Mininet vs NetSim by Tetcos

Mininet is a free network emulator that creates virtual hosts, switches, controllers and links on one machine. Its hosts run standard Linux network software on the real Linux kernel and network stack, while switches support OpenFlow. The project describes uses including research, development, learning, prototyping, testing and debugging, including experiments with SDN systems using OpenFlow and P4. A topology-aware and OpenFlow-aware command-line interface supports debugging and network-wide tests. Users can select parameterized topologies or create custom ones, and an extensible Python API supports network creation and experimentation. Mininet networks can connect to real networks, and code developed in Mininet can move to real systems with minimal changes. Installation options include a pre-packaged virtual machine, native installation from source and packages for recent Ubuntu or Debian 11 and later; Fedora support is experimental. Mininet depends on the Linux kernel, while its VM can run through VMware or VirtualBox on Mac, Windows and Linux. Its networks are constrained by a single server's CPU and bandwidth, and it cannot currently run non-Linux-compatible OpenFlow switches or applications. Mininet is released under a permissive BSD open source license.

NetSim by Tetcos is a packet-level, discrete-event simulator and emulator for wired and wireless communication networks. It models end-to-end 5G and 6G systems with gNB, UE, 5G Core, MIMO, beamforming, network slicing, and configurable propagation. Each 5G stack layer includes C source code that users can modify for custom protocols, while an external Python interface supports automation, AI/ML workflows, and runtime control. Standard and Pro editions interface with Python, MATLAB, SUMO, and Wireshark. The Emulator connects simulations with real hardware and live applications, applying configured delay, loss, and error conditions. NetSim Cyber adds network and attack emulation for power-system cyber-physical testbeds and interfaces with listed power-system tools. Licensing can remain local through on-premises floating deployment, and cloud licensing exchanges only handshake data. NetSim runs on Windows; emulator setup specifies a dedicated Windows 10 or 11 machine.