Monitor network traffic to each network device

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rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#29356 4-Jan-2009 20:06

Hey guys,

Have got a network with several PCs in it in our house, plus iPhone, VOIP etc.

What im wanting to do is monitor the traffic going to each particular device on the network.

I suspect one flatmate of using a massive amount of bandwidth but he denies it.

Any help would be appreciated :)

Cheers.

The force is strong with this one!

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39 posts

Geek

#187374 4-Jan-2009 21:03

Couple of suggestions, or rather things to look into.
If your router is a Linksys you may be able to change to DD-WRT or Tomato firmware (One of them has bandwidth management)
Or if your router has SNMP then there may be some programs out there that can help you
Failing those two hooking the router upto a linux box. e.g. Smoothwall or similar

Am trying to think of the IPTV show that went into all this (with examples) but my mind has drawn a blank, it's either Tekzilla, Hak5 or Systm. If I find it I'll let you know

Edit/Update Although I haven't found the actual episode I'm thinking of these two may help you out.
Hak5 episode 2x08 goes into DD-WRT and Smoothwall
Systm episode 71 goes through the process of installing and working with the Tomato firmware
Both of these can be found at www.revision3.com or Google ;)

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#187390 4-Jan-2009 21:46

hmmm.

as i suspected, i dont have a spare pc to run the connection through and my router doesnt seem to support monitoring itself.

Ah well.

The force is strong with this one!

Ragnor

8223 posts

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#187416 5-Jan-2009 00:49

What make/model is your router?

You could ask your flatmate to install a bandwidth monitoring application to prove they are not consuming all the cap. Alternatively you could install bandwidth monitoring on all the other machines to prove it's his usage that is the problem.

Popular monitoring software:
- DuMeter
- NetLimiter
- AnalogX NetStat Live

etc

Ausmerica

14 posts

Geek

#187474 5-Jan-2009 12:14

Given that I'm about to move to NZ and have to face the world of capped data plans I had this same need. I ended up buying a second hand Linksys router ($35) and flashed it with the DD-WRT firmware.

It works like a charm. Provides instantaneous bandwidth monitoring for LAN (wired and wireless seperately) and WAN side as well as inbound and outbound logging.

Highly recomend this approach.

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#187597 5-Jan-2009 17:16

router=Belkin wireless G router. Not overly great but does the job.

I could install the software on the pc in his room- it is mine!!!

However, I dont want to behave like a prick about the situation.

Will any of the software mentioned allow me to view his usage from my pc? I guess i could be cunning and set it up on there when he is out and set the folder to shared.

The force is strong with this one!

Ausmerica

14 posts

Geek

#187648 5-Jan-2009 21:37

The dd-wrt supported devices list is here, several Belkin models are compatible:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

DD-WRT would allow you to remote monitor his bandwidth, as well as limit it using the QoS features: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Quality_of_Service

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#188449 9-Jan-2009 19:32

aha
it would seem my router does support QOS as it has a setting in there to turn it on.

OK. So...what do i do to set monitoring up?

I dont really want to set priorities as such yet, just monitor who is using what.

The force is strong with this one!

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

gwilym

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#189366 13-Jan-2009 22:19

Hi Ausamerica... so just to clarify - does DD-WRT allow you to set a traffic limit for a user/MAC address ? IE 100mb per day or similar?

Many thanks in advance...

rossmnz

507 posts

Ultimate Geek

#189401 14-Jan-2009 00:09

so my belkin is a F5D7230-4 6000 and it seems to support DD-WRT firmware.

not exactly sure which one i need. Think mine has 16mb onboard memory which in theory should allow for the full version of the program as a pose to the mini or micro.

What exactly do i need to do to flash the router, and is it complicated to set up DD-WRT on the router itself?

Will i still have the same setup as i do now?

The force is strong with this one!

Ausmerica

14 posts

Geek

#189405 14-Jan-2009 00:57

Gwilym: Looks like there is a commercial add-on to support that:

http://shop.dd-wrt.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=31

Gwilym & Rossmzn:

DD-WRT has very good documentation, a couple of places to start:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Access_Restrictions#Denying_Internet_Access

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Quality_of_Service

JP

jevvv

some call me @jevvv
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#458682 14-Apr-2011 12:56

So now it is over two years later, and the Tomato system doesn't seem to work with the newer modem/routers available here in NZ.... DD-WRT seems to be a great idea, if you can track down modem/routers that it can be installed on, which are AFFORDABLE!

<- don't ask me where I am - I haven't a clue: its a tech thing ;)
Housewife computerer: not particularly great at either.
And don't take me too seriously.

timmmay

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#458726 14-Apr-2011 13:39

DD-Wrt works on both my routers. One's the old Linksys 54GL, the other's a new D-Link DIR-615. The D-Link works fine as a WAP and access point for my TV and PS3.

jevvv

some call me @jevvv
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#458740 14-Apr-2011 14:03

Thanks for the response timmay.

I'm actually needing a modem router not just a router. Our old one is very iffy, and requires restarts too often :(

The DIR615 looks like a great device.

<- don't ask me where I am - I haven't a clue: its a tech thing ;)
Housewife computerer: not particularly great at either.
And don't take me too seriously.

Ausmerica

14 posts

Geek

#458741 14-Apr-2011 14:07

Consider going to separate modem/router.

Lots of routers supported by dd-wrt:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices#Supported_Devices

timmmay

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#458742 14-Apr-2011 14:07

I have no idea if DD-wrt supports modem routers. If you need DD-wrt it might be easier to buy seperate modems and routers, or even buy a modem/router for you to use, with either a wired connection or your own password, then another pure WAP running DD-WRT for others to use. I have two WAPs at home, it works fine, just run them on channels at opposite ends of the spectrum.

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