Techniques for network based triggering in an instrument system that enable instruments to effectively signal events without hardwired trigger lines. An instrument system 100 according to the present teachings includes a first instrument and a second instrument coupled to a local area network. The first instrument is capable of performing an action in response to an event that is signaled by the second instrument. The second instrument signals the event to the first instrument by transferring a trigger message 60 via the local area network.