Limiting and/or Monitoring Bandwidth

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gdb31

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Wannabe Geek

#154745 6-Nov-2014 12:51

Hi All,

I was wondering if there was a program that can limit and/or monitor bandwidth used on my homes network or if I can set up my router to do the same.

I don't have the router make and model details on me as i'm at work but will post when i get home

Since my brother in law got a Xbox One we seem to be going through our data very quickly so I'd like to confirm if it is the Xbox using it all up and if possible limit the speed or at least limit the speed once so much data is used.

Things on the network using the internet are:

Xbox One - Connected by cable
Xbox 360 - Connected by cable
PC - Connected by cable
iPad - Connected by WiFi
Blueray player - Connected by Wifi
Surface tablet - Connected by Wifi
2 iPhones - Connected by Wifi

Cheers

BigPipeNZ

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BigPipe

#1169971 6-Nov-2014 13:05

the easiest solution is probably going to be to switch to an unlimited plan. (like with bigpipe!) :)

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xpd

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#1169974 6-Nov-2014 13:10

If youve got spare old PC, setup something like Untangle on it - then you can see whats using data etc.

Xbox One will only consume what you ask it to...... so if hes streaming a lot of video etc, then obviously expect a hike in usage. Same with gaming - I havent played any m/player games on XBoxOne yet so dont know how the server side of things is handled, but maybe hes hosting games, which uses more data.

XPD / Gavin

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BigPipeNZ

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BigPipe

#1170001 6-Nov-2014 13:33

xpd: If youve got spare old PC, setup something like Untangle on it - then you can see whats using data etc.

Xbox One will only consume what you ask it to...... so if hes streaming a lot of video etc, then obviously expect a hike in usage. Same with gaming - I havent played any m/player games on XBoxOne yet so dont know how the server side of things is handled, but maybe hes hosting games, which uses more data.

playing multiplayer doesn't use very much data, but digital downloads and game patches can be extremely hefty on current gen consoles.

40GB is not uncommon for a single game or patch.

I still say switch to an unlimited plan (most ISPs have one, or you could switch to us :P ) . You'll be much happier and so will the rest of your household.

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timbosan

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#1170019 6-Nov-2014 13:54

xpd: If youve got spare old PC, setup something like Untangle on it - then you can see whats using data etc.

Xbox One will only consume what you ask it to...... so if hes streaming a lot of video etc, then obviously expect a hike in usage. Same with gaming - I havent played any m/player games on XBoxOne yet so dont know how the server side of things is handled, but maybe hes hosting games, which uses more data.

I second using Untangle - I have used it for years. It is free, just needs a PC with 2 network cards, and bugger all configuring. It will then create daily/weekly/monthly reports by device/protocol/etc. It is has a ad-blocker built in, along with porn/gambling filters, which can help reduce data usage.

Of course I am also with BigPipe and have unlimited usage, so don't need to worry too much, but its interesting to see what/who uses the most data.

qyiet

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#1170069 6-Nov-2014 15:06

I can get some rough figures out of my wifi stats because I have unifi APs logging stuff. (ignore that skypephone thing.. it seems to love clogging the wifi with local traffic)

So my XB1 is the 2nd highest real user of data, with 1.3 TB downloaded since I got it. Pretty much all internet data too.. nothing to a file server or internal streaming. Kryten is my PC, and it's a fair bit older than the xbox, and it WILL have been offloading data to the file server. So XB1 has been available for approx. a year, so a little over 100GB a month is what by XB1 has been using as a heavy user.

I second the bigpipe guys.. lose the data cap, it can be cheap as hell, then you don't have to care. Hell VF will give you low end unlimited volume fiber for $75/month if you have one of their cellphones.

Warning: reality may differ from above post

gdb31

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1170256 6-Nov-2014 18:56

Thanks for the replies guys.

I would love to change provider but then again....we get 80gb, home phone and cable tv for $130.00 a month through VF (dislike VF but it was the best deal when the contract was up for renewal).

I don't know what the Brother in law is doing with his Xbox, he probably has been downloading car packs for Forza and for all I know hosting games and he wouldn't even realize he was doing it.

Myself and my partner struggle to even use 40gb if 20gb infact.

Don't have a spare PC around and dont want something else consuming power 24/7 to monitor usage.

