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Limiting Bandwidth usage

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  • 05-10-2006 3:03pm
    #1
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,166 ✭✭✭


    Is there anything I can get to limit the bandwidth usage by a specific pc on a wireless network ?? - ideally a freebee !

    We have a 12Gb cap at home, my wife uses a chunk for work, but the new Au Pair is starting to eat severely into the limit. I dont want to cut her off completely, but ideally give her maybe 3Gb per month & then thats her lot. I dont want to run the risk of us suddenly hitting the cap & the service stops or we incur charges. As I'm away a lot can't always monitor the usage.

    I wondered if there's software that I can run against the mac address & after xGb it stops access ?


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    #2
    monkey tennis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 583 ✭✭✭monkey tennis


    Have you spoken to her about this? First step is trying to get her to willingly cut down on the bandwidth, then resort to blocking it if she doesn't comply (or tell her she'll have to foot the bill if extra charges are applied).

    At that point, you could look into some linux proxy distros, such as IPCop or ClarkConnect if you have a spare, old machine lying around. Some of these will allow you to restrict bandwidth, or you could deny her audio/video files (which could easily be the bulk of her downloads).


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    #3
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,166 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    Yeah we have & she's a great Au Pair, so I'd hate fo rthis to sour things - she's only 20, so I guess its in her nature to use the web. Most of her stuff seems to be Skype - not sure how heavy that is ???

    I have plenty of spare machines around, so ideally I'd liek somethign that will allow me to set up policies


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    #4
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,862 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Have you measured the traffic ?

    ethereal is a little detailed

    Squid and SquidNT can throttle bandwidth , but I'm not sure if it works on a cap. they are also proxies so will save some bandwidth too.


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    #5
    NutJob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 884 ✭✭✭NutJob


    Secound squid and i never knew there was NT version

    also see following
    http://www.ledge.co.za/software/squint/squish/
    http://wiki.squid-cache.org/SquidFaq


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    #6
    deckie27
    Registered Users Posts: 1,901 ✭✭✭deckie27


    Why don't you pay a tennerish for faster connection with bigger cap?


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    #7
    monkey tennis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 583 ✭✭✭monkey tennis


    deckie27 wrote:
    Why don't you pay a tennerish for faster connection with bigger cap?

    What happens then when the au-pair uses up the higher cap? Will you suggest he gets an even higher cap? Better to fix the cause rather than the symptom.


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    #8
    deckie27
    Registered Users Posts: 1,901 ✭✭✭deckie27


    man 12 gigs isn't alot for at least 3 people
    there is so much media on the net now that its hard not to chew up bandwidth


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    #9
    zippo22
    Closed Accounts Posts: 182 ✭✭zippo22


    I've a 30gig cap and only use about 3 or 4. Send her up to me to do her surfing. :)


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    #10
    azzeretti
    Registered Users Posts: 1,477 ✭✭✭azzeretti


    There are loads of cheap apps that can do this.

    I have put some into sites that are very handy to install. The only small issue is most act as a proxy aswell, which means you may have to tell the au pair to proxy out through it.I would suggest changing your internal routers gateway, disabling DHCP and assigning here a Static IP address without a gateway address set, this way it may make it harder for her to bypass, if she thinks of it. (she would only be able to HTTP/FPT etc though, no torrents etc!) What does she use her quota on now?

    Try googleing "Cyber Web Filter". This is nice and cheap and also acts as a web filter too.


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