US Cable Support > Comcast HSI > Bandwidth Monitor for Computers-Suggestions?

reply to Rob

Re: Bandwidth Monitor for Computers-Suggestions?

(FireShot capture #1 - '[l33trouter] Bandwidth_ Real-Time' - 192_168_1_1_bwm-real)

(FireShot capture #2 - '[l33trouter] Bandwidth_ Last 24 Hours' - 192_168_1_1_bwm-)

(FireShot capture #3 - '[l33trouter] Bandwidth_ Daily' - 192_168_1_1_bwm-daily_as)

(FireShot capture #4 - '[l33trouter] Bandwidth_ Weekly' - 192_168_1_1_bwm-weekly_)

(FireShot capture #5 - '[l33trouter] Bandwidth_ Monthly' - 192_168_1_1_bwm-monthl)

reply to Unit649
Glad to see all the responses.

From what I've been reading on here though, my newer linksys N router may not be flashable, but I'm looking into it more. I don't really want to mess that router up, that kind of stuff angers the wife

I think for now I may go for a "per computer" solution. I think Comcast is going to have to step up and provide something. I honestly think I don't even get near 100GB a month much less 250, but being that we're here, who knows, maybe I'll find out I use a lot more or less than I think I do. I know I have lan traffic, but its going to be hard to discern that from other traffic without bringing the router into play.

But if this becomes more prevelant, some kind of bandwidth monitoring will become a feature for $20 more, I'm sure, on routers

I'd love to use something like MRTG (I have it on my Linode) but I'd have to build another box, etc etc. Not sure if I want to go that far into it.

Probably will use DuMeter (or the free "equivelent") for those few friends who are already on email paranoid about their usage The one I'm still most worried about is my Mom on Frontier who does nothing much, but likely would cross the 5gb threshold by the sheer amount of time she spends surfing. I hope they really get their collective heads out of their backsides over there, I tell you. Next visit I'm going to have to put something on there and start seeing if its going to be a problem or not.

Thanks again for the suggestions and I hope its helping more people out than just me. I can't honestly believe that "google" was the solution presented by Comcast either-you think they could have listed a few. I doubt their NOC facility is so busy that thy couldn't have taken 5 minutes to post some good ones. But who knows

reply to inferno

Re: Bandwidth Monitor for Computers-Suggestions?

reply to Unit649
I use cacti. I had to turn my granularity to 1minute polling, but other then that, it's fantastic.

reply to Unit649
Ok...got a WRT54GL from Fry's and put Tomato on it. I highly recommend it as well. I have had no issues at all with it so far. The bandwidth monitoring is very nice.

reply to Unit649
The easiest way to monitor Bandwidth is through McAfee Security Center which is provided free by Comcast.

Go to the advanced menu, click on tools and the drop down menu of traffic analysis. It will give you session totals, totals for current month and last month usage.

Of course it will only monitor the computer on which it is installed, and traffic that is monitored by McAfee which should be all traffic on your system. However, it is simple just to add up all traffic for all computers on your network.

I have vonage; it will not monitor that traffic but I think it is minimal usage. Comcast own Digital voice will not be included in the cap.

I use my system everyday and my last month usage was 7.00 GB on my whole network. I consider myself more than a light user, with frequent web surfing, some streaming audio and video; but no gaming, no heavy music or video downloads, or peer to peer. This month, I should approach 14.00 GB, this month, because of more than usual downloads.

I do not consider 250 GB an issue. There has to be some control over excessive use.

reply to thor793
My old one is a GS, which is limited on flashing from what I'm reading. Typical I couldn't have the hardware on hand

Glad to see a reply from someone who heavily surfs and only used 7gb. Course, if the cap is 5.....oops.

Going to have to install one of these on Mom's computer and see whats going on with hers.

Put DU Meter on 2 of my computers tonight, so we will see how it goes. Its been on 3 hours and I've used.....206MB. Been online for about 4 hours since I got home from work, course the download of it wasn't included in that figure.

