IOTA Peer Manager is a free, open-source web interface for managing the neighbors of an IRI node. It is aimed at people who run their own IOTA node and would rather check and adjust peer connections in a browser than in a terminal. The program is a WebUI rather than a full node, so it depends on an IRI instance that is already running.
Before you install it, note the project status. The latest version is 1.0, and the last code update was on December 27, 2017. That makes the project effectively unmaintained, and it may not work well with current IOTA node software. Windows appears in the project documentation, but its support has not been verified, so treat any Windows setup as experimental.
What Is an IRI Node and Why Neighbors Matter
IRI, short for IOTA Reference Implementation, is the original full node software for the IOTA network. A node keeps track of the ledger, checks incoming data, and passes information on to other nodes. The nodes that a node exchanges data with directly are called neighbors.
The quality of those connections affects how quickly a node receives updates. A node with few healthy neighbors may fall behind, while one with unreliable neighbors can waste bandwidth on dropped connections. A peer manager exists to make the neighbor list visible, so an operator can see who is connected and decide what to change.
Who Still Uses a Tool Like IOTA Peer Manager?
Running an IRI node today is mostly a matter of maintaining a legacy setup or studying how the early network was built. People in these situations need a clear picture of their connections more than a feature-rich dashboard.
For example, a developer who rebuilds an older network layout in a test lab could use a peer viewer to confirm which neighbors are attached at any moment. The same tool can also serve as a read-only window into a node that is kept for research. In both cases, the program works best in an isolated environment rather than on a machine that handles real activity.
Key features
Browser-based neighbor view
Command-line configuration
Supported coins
The program is built around IRI, the IOTA node software, rather than around individual coins or wallets. It manages connections for that node, so there is no separate list of supported assets to check.
How to install IOTA peer manager on Windows
- 1
Get the release from GitHub
Download the program only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page. The source code is hosted at github.com/akashgoswami/ipm, and the latest listed version is 1.0. Avoid copies from file-sharing sites or other third-party download pages.
- 2
Verify the file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published alongside the release. If no checksum or signature is published, treat the file as unverified and do not run it.
-
Extract and run
Extract the files to a folder you control, then start the program from a command prompt. Use the options described in the next section to point it at your IRI node and choose the web page address.
How to use IOTA peer manager
The tool is started from the command line and points at a running IRI node. Its usage line includes three options: the IRI API address, the local address and port for the web page, and the refresh interval. Set them before you start, and keep the web page on your own machine.
- Start your IRI node and confirm that its API responds.
- Open a command prompt in the folder where you extracted the program.
- Run the program with the --iri option set to your node's API URL.
- Add --port to set the local address and port for the web page, such as 127.0.0.1 with an unused port number.
- Add --refresh to control how often the neighbor list updates.
- Open the web page in your browser and review the neighbors.
If the page is empty, check that the API address matches your node before changing other settings.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source, with the code available on GitHub
- Three clear options make the command-line setup easy to document
- Shows peer connections in a browser instead of raw API output
- No code updates since 2017, so bugs and compatibility problems are unlikely to be fixed
- Windows support is documented but has not been verified
- Built for IRI only, so it does not help with other node software
Is IOTA peer manager safe?
IOTA Peer Manager does not handle wallets, seed phrases or funds, but it runs a local web page and sits next to a node that may be used for real activity. Download it only from the official website or the project's GitHub page, and never from mirror sites. Verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature before you run the file. Bind the web page to localhost or a private network rather than exposing it to the internet. Never enter a seed phrase on a third-party website. Because the project has not been updated since 2017, treat it as unmaintained software and check the latest version status on the official website before relying on it.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/akashgoswami/ipm. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Among the similar programs in this catalog, PSBT Commander and Subzero cover different ground. PSBT Commander is a Rust tool for creating PSBT files built on BDK, and Subzero focuses on keeping a reserve of bitcoin offline. Neither one manages network peers. Dumplings is a CoinJoin analysis tool, which also falls outside the peer management task. IOTA Peer Manager is narrower than these: it is a viewer for the neighbors of one legacy node type. If you need a broader set of tools, browse the related programs rather than expecting this one to cover everything.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- 1.0
- Last update
- 27 Dec 2017
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/akashgoswami/ipm
Frequently asked questions
It is free and open source, but it has not been updated since 2017. Safety depends mostly on how you install and run it. Download it only from the official website or GitHub, verify the checksum or signature, and keep its web page off the public internet.
Windows is mentioned in the project documentation, but its support has not been verified. Linux is also listed as a platform. If you try it on Windows, test it against a non-production IRI node first and watch for errors.
It is a web interface for viewing and managing the neighbors connected to an IRI node. You start it from the command line and open the page in a browser to see those connections.
Yes, it is free and open source, with its code hosted on GitHub. You can read the source to see how it works before you decide to run it.
Start a running IRI node, then launch the program with the --iri option set to its API address. Optionally add --port and --refresh, and open the local page in your browser to review the neighbors.
No. It does not store keys, send funds or mine anything. It manages peer connections for a node, so it is a network utility rather than a wallet or miner.
Verdict
IOTA Peer Manager suits people who already run an IRI node and want a simple browser view of its neighbors, or who study the early IOTA network. Its free price and open source code are appealing, but the lack of updates since 2017 and unverified Windows support are serious limits. Most readers should treat it as a learning or historical tool and test it in an isolated environment.