Viewing the bandwidth usage of a wireless device connected to my router












5















I just want to figure out which wireless client is sucking my bandwidth (it's slowing down my Starcraft games :-/).



I have a Linksys WRT54G router (Linux version). For firmware, I'm currently using Tomato but I'm
willing to consider a different firmware. Anyone have recommendations?



PS: I'm aware of Bandwidth graphs in Tomato. However, it is not granular enough to give me an idea of how much bandwidth each device is using










share|improve this question

























  • As you look for tools, remember that you're looking for who's using the most airtime, not who has the most throughput. A client getting 500kbps of throughput using the 1mbps data rate is hogging much more airtime than a client getting 5mbps of throughput using the 54mbps data rate.

    – Spiff
    Dec 1 '10 at 3:28











  • Have you looked at ddwrt? If I remember correctly you could actually see each clients bandwidth usage in it.

    – Unfundednut
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:16











  • I tried ddwrt in the past but didn't see this feature. I'll look into it again.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:19






  • 2





    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces.

    – Force Flow
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:09











  • @Force can you submit that as an answer please? I'm hoping for a free solution but, if nobody else gives any other suggestions, I'll choose yours.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:23
















5















I just want to figure out which wireless client is sucking my bandwidth (it's slowing down my Starcraft games :-/).



I have a Linksys WRT54G router (Linux version). For firmware, I'm currently using Tomato but I'm
willing to consider a different firmware. Anyone have recommendations?



PS: I'm aware of Bandwidth graphs in Tomato. However, it is not granular enough to give me an idea of how much bandwidth each device is using










share|improve this question

























  • As you look for tools, remember that you're looking for who's using the most airtime, not who has the most throughput. A client getting 500kbps of throughput using the 1mbps data rate is hogging much more airtime than a client getting 5mbps of throughput using the 54mbps data rate.

    – Spiff
    Dec 1 '10 at 3:28











  • Have you looked at ddwrt? If I remember correctly you could actually see each clients bandwidth usage in it.

    – Unfundednut
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:16











  • I tried ddwrt in the past but didn't see this feature. I'll look into it again.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:19






  • 2





    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces.

    – Force Flow
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:09











  • @Force can you submit that as an answer please? I'm hoping for a free solution but, if nobody else gives any other suggestions, I'll choose yours.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:23














5












5








5


2






I just want to figure out which wireless client is sucking my bandwidth (it's slowing down my Starcraft games :-/).



I have a Linksys WRT54G router (Linux version). For firmware, I'm currently using Tomato but I'm
willing to consider a different firmware. Anyone have recommendations?



PS: I'm aware of Bandwidth graphs in Tomato. However, it is not granular enough to give me an idea of how much bandwidth each device is using










share|improve this question
















I just want to figure out which wireless client is sucking my bandwidth (it's slowing down my Starcraft games :-/).



I have a Linksys WRT54G router (Linux version). For firmware, I'm currently using Tomato but I'm
willing to consider a different firmware. Anyone have recommendations?



PS: I'm aware of Bandwidth graphs in Tomato. However, it is not granular enough to give me an idea of how much bandwidth each device is using







linux networking wireless-networking bandwidth






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Jan 29 at 18:47









Hennes

59.2k792142




59.2k792142










asked Dec 1 '10 at 3:14









Belmin FernandezBelmin Fernandez

1,64662550




1,64662550













  • As you look for tools, remember that you're looking for who's using the most airtime, not who has the most throughput. A client getting 500kbps of throughput using the 1mbps data rate is hogging much more airtime than a client getting 5mbps of throughput using the 54mbps data rate.

    – Spiff
    Dec 1 '10 at 3:28











  • Have you looked at ddwrt? If I remember correctly you could actually see each clients bandwidth usage in it.

    – Unfundednut
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:16











  • I tried ddwrt in the past but didn't see this feature. I'll look into it again.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:19






  • 2





    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces.

