Monitoring network traffic

**Skillian** · 06-13-2006, 09:47 PM

My flatmate and I are on the same network, and the one question we're always having to ask each other is "Are you downloading?", whether it's to try and solve lag in games or trying to figure out why a download is going slow.

Is there any software I can use to tell me who on the network is downloading, and the amount of bandwidth they are using?

I'd have thought I could find it on the router config page, but I can't seem to see anything like that.

**100%** · 06-14-2006, 08:24 PM

try internet world.
netlimiter might work?

**Chewie** · 06-14-2006, 10:50 PM

You could specify a bandwidth limit in the router's control panel. Split it 50/50 and you should be good to go.

**VagabondX** · 06-14-2006, 11:57 PM

A couple of nice open source network scanners are Ethereal and/or Nmap

Both are probably overkill for simply snooping on your room mate though.

**Skillian** · 06-15-2006, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by Chewie UK

You could specify a bandwidth limit in the router's control panel. Split it 50/50 and you should be good to go.

This would be the best option , but I can't find any suitable options on the router page.

As for Ethereal and Nmap, I'm at work currently, but I'll take a look when I get home tonight.

Thanks for the info.

**Barbarossa** · 06-15-2006, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by Skillian

Originally Posted by Chewie UK

You could specify a bandwidth limit in the router's control panel. Split it 50/50 and you should be good to go.

This would be the best option , but I can't find any suitable options on the router page.

As for Ethereal and Nmap, I'm at work currently, but I'll take a look when I get home tonight.

Thanks for the info.

That's a terrible option, because if one or other of you are not downloading, you are not using your connection to its full potential.

**4play** · 06-15-2006, 10:19 AM

Unless your router has some sort of feature to tell you what other computers on your network are using its very difficult to tell.

Im assuming your using a router with a switch rather than a hub here. your switch will pass only packets belonging to you along your wire unlike a hub which just broadcasts it along all the connections. since you never get to listen to the traffic along your mates wire how can you tell whats being sent.

nmap will only scan for open ports which does not tell you anything about traffic being sent or recieved and ethereal (now called wireshark) wont be able to listen to your mates wire meaning its just picking up your traffic not his.

One way of doing it is a bit of arp poisoning. it means you alter the routing table of your router so that all of your mates traffic is first sent to you and then you bounce it to him. Its a real pain in the arse and not worth the hassel.

The only real way of doing it would be to have software on his and your computer that communicates what your both doing. I have never seen anything like it though.

**dreamy** · 06-16-2006, 10:19 AM

dunno what router you are using, but you may want to have a look at tools like WallWatcher ( http://www.sonic.net/wallwatcher ).
Most routers nowadays use NAT so you do not see what is happening on 'the outside' of your router. Like hacking attempts, portscans etc.
It also shows you all outgoing traffic, which machine is going out to the internet and where, and what protocol, port, etc.
If your router is supported this tool is really nice !