How to Capture Network Logs in chrome://net-internals

Capturing network logs in Chrome’s built-in diagnostic tool, chrome://net-internals, is an essential technique for developers, IT professionals, and cloud users looking to troubleshoot network-related issues, analyze web traffic, and optimize performance. This knowledgebase article explains what chrome://net-internals is, why capturing network logs is useful, and provides a detailed step-by-step guide on how to capture, export, and use these logs effectively in the context of Cyfuture Cloud.

What is chrome://net-internals?

chrome://net-internals is a powerful diagnostic interface within the Google Chrome browser that allows users to monitor Chrome’s network activity in great detail. It provides comprehensive insights into various aspects of network operations, such as resource loading, DNS resolution, socket connections, HTTP/2 sessions, and more. The tool is particularly valuable for diagnosing slow page loads, failed connections, DNS lookup problems, and understanding how data flows through Chrome’s network stack.

Some of the key sections within chrome://net-internals include:

DNS: Displays DNS cache entries, domain resolutions, and their statuses.

Sockets: Shows active and idle TCP socket connections.

Connections: Lists all active HTTP/HTTPS connections and their states.

Events: Logs detailed network events in real-time, such as requests, responses, and errors.

HTTP/2, QUIC, Cache, Reporting: Provide detailed views of protocol-specific sessions, caching mechanisms, and network error logs.

This tool is mainly designed for real-time monitoring and debugging. However, the logs held in memory are temporary and will be lost if Chrome is closed, so exporting logs is critical for analysis or sharing with support teams.

Why Capture Network Logs?

Capturing network logs allows users to:

Troubleshoot and diagnose connectivity issues affecting web applications.

Analyze network performance and pinpoint bottlenecks.

Identify failed DNS lookups or slow resource loading.

Share detailed network activity with developers or Cyfuture Cloud support for faster problem resolution.

Monitor and optimize cloud application performance hosted on Cyfuture infrastructure.

Step-by-Step Guide to Capture Network Logs in chrome://net-internals

Follow these steps to capture and export network logs for troubleshooting with Cyfuture Cloud:

1. Open Chrome and Access chrome://net-internals

Launch Google Chrome.

Type chrome://net-internals in the address bar and press Enter.

The Net Internals interface will load, presenting various tabs such as DNS, Sockets, Events, etc.

2. Navigate to the “Events” Tab to Start Capturing Logs

Click on the Events tab in the top menu. This tab logs network events in real time.

Depending on your troubleshooting needs, you may also choose the DNS tab for DNS-related captures.

3. Start Capturing Network Activity

Look for a Start Logging or Capture button (if available) and click it to begin recording the network events.

If the interface doesn’t provide an explicit capture button, the Events tab will log network activity as it happens automatically.

4. Reproduce the Network Issue

Open a new tab in Chrome and navigate or interact with the web application or site hosted on Cyfuture Cloud that you want to inspect.

Perform actions that trigger the network behavior or issue you want to analyze (page load, data fetch, API calls).

5. Stop Capturing Logs

Return to the chrome://net-internals tab.

Click on the Stop Logging or Stop button to halt data capture once you have replicated the problem sufficiently.

6. Export the Network Logs

Find and click the Export button at the top-right corner of the Net Internals UI.

Choose a location to save the exported file. The logs are typically saved in JSON format.

This file contains detailed, structured network event data for further inspection or sharing.

How to Use Exported Logs

Once you have exported the network logs as a JSON file, you can:

Manually review the log in a text editor or JSON viewer for specific errors or timing details.

Share logs with Cyfuture Cloud support or your development team for advanced troubleshooting.

Import logs into external tools like HAR analyzers or Chrome’s net-export tool for visualization and deeper analysis.

Important Notes and Tips

The logs captured by chrome://net-internals are stored temporarily in memory only, so make sure to export them before closing Chrome.

For broader network logging, Chrome now encourages the use of chrome://net-export, which offers more advanced logging options and easier log generation.

The captured logs do not contain persistent network data. For persistent DNS cache, you can visit chrome://dns.

When sharing logs publicly, be cautious as they may contain sensitive information like URLs and IP addresses. Consider redacting or sharing securely.

Alternative: Using chrome://net-export for Network Logs

Google Chrome has gradually shifted network logging toward the chrome://net-export tool:

Navigate to chrome://net-export/

Click Start Logging to Disk

Reproduce your network issue

Click Stop Logging and save the resulting JSON file

This method provides more complete and exportable logs and might be preferred for detailed troubleshooting scenarios.

How Cyfuture Cloud Benefits from Network Logs

For users of Cyfuture Cloud, capturing network diagnostics via chrome://net-internals or chrome://net-export enables quicker diagnosis of cloud-hosted application issues, optimization of network communications, and collaboration with Cyfuture support. This transparency helps ensure smooth, performant access to cloud resources and enhances troubleshooting efficiency.

Mastering how to capture Chrome network logs empowers Cyfuture Cloud users to proactively manage and resolve network issues. Follow the above guide to capture precise log data, streamline your network troubleshooting processes, and collaborate effectively with developers or Cyfuture support teams for your cloud environment.

If additional assistance is required, Cyfuture Cloud support is available to help analyze network logs and optimize cloud connectivity based on your captured data.