Enable the Windows SNMP Service

To retrieve information from a Windows device via SNMP it must be configured to generate SNMP messages and this may be achieved by enabling the SNMP service on the target device. Depending on the configuration of the Operating System on the target device it may be necessary to install the SNMP Service first.

Install the SNMP Service

Windows Server (2022, 2019, 2016)

  1. Open Server Manager.
  2. Select Add roles and features > Features.
  3. Tick the checkbox next to Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

    • (and optionally SNMP WMI Providers for querying SNMP devices via WMI).

  4. Click Next > Install.

Windows 11

  1. Click Start > Settings > System > Optional Features.
  2. Select the View features button in the Add an optional feature tile.
  3. Type snmp into the search field.
  4. Tick the checkbox next to Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
    • (and optionally SNMP WMI Providers for querying SNMP devices via WMI).
  5. Click Next > Install.

Windows 10

  1. Click Start > Settings > System > Optional Features.
  2. Select the Add a feature button.
  3. Type snmp into the search field.
  4. Tick the checkbox next to Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
    • (and optionally SNMP WMI Providers for querying SNMP devices via WMI).
  5. Click Add.

Enable the SNMP Service

  1. Open the Services Console (Start, Run (or Search box), services.msc).
  2. Right-click the SNMP Service and choose Properties from the menu.
  3. In the General tab choose Automatic as the Startup Type.
  4. Navigate to the Security tab.
  5. Enable Send authentication trap this will generate an alert if authentication fails
  6. Click Add under Accepted community names.
  7. Choose the Community rights (essentially the permissions level) from the drop-down and enter a Community Name (this functions like a password to authenticate access for any SNMP queries) in the relevant field. For example, Community Rights: Read Only Community Name: public.
  8. Add once configured
  9. You can then specify whether to Accept SNMP packets from any host or only Accept SNMP packets from these host. Click Add to enter a Host name, IP or IPX address, then Add again to save.

    10. As a security precaution we recommend you choose Accept SNMP packets from these hosts and enter the information for devices that will be running queries against this computer.

  10. OK out of the dialog to save and apply

Depending on the configuration of the Operating System. It may be necessary to run the services.msc command from an elevated command prompt to access the Security tab. Right-click the Windows Command Processor, choose Run as Administrator then enter services.msc

To ensure the successful retrieval of information from the computer, ensure the HostName/IP Address and Community name used for the SNMP service corresponds to that entered in the monitoring system. For example in the SNMP Advanced Settings section of the SNMP Check, the SNMP Network Device section of the Bandwidth Monitoring Check and the SNMP Community String section for Network Discovery.