open-source password manager with free cloud sync. Best free tier in the category, fully audited.
FREE
VeraCrypt
veracrypt.fr
Full-disk and container encryption. TrueCrypt successor — actively maintained and independently audited.
FREE
BrowsingHistoryView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Reads browser history from Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and IE into a unified timeline. Great for forensics.
FREE
LastActivityView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Reconstructs a timeline of user activity from event logs, prefetch, MRU lists, and shell bags.
FREE
RegistryChangesView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Compare before/after registry snapshots to see exactly what an installer or malware changed.
FREE
Product Key Scanner (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Scan and recover Windows and software license keys from local and remote machines.
FREE
ClamAV
clamav.net
Open-source antivirus engine. Ideal for scripted/automated scanning pipelines and server environments.
🖥️System
FREE
WinDirStat
windirstat.net
Disk usage visualizer with treemap — instantly see what is consuming your storage space.
FREE
Rufus
rufus.ie
Create bootable USB drives from ISO images. Fast, reliable, supports Windows and Linux ISOs.
FREE
Ventoy
ventoy.net
Create a multi-boot USB — just copy ISOs to the drive and pick one at boot. No reflashing needed.
FREE
CrystalDiskInfo
crystalmark.info
Monitor drive health via S.M.A.R.T. Get early warning of impending disk failure.
FREE
CPU-Z
cpuid.com
Detailed CPU, RAM, motherboard, and GPU information. The go-to hardware identification tool.
PAID TIER
HWMonitor
cpuid.com
Real-time temperature, fan speed, and voltage readings from every sensor in your system.
FREE
PowerToys
github.com / microsoft
Microsoft power-user toolkit — FancyZones, PowerRename, Run launcher, Color Picker, and more.
FREE
BGInfo
sysinternals / microsoft
Display hostname, IP, OS version on the desktop wallpaper. Essential for server rooms and labs.
PAID TIER
MemTest86
memtest86.com
Bootable RAM diagnostic tool. Essential for diagnosing memory errors and system instability.
FREE
DevManView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Alternative device manager with full driver version details and remote machine support.
FREE
WinCrashReport (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Analyze Windows crash dumps and BSOD reports in a readable format — no debugger skills needed.
FREE
FolderChangesView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Watch any folder in real-time and see every file created, modified, or deleted.
FREE
FileActivityWatch (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
Shows which processes are reading and writing which files in real-time. Useful for I/O diagnostics.
FREE
WinUpdatesView (NirSoft)
nirsoft.net
View the full history of installed Windows updates with date, KB number, and status.
🧰Utilities
FREE
7-Zip
7-zip.org
Free, open-source archiver with excellent compression ratios. Handles ZIP, 7z, RAR, ISO and more.
FREE
VLC
videolan.org
Plays literally every video and audio format. No codecs needed. Lightweight, fast, zero bloat.
FREE
LibreOffice
libreoffice.org
Full-featured free office suite — Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw. Open-source Microsoft Office alternative.
FREE
ShareX
getsharex.com
Powerful screenshot, annotation, and screen recording tool. Dozens of capture modes and upload workflows.
FREE
Everything
everything-search.com
Instant file search across your entire drive. Finds anything in milliseconds — no indexing wait.
FREE
OBS Studio
obsproject.com
Free, open-source screen recording and live streaming. Used by professionals worldwide.
FREE
AutoHotkey
autohotkey.com
Windows automation scripting. Remap keys, create macros, automate repetitive UI tasks.
FREE
GIMP
gimp.org
GNU Image Manipulation Program — full-featured free image editor for photo retouching and graphics.
PAID TIER
Obsidian (Free)
obsidian.md
Local-first Markdown notes app. Build a personal knowledge base with backlinks and graph view.
FREE
CherryTree
giuspen.net
Hierarchical note-taking app with rich text, syntax-highlighted code nodes, and SQLite storage.
FREE
Audacity
audacityteam.org
Free multi-track audio editor. Record, edit, apply effects, and export to any format.
FREE
Sumatra PDF
sumatrapdfreader.org
Blazing-fast, minimal PDF and ebook reader. No toolbars, no nonsense — just fast rendering.