    – Force Flow
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:09











  • @Force can you submit that as an answer please? I'm hoping for a free solution but, if nobody else gives any other suggestions, I'll choose yours.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:23



















  • As you look for tools, remember that you're looking for who's using the most airtime, not who has the most throughput. A client getting 500kbps of throughput using the 1mbps data rate is hogging much more airtime than a client getting 5mbps of throughput using the 54mbps data rate.

    – Spiff
    Dec 1 '10 at 3:28











  • Have you looked at ddwrt? If I remember correctly you could actually see each clients bandwidth usage in it.

    – Unfundednut
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:16











  • I tried ddwrt in the past but didn't see this feature. I'll look into it again.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 1 '10 at 4:19






  • 2





    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces.

    – Force Flow
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:09











  • @Force can you submit that as an answer please? I'm hoping for a free solution but, if nobody else gives any other suggestions, I'll choose yours.

    – Belmin Fernandez
    Dec 6 '10 at 6:23

















As you look for tools, remember that you're looking for who's using the most airtime, not who has the most throughput. A client getting 500kbps of throughput using the 1mbps data rate is hogging much more airtime than a client getting 5mbps of throughput using the 54mbps data rate.

– Spiff
Dec 1 '10 at 3:28





As you look for tools, remember that you're looking for who's using the most airtime, not who has the most throughput. A client getting 500kbps of throughput using the 1mbps data rate is hogging much more airtime than a client getting 5mbps of throughput using the 54mbps data rate.

– Spiff
Dec 1 '10 at 3:28













Have you looked at ddwrt? If I remember correctly you could actually see each clients bandwidth usage in it.

– Unfundednut
Dec 1 '10 at 4:16





Have you looked at ddwrt? If I remember correctly you could actually see each clients bandwidth usage in it.

– Unfundednut
Dec 1 '10 at 4:16













I tried ddwrt in the past but didn't see this feature. I'll look into it again.

– Belmin Fernandez
Dec 1 '10 at 4:19





I tried ddwrt in the past but didn't see this feature. I'll look into it again.

– Belmin Fernandez
Dec 1 '10 at 4:19




2




2





Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces.

– Force Flow
Dec 6 '10 at 6:09





Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces.

– Force Flow
Dec 6 '10 at 6:09













@Force can you submit that as an answer please? I'm hoping for a free solution but, if nobody else gives any other suggestions, I'll choose yours.

– Belmin Fernandez
Dec 6 '10 at 6:23





@Force can you submit that as an answer please? I'm hoping for a free solution but, if nobody else gives any other suggestions, I'll choose yours.

– Belmin Fernandez
Dec 6 '10 at 6:23










5 Answers
5






active

oldest

votes


















3





+50









It seem that tomato with iptables can be used as bandwith monitor. detailed instructions






share|improve this answer































    2














    I do not understand why you cannot selectively block clients from the network, until you empirically find the guilty one.



    If you are looking for a more high-tech method, you may try using a packet sniffer, also called packet analyzer, to analyze all traffic on the network from your computer instead of from your router.



    A packet sniffer can capture packet information within its subnet, even if these packets are not addressed to your computer.
    The feasibility of this method depends on the behavior of the router and whether it broadcasts all network packets or not. Wireless networks are of course much easier to snif than wired.



    See this article, Free Packet Sniffer Software, for a list of such products (not all are available for Linux). The best known sniffer is Wireshark.



    See also this article : Sniffing Traffic on Your Home Router or Hub.






    share|improve this answer





















    • 2





      instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

      – bbaja42
      Dec 6 '10 at 12:02



















    1














    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces. (re-posted as an answer as requested)






    share|improve this answer































      0














      You could use Wireshark. Wireshark's IO graph feature can show you when and where your bandwidth is going.



