# How do I monitor a network on a budget?

Use what you already own first, then add one sensor where it sees the most. Most firewalls and routers can log blocked and allowed connections and alert on new devices; switch that on and send it to a mailbox you read. Keep a simple device list and compare it with the router's list of connected devices each month. Turn on sign-in alerts in your e-mail and cloud services. Then put one network sensor where traffic converges: a mirror port on the switch that connects to the router or the servers. The NetSenX Free plan covers 3 devices with no time limit, and one agent on a SPAN or TAP port counts as one device for a whole segment, so a small office can start at no cost.

FAQ: [Small business monitoring](https://netsenx.com/en/faq/smb) · https://netsenx.com/en/faq/how-to-monitor-a-network-on-a-budget

## Read next

- https://netsenx.com/en/ndr-for-small-business
- https://netsenx.com/en/pricing

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