Measuring internet usage?

I'm on a local WISP for internet service, connected to a Cradlepoint router on my end. I'm not very knowledgable about 'net, but am wondering if there is an "easy" way to measure how much data I'm actually using? The reason for this is because the WISP service is expensive and slow (%100/m for 5 Mbps). AT&T Wireless service is the other option, providing 35 Mbps service, but gets really expensive as it's measured in 5 GB blocks. I think about $130/mo for 30 GB. So, since I don't know how much I'm using now, it's difficult to see if it might be worth changing. (Of course, I realize I'd probably use more if the service was faster.)

Reply to
Charlie Hoffpauir
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Per Charlie Hoffpauir:

My router keeps track of that and has a web page where it is displayed.

Different routers... different capabilities... but it's probably worth looking into.

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)

Any particular model Cradelpoint router? When you find the number, check if it supports SNMP. If it does, then you can use any of the the various SNMP monitoring tools to produce traffic graphs. etc...

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Jeff,

It's a MBR-1000. A look at their web site says it was discontinued in

2011. I don't see a statement that it supports SNMP, but then I don't know what SNMP means, either, so I might be missing something that means the same thing.

OK! I opened up the router settings and I find a page under "Tools" for SNMP settings. There are several boxes: Enable on LAN: Enable on WAN: Default port: (161) Get Community Name: (public) Set Community Name: (private) SNMP WAN Inbound Filter: (Allow All) Details: (Allow All)

The settings in parens seem to be the defaults and I guess I could change them, there's nothing in the first two boxes yet.

If I check one or both of the "Enable" boxes, the Inbound filter box allows me to select either Allow All or Deny All.

So my guess as to what to set is check the first two Enable boxes, and leave everything else alone.

Yesterday I downloaded a program called Networx which is supposed to allow recording traffic. I can't yet tell if it's doing it for all the computers, or just mine.

Reply to
Charlie Hoffpauir

Try using DSL Broadband as this is cheap and sometimes unlimited

Reply to
Paul Hanson

Also known as a WRT-384U and Kyocera KR2.

SNMP is listed as a feature in the data sheet.

SNMP is a protocol used to "manage" such devices. Among a zillion other things, it can be used to monitor traffic, 3G/4G signal strength, error rates, etc. All the major operating systems include tools to look at the router traffic using SNMP, usually from the command line. If you want to try these, you'll probably need a MIB (management interface base) file.

Are you running Windoze, OS/X, Linux, Android, or something else?

Yep, you found it. Enable on LAN, Disable on WAN. Port 161 is the standard SNMP port. Community name is a password. Leave the Get Community Name=public but change the Set Community name to something other than private to prevent accidentally changing router settings.

I'm not sure this applies to the MBR1000:

Allow All, for now. If you're worried about security on the LAN side, you will probably want to limit access to parts of the OID tree later.

Networx will do the job as will some of the others that I've listed. I'll admit that setting up SNMP can be a major learning experience. For starters, you're probably better off with a ready-to-play graphics and traffic monitoring program. If doesn't do the trick, I can probably find something that runs SNMP that will do.

Good luck.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

I'd have to relocate about 20 miles to get DSL. There are 4 options for me, Dialup, Satellite, WISP, and Cellular. I've tried all four, sometimes using a couple at the same time. Cellular is by far the fastest but also the most expensive for high usage. WISP is next, a fair blend of speed and cost with unlimited useage. Satellite is a poor third and of couse dialup is next to useless.

Reply to
Charlie Hoffpauir

Here's another way to measure usage. Find a router running DD-WRT. If you're really using 35Mbit/sec service, do NOT use an ancient Linksys WRT54G router. Something faster please: Put the router is series with the ethernet cable going to your various devices. The WAN port should go to one of the Cradlepoint router LAN ports. The various LAN ports on the DD-WRT router should go to your computah. The LAN and WAN Class C IP blocks must be different. For example, if your Cradlepoint is delivering IP addresses in the

192.168.1.xxx range, you'll need to set the DD-WRT LAN range to something like 192.168.7.xxx.

DD-WRT has built in monthly traffic graphs. Here's example of one of mine from 2011: The graph data is saved in NVRAM so it won't be lost with a reboot. It can also be downloaded and saved (one month at a time).

While not the most elegant solution, it does to the job without adding a logging computer to your network, or requiring that a computer be left on all the time to collect traffic data.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Thanks Jeff, I'll give this a try. The 35 Mbps was only a speed test, run using my 4G cell phone. I haven't tried using it as a hotspot and connecting the computer to it (which is more like what it would be if I go to the AT&T service.... or morel likely a 4G USB modem device plugged into the Cradlepoint.)

Reply to
Charlie Hoffpauir

The "Network Meter" desktop gadget (Vista/Windows 7) will measure your data usage for various time periods.

-sw

Reply to
Sqwertz

That might work for me for what I need to accomplish. I looked on my computer (win 7 pro) and that gadget isn't shown. I clicked on the "Get more gadgets" and went to a MS web site that says gadgets have been discontinued. Do you happen to have a link to where I could download this gadget?

Reply to
Charlie Hoffpauir

GIYF:

formatting link

The CPU Meter there is also very useful for seeing unusual memory and CPU activity.

-sw

Reply to
Sqwertz

If you are only measuring your computer's usage then I have for years used:

formatting link

which shows usage as well as showing speed in the system tray. Easy install easy to use.

If you have more than one device using your connection then you are best to follow Jeff L's suggestions.

Reply to
AnthonyL

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