How to install and configure SNMP on Windows 11

To install and configure SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) on Windows 11, follow the steps below. SNMP is often used for monitoring and managing network devices, including integration with Auvik.

Install SNMP on Windows 11

Option 1: Using Settings (GUI)

1. Open Settings 

2. Go to System
3. Click on Optional Features.
4. Scroll down and click View features under Add an optional feature.
5. In the search box, type SNMP.

6. Select:
   • Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
   • WMI SNMP Provider
7. Click Add  and wait for the installation to complete.

Option 2: Using PowerShell (preferred for automation)

Run PowerShell as Administrator and enter:

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "SNMP.Client~~~~0.0.1.0"

To verify installation:

Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where-Object Name -like "*SNMP*"

Configure SNMP Service

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.

2. Find and double-click SNMP Service.

3. Set Startup type to Automatic.
4. Under the Security tab:
   • Accepted community names: Click Add.
     • Enter a community string (e.g., public) and set the permission (e.g., READ ONLY).
   • Accept SNMP packets from these hosts:
     • Add Auvik Collector IP.
5. Click Apply and then Start the service if it's not running.

Verify SNMP is Working

You can test SNMP using a tool like:

snmpwalk -v2c -c public localhost

Or use Auvik’s SNMP polling test tool within its discovery interface to confirm communication.

Note: Ensure that any firewall settings allow SNMP traffic on UDP ports 161 and 162.

Security Best Practices

• Avoid using the default public or private community strings in production.
• Restrict SNMP access to trusted IP addresses.
• Use SNMPv3 if available (not supported natively on Windows 11 without third-party tools).