Monitor home internet usage
My inlaws recently got a notice from their ISP stating that they are going over their limit. I'm trying to set something up to help them monitor usage, possibly down to giving everyone in the family or every device (whichever is easier / better) a unique login or identifier. The idea being that they can track who or what is causing the overage.
Right now, they have a basic wireless router, but I can lend them a server if that would help. It currently has Windows 2003 on it, but I can wipe it and install Linux on it. I'm just much more familiar with Windows.
Right now, they have a basic wireless router, but I can lend them a server if that would help. It currently has Windows 2003 on it, but I can wipe it and install Linux on it. I'm just much more familiar with Windows.
Martin Liss
Here's one of several options.
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This would cover most things but they also have portable media players, an Xbox 360, and a Roku device for streaming Netflix.
Who is their ISP? Maybe they have something.
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Suddenlink (http://www.suddenlink.com/) They have a monitoring tool that will let them know as they approach their limit but I was hoping to be able to tell them why they're going over their limit. Is one of the computers downloading too much? Are they streaming too many NetFlix movies? That sort of thing.
I'm thinking a MAC address based solution will probably be best so that we can tell if a device is using more bandwidth than others. A login based solution would also work (each person gets their own login), but I don't know what to do about the XBOX 360 and the Roku in that case.
I'm thinking a MAC address based solution will probably be best so that we can tell if a device is using more bandwidth than others. A login based solution would also work (each person gets their own login), but I don't know what to do about the XBOX 360 and the Roku in that case.
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Frosty555 and MartinLiss, thanks for the advice. The wireless is locked down (WPA, I believe) so I doubt it's the neighbors. I'm guessing it's one of the kids, but was hoping to monitor usage so that it's conclusive and the solution would be knock it off or pay for your own internet. :) After all, with multiple people, each can claim they were only part of the problem. I'm also honestly not sure how much Netflix streaming they do. They also have two computers which have online backup through Crashplan.
I'm familiar with Routing and Remote Access, so I'll probably offer them that solution if they want it. I'm just not sure how to either track traffic by MAC address or make sure that the MAC address always gets the same IP address. Sounds like regular monitoring software would just track total usage and not split it apart by IP/MAC address. Is there a way to do that with the logs from Routing and Remote Access or something else?
I'm also planning on suggesting they use OpenDNS so they can filter proxies/anonymizers and P2P. If they do that and usage plummets, it'll be pretty obvious that it wasn't the online backup or NetFlix streaming.
I'm familiar with Routing and Remote Access, so I'll probably offer them that solution if they want it. I'm just not sure how to either track traffic by MAC address or make sure that the MAC address always gets the same IP address. Sounds like regular monitoring software would just track total usage and not split it apart by IP/MAC address. Is there a way to do that with the logs from Routing and Remote Access or something else?
I'm also planning on suggesting they use OpenDNS so they can filter proxies/anonymizers and P2P. If they do that and usage plummets, it'll be pretty obvious that it wasn't the online backup or NetFlix streaming.
Use Routerboard device:
http://routerboard.com/
You can see usage graph,you can see live packet TX & RX including source and destination.You can limit bandwidth for each individual MAC including configuring firewall etc.
http://routerboard.com/
You can see usage graph,you can see live packet TX & RX including source and destination.You can limit bandwidth for each individual MAC including configuring firewall etc.
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rigan123, looks like the http://routerboard.com/RB250GS would be the cheapest one that would allow limiting of bandwidth by MAC. Am I correct or would they need a more expensive one?
I'm assuming they'd rather do a free solution, but this solution would be pretty easy and could be used to back up the "knock it off".
I'm assuming they'd rather do a free solution, but this solution would be pretty easy and could be used to back up the "knock it off".
RB250GS is a managed Gigabit Switch.Please check Routerboard section.Those are routers and have bandwidth managing capability in various ways:
Choose any of the following based on your requirements (some have wireless card and gigabit port) :
RB2011L, RB711-2HnD, RB411GL, RB411UAHL, RB433L, RB433UAHL, RB433GL, RB411L, RB411, RB411AH, RB411AR, RB411U, B411UAHR, RB433, RB433AH, RB433UAH, RB435G, RB450, RB450G, RB493, RB493AH, RB493G, RB711-2Hn, RB711UA-2HnD, RB711-5Hn, RB711-5Hn-U, RB711-5HnD, RB711G-5HnD, RB711UA-5HnD, RB711GA-5HnD, RB800
I used few of these and have good performance.Currently I'm using RB433AH and I assigned bandwidth on each individual IP.Moreover I made all ARP static.So, there's no way to use internet if someone changes his MAC.
However there is hotspot option too and you could configure hotspot and set bandwithd against individual MAC.
Here is the manual of all configurations:
http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:TOC
Choose any of the following based on your requirements (some have wireless card and gigabit port) :
RB2011L, RB711-2HnD, RB411GL, RB411UAHL, RB433L, RB433UAHL, RB433GL, RB411L, RB411, RB411AH, RB411AR, RB411U, B411UAHR, RB433, RB433AH, RB433UAH, RB435G, RB450, RB450G, RB493, RB493AH, RB493G, RB711-2Hn, RB711UA-2HnD, RB711-5Hn, RB711-5Hn-U, RB711-5HnD, RB711G-5HnD, RB711UA-5HnD, RB711GA-5HnD, RB800
I used few of these and have good performance.Currently I'm using RB433AH and I assigned bandwidth on each individual IP.Moreover I made all ARP static.So, there's no way to use internet if someone changes his MAC.
However there is hotspot option too and you could configure hotspot and set bandwithd against individual MAC.
Here is the manual of all configurations:
http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:TOC
ASKER
Ah, I misunderstood. Looks like it will be at least $39 for a routerboard plus $19 for an enclosure, plus $9 for a power adapter. Doubt they'll want to spend $69 on this problem if there's a way to do it for free using a Windows 2003 or Linux server.
The alternate way is to download Routerborad OS and install into a pc which has at least 2 NIC.
http://www.mikrotik.com/download.html
You also need to check about license.
http://www.mikrotik.com/download.html
You also need to check about license.
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rigan123, looks like the Captive Portal software would require a login, which the xbox360 and the Roku wouldn't be able to handle, so I'm going to offer the RouterBoard router as an option.
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Based on my searching and the lack of responses, I'm going to assume that there's nothing out of the box with Routing and Remote Access or free to measure bandwidth by MAC address.
Sounds like "knock it off" option has been implemented and I'll be recommending OpenDNS filtering to block P2P and other stuff with an option for the RB750 from RouterBoard.
Sounds like "knock it off" option has been implemented and I'll be recommending OpenDNS filtering to block P2P and other stuff with an option for the RB750 from RouterBoard.