# Best Software for Network Diagramming?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 2, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943 "2009-03-02T00:31:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943/1 "2009-03-02T00:31:27Z")

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Hi all -

I’m looking for something besides Visio (or at least the right image pack for Visio) that allows typical network diagrams to be drawn.

I’m not all that interested in putting PCs and the like on the diagram, just switches, routers, and maybe the occasional server.

Standard Cisco stuff, really. Just can’t find anything that doesn’t suck.

-Joe

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**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943/2 "2009-03-02T00:46:46Z")

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Since I’m not familiar with Visio, I’m not sure what its capabilities are – so I don’t know if this will be way too rudimentary to be useful. But I’ve used [Dia](http://live.gnome.org/Dia) for flowcharting and the like and I know they have standard Cisco icons. For actual layout, I’ve heard a lot people speak highly of [GraphViz](http://www.graphviz.org/); never used it myself.

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**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943/3 "2009-03-02T00:48:27Z")

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Just curious – why not Visio? It’s all I’ve ever used and since Microsoft bought it a few years back, it’s much easier to use…

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**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943/4 "2009-03-02T01:29:33Z")

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> [@DudleyGarrett](#):
>
> Just curious – why not Visio? It’s all I’ve ever used and since Microsoft bought it a few years back, it’s much easier to use…

Well, that’s why I also mentioned the default packs for them, because it seems all I can find for it are crap. And a single switch/hub icon, stuff like that.

I’d like some specificity.

-Joe

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**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-for-network-diagramming/487943/5 "2009-03-02T02:01:20Z")

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> [@Merijeek](#):
>
> Well, that’s why I also mentioned the default packs for them, because it seems all I can find for it are crap. And a single switch/hub icon, stuff like that.
> 
> I’d like some specificity.
> 
> -Joe

Have you gone to the equipment manufacturers’ sites? I remember when what you’re describing was a huge pain, but a lot of vendors offer the Visio stencils for free now.