Network Bandwidth software

[CDN_Merlin]

I'm looking for something I can install on my PC that would monitor my entire network. I'm using a Cisco Linksys router, my PC is cable connected and I have 2 laptops that are on wireless. Any idea's what I can use that would show me web sites visited and how much bandwidth is used per IP?

[Krom]

Impossible to track from a single PC, you need a router that can handle DDwrt or one of the other alternate firmware distributions which will allow you to track the full network. It has to be the router because everything that goes through the internet has to go through the router to get there, it is the only device that can collect all the info.

[MD-2389]

I'm running an old Linksys WRT54GL, with the tomato firmware. It does what you want, and waaaay more!

[CDN_Merlin]

I'm running a WRT 160nv2 and according to the site, it's not supported and I can't afford to flash it and have it die.

[snoopy]

Yeah, you will probably have to buy specific hardware that's compatible.

[CDN_Merlin]

ANyone know of any Linux based ones? I'm sure I could use VMWare to install a Linux Distro and do it that way.

[fliptw]

If its not on the router, then you can't get the information you seek.

[snoopy]

Yeah, you will probably have to buy specific hardware that's compatible.

To clarify: by "hardware" I meant "router"- I don't think router firmware is quite sophisticated enough to be classified as "linux-based" or "windows-based."

There is one (not recommended) way that you *could* monitor internet traffic over your PC, provided you have two ethernet ports on your PC. You could plug one network port directly into your internet connection, and then share the connection through to the other port, to which you would connect the router. There are disadvantages/security issues with this setup: the PC that's on the internet side of the router would have all of it's ports exposed to the internet, so you would have to be extra careful to make sure that you have a good firewall and tight security settings on it. Also, you might have a monkey with the router a bit to get it to connect, since (presumably) the PC won't be acting as a DHCP server. Finally, the PC on the internet side would also be isolated from the rest of the network. Generally, it's asking for trouble IMO, but it would force all the internet traffic through that PC, and thus you could resume your search for monitoring software.


The easy way: buy a router that support the tomato firmware, and use the tomato firmware.

[CDN_Merlin]

I knew about using 2 NICs but didn't want to do that for obvious reasons. I've been reading that some users have gotten DR-WRT to work on there Linksys WRT160N routers but I can't afford to buy a new one if I fry it. I guess I have no choice but to wait.