The month's figures will tell of course, but I didn't think I was honestly using much, cept for when Windows update pops up....

reply to aaronwt

Re: Bandwidth Monitor for Computers-Suggestions?

Using DD-WRT on my current router (WRT54G) but it's a very new model of WRT54G (right before the WRT54G2 I think) and performance is downright crappy.

As such, I'm getting an Asus WL500W in Wednesday. It is also compatible with DD-WRT, however I bought it mostly for the features (onboard BitTorrent, USB storage...it also does pretty well at N routing, with 32 MB of RAM). My question being, using the stock firmware, will WallWatcher work well with the system? If I were to reflash, it'd be to use DD-WRT (would lose a lot of custom stuff though but the mega build does have a lot included) but if not, how could I pull stats off of the router? This is important because I (desktop and laptop) am not the only one using the router (two more computers, XBox 360, Wii).

reply to vxbinco

Open secrity center> advanced view (bottom left corner)> tools (left side menu)> traffic monitor

Unfortunatly I don't find this to be an accurate tool (I'm really unsure what it's monitoring, but I think I have exceeded the 11GB download it shows for this month .)

Got it tshirt, was a couple of layers deeper than I thought it should be. Thanks a lot!

And yes, I'm certain that I've downloaded more than the 1.45GB mine is showing as well... The search for a good monitor continues...

Terry
--
"Sometimes all you can do is just hunker down and take it, like a jackass caught out in a hail storm". LBJ

reply to Unit649
I've been trying DU Meter and like it. Small, unobtrusive. In 24 hours I've logged about 179 MB of traffic on one computer.

Of course, when the trial is up I'll have to decide whether or not to spring for the $19.99 or try a free alternative.
--
For a list of the ways technology has not made life better, please press 3.

reply to Unit649
Has Comcast stated "no available meter"? I'd think it would be accessible the same way my server provider lets me see my traffic. And they offer an email if I approach an amount to me me over the included transfer GB.

Joe

reply to pianotech
Before buying DU Meter, give Netlimiter a try. It's nearly identical and it's free.

»www.metal-machine.de/readerror/

reply to Unit649
I suggest you flas your old GS with a bandwidth monitor and put it between the modem and the N router, this will allow you to test the bandwidth monitor capability without screwing up your N router, I was a long time devotee of dd-wrt but a christmas flash error really annoyed alot of people and causes problem. I am now running Tomato which is Linksys wrt54gs compatible m but you may want to check with dd-wrt to see if there are any extra steps. You need to run router side because you have to remember Wii and PS2 or VOIP data is also counted which isn't going to cut it with a per computer software program. Also, They will not like traffic from the program going to your computer.

If you do as a I said then remember to put the Gs in Gateways mode and the n router in "router mode"

reply to Unit649
Has anyone else that runs DU Meter noticed a memory leak in it? I noticed this morning (I run "sensors view" on my computer thats always on) that I had 27% memory usage. Now I'm up to 37%, and usually it goes up about a percent a day (I reboot it when it gets around 50%). Consumption is up since I installed DU Meter.

Going to have to keep an eye on that. Doesn't matter on my other machines, but 10% a day means rebooting every 3-4 days instead of every 2 weeks. Probably not a real issue, but perhaps it stores the data in memory and doesn't commit it to the disk until its closed?

Interresting.

I appreciate the other suggestions. I didn't think about flashing and using the router as a "go between" just to measure data. That may be a good call. I don't have anything other than XP or Vista computers BTW, so other device 'usage' is not a concern as of yet for me, which is why I was trying DU Meter first.

I wonder if the 'free' just like it one exhibits the memory leak I'm seeing. Might have to check that out if this keeps up.

I wonder if there are devices out there (or may be developed now) that could be placed between the router and the modem just purely for this? Probably not cheap, but with this going on, I'm betting someone develops one now... The more I think of it, the more I'm thinking thats a really good idea. They make firewall appliances like that, I know.... Probably cost too much though. EDIT: I did a search, most are integrated with firewall, and you could pay for a few years Business level with the money you'd spend. Linksys, come up with a cheap one?