Our Router is a Netcomm NF5. Surely there would be a way to trace what a particular MAC address is using so we can charge the bro in law accordingly if he goes over our allocated data??

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qyiet

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#1170457 7-Nov-2014 08:35

Took a quick look at the router specs, it does have some SNMP reporting, but you'd be back at needing something for it to report to.. which you'd do better with an untangle box. All of which ends up spending a bunch of money/time/effort to save $20/month (the difference in cost between a VF 80gb cap and unlimited plans)

Warning: reality may differ from above post

nitrotech

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#1170500 7-Nov-2014 09:21

The fritzbox does exactly what you're after - you can set a limit per day per device and show you how much they've used at any particular time. Sorry don't know of any way to do it on the NF4V.

NonprayingMantis

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#1170508 7-Nov-2014 09:27

gdb31: Thanks for the replies guys.

I would love to change provider but then again....we get 80gb, home phone and cable tv for $130.00 a month through VF (dislike VF but it was the best deal when the contract was up for renewal).

I don't know what the Brother in law is doing with his Xbox, he probably has been downloading car packs for Forza and for all I know hosting games and he wouldn't even realize he was doing it.

Myself and my partner struggle to even use 40gb if 20gb infact.

Don't have a spare PC around and dont want something else consuming power 24/7 to monitor usage.

Our Router is a Netcomm NF5. Surely there would be a way to trace what a particular MAC address is using so we can charge the bro in law accordingly if he goes over our allocated data??

that's actually not that good a price. Just because you bundle something together doesn't necessarily make it cheaper - especially if some of the stuff in the bundle is stuff you don't even need.

Have a look around, and consider what you actually need (i.e. do you actually need a homeline? are you sure? if you don't have sky sport, do you actually need Sky/cable TV or would you be better off with Freeview plus some combination of Lightbox/Netflix/iTunes ).

Especially so if you are using more data and paying overage each month.

chevrolux

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#1170514 7-Nov-2014 09:32

My cable package is only $65 for 80GB on the 130/10 speed.

But anyway.... check your router is an open dns resolver (google it)- with cable being static IP's a bot will just keep hammering your connection if it gets replies and because your IP never changes it is hard to get rid of them. Also check for stuff doing updates, some xbox updates are fairly sizable.

Ragnor

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#1170870 7-Nov-2014 14:02

80GB probably isn't enough, look at some of the download/game sizes for Xbox One titles:

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag - 20GB
Battlefield 4 - 33GB
Call of Duty: Ghosts - 39GB
etc

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=711802

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timmmay

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#1170875 7-Nov-2014 14:13

nitrotech: The fritzbox does exactly what you're after - you can set a limit per day per device and show you how much they've used at any particular time. Sorry don't know of any way to do it on the NF4V.

Where in the Fritz control panel do you find that?

I just discovered the Fritz can set up a VPN connection... could be handy for streaming :)

gdb31

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1171370 8-Nov-2014 17:04

Going to go with Bigpipe

We barely use our homeline so we will get rid of it as we both have work mobiles with unlimited called.

Will go get a Freeview HD antenna shortly (about to go remove from mother-in-law's house :-D ).

Currently trying to to get through to VF Tech Support as I want them to run a line test to ensure the old copper wire is actually still active...the line going into the house from the power pole looks cut, by the looks of it VF did this during the cable install. I'll post a pic in a min.

Going to lower speed with Bigpipe unfortunately as we can only get ADSL or Cable in our area and Bigpipe don't appear to support it :-( Apparently the best we can get is Fast ADSL.

Here is a speedtest of what we currently get on VF

I will also have to buy a ADSL modem as currently our connection is running through a Cisco DPC3008 that goes into a Netcomm NF5.

P.S. Been on hold to VF now for 29minutes!!! WTF!?!?! Might call them off a VF Business number and see if they answer quicker.

toejam316

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#1171424 8-Nov-2014 18:23

Vodafone is the only one who sells on the cable as it's theirs - if you want high speeds best stick with Vodafone and go unlimited cable, as they've got naked cable (no phone line) for $85, or $75 if you're on account. I suspect you'll be disappointed by ADSL speeds.

Join Quic Broadband with my referral - no sign up fee and gives me account credit

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.