      This document has info on using Wireshark to sniff a wireless network:



      http://www.willhackforsushi.com/books/377_eth_2e_06.pdf



      Downside is that you need to have one of a short list of certain specific adapters to do this.






      share|improve this answer































        0














        wireshark or kismet could both tell you this....wireshark's traffic graph might be more precise, but grepping the pcap file from a full kismet dump for each MAC on your network with the count option works from the command-line. go command line fu. i seem to remember there being a way to view traffic percentages by MAC address in kismet, but i'll have to get back to you on that last part.






        share|improve this answer
























        • '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

          – RobotHumans
          Dec 11 '10 at 1:12











        Your Answer








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        5 Answers
        5






        active

        oldest

        votes








        5 Answers
        5






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes









        3





        +50









        It seem that tomato with iptables can be used as bandwith monitor. detailed instructions






        share|improve this answer




























          3





          +50









          It seem that tomato with iptables can be used as bandwith monitor. detailed instructions






          share|improve this answer


























            3





            +50







            3





            +50



            3




            +50





            It seem that tomato with iptables can be used as bandwith monitor. detailed instructions






            share|improve this answer













            It seem that tomato with iptables can be used as bandwith monitor. detailed instructions







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Dec 6 '10 at 12:08









            bbaja42bbaja42

            2,46911930




            2,46911930

























                2














                I do not understand why you cannot selectively block clients from the network, until you empirically find the guilty one.



                If you are looking for a more high-tech method, you may try using a packet sniffer, also called packet analyzer, to analyze all traffic on the network from your computer instead of from your router.



                A packet sniffer can capture packet information within its subnet, even if these packets are not addressed to your computer.
                The feasibility of this method depends on the behavior of the router and whether it broadcasts all network packets or not. Wireless networks are of course much easier to snif than wired.



                See this article, Free Packet Sniffer Software, for a list of such products (not all are available for Linux). The best known sniffer is Wireshark.



                See also this article : Sniffing Traffic on Your Home Router or Hub.






                share|improve this answer





















                • 2





                  instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

                  – bbaja42
                  Dec 6 '10 at 12:02
















                2














                I do not understand why you cannot selectively block clients from the network, until you empirically find the guilty one.



                If you are looking for a more high-tech method, you may try using a packet sniffer, also called packet analyzer, to analyze all traffic on the network from your computer instead of from your router.



                A packet sniffer can capture packet information within its subnet, even if these packets are not addressed to your computer.
                The feasibility of this method depends on the behavior of the router and whether it broadcasts all network packets or not. Wireless networks are of course much easier to snif than wired.



                See this article, Free Packet Sniffer Software, for a list of such products (not all are available for Linux). The best known sniffer is Wireshark.



                See also this article : Sniffing Traffic on Your Home Router or Hub.






                share|improve this answer





















                • 2





                  instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

                  – bbaja42
                  Dec 6 '10 at 12:02














                2












                2








                2







                I do not understand why you cannot selectively block clients from the network, until you empirically find the guilty one.



                If you are looking for a more high-tech method, you may try using a packet sniffer, also called packet analyzer, to analyze all traffic on the network from your computer instead of from your router.



                A packet sniffer can capture packet information within its subnet, even if these packets are not addressed to your computer.
                The feasibility of this method depends on the behavior of the router and whether it broadcasts all network packets or not. Wireless networks are of course much easier to snif than wired.



                See this article, Free Packet Sniffer Software, for a list of such products (not all are available for Linux). The best known sniffer is Wireshark.



                See also this article : Sniffing Traffic on Your Home Router or Hub.






                share|improve this answer















                I do not understand why you cannot selectively block clients from the network, until you empirically find the guilty one.



                If you are looking for a more high-tech method, you may try using a packet sniffer, also called packet analyzer, to analyze all traffic on the network from your computer instead of from your router.



                A packet sniffer can capture packet information within its subnet, even if these packets are not addressed to your computer.
                The feasibility of this method depends on the behavior of the router and whether it broadcasts all network packets or not. Wireless networks are of course much easier to snif than wired.



                See this article, Free Packet Sniffer Software, for a list of such products (not all are available for Linux). The best known sniffer is Wireshark.



                See also this article : Sniffing Traffic on Your Home Router or Hub.







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Dec 6 '10 at 12:31

























                answered Dec 6 '10 at 11:28









                harrymcharrymc

                260k14271573




                260k14271573








                • 2





                  instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

                  – bbaja42
                  Dec 6 '10 at 12:02














                • 2





                  instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

                  – bbaja42
                  Dec 6 '10 at 12:02








                2




                2





                instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

                – bbaja42
                Dec 6 '10 at 12:02





                instructions how to use wireshark to determine bandwith sysadminhell.blogspot.com/2008/04/…

                – bbaja42
                Dec 6 '10 at 12:02











                1














                Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces. (re-posted as an answer as requested)






                share|improve this answer




























                  1














                  Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces. (re-posted as an answer as requested)






                  share|improve this answer


























                    1












                    1








                    1







                    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces. (re-posted as an answer as requested)






                    share|improve this answer













                    Only the paid version of DD-WRT has granular bandwidth monitoring. All the free versions just show graphs on current usage for the WAN, LAN, and Wireless network interfaces. (re-posted as an answer as requested)







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Dec 6 '10 at 8:32









                    Force FlowForce Flow

                    3,46572238




                    3,46572238























                        0














                        You could use Wireshark. Wireshark's IO graph feature can show you when and where your bandwidth is going.



                        This document has info on using Wireshark to sniff a wireless network:



                        http://www.willhackforsushi.com/books/377_eth_2e_06.pdf



                        Downside is that you need to have one of a short list of certain specific adapters to do this.






                        share|improve this answer




























                          0














                          You could use Wireshark. Wireshark's IO graph feature can show you when and where your bandwidth is going.



                          This document has info on using Wireshark to sniff a wireless network:



                          http://www.willhackforsushi.com/books/377_eth_2e_06.pdf



                          Downside is that you need to have one of a short list of certain specific adapters to do this.






                          share|improve this answer


























                            0












                            0








                            0







                            You could use Wireshark. Wireshark's IO graph feature can show you when and where your bandwidth is going.



                            This document has info on using Wireshark to sniff a wireless network:



                            http://www.willhackforsushi.com/books/377_eth_2e_06.pdf



                            Downside is that you need to have one of a short list of certain specific adapters to do this.






                            share|improve this answer













                            You could use Wireshark. Wireshark's IO graph feature can show you when and where your bandwidth is going.



                            This document has info on using Wireshark to sniff a wireless network:



                            http://www.willhackforsushi.com/books/377_eth_2e_06.pdf



                            Downside is that you need to have one of a short list of certain specific adapters to do this.







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered Dec 6 '10 at 20:41









                            Jamie CoxJamie Cox

                            60449




                            60449























                                0














                                wireshark or kismet could both tell you this....wireshark's traffic graph might be more precise, but grepping the pcap file from a full kismet dump for each MAC on your network with the count option works from the command-line. go command line fu. i seem to remember there being a way to view traffic percentages by MAC address in kismet, but i'll have to get back to you on that last part.






                                share|improve this answer
























                                • '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

                                  – RobotHumans
                                  Dec 11 '10 at 1:12
















                                0














                                wireshark or kismet could both tell you this....wireshark's traffic graph might be more precise, but grepping the pcap file from a full kismet dump for each MAC on your network with the count option works from the command-line. go command line fu. i seem to remember there being a way to view traffic percentages by MAC address in kismet, but i'll have to get back to you on that last part.






                                share|improve this answer
























                                • '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

                                  – RobotHumans
                                  Dec 11 '10 at 1:12














                                0












                                0








                                0







                                wireshark or kismet could both tell you this....wireshark's traffic graph might be more precise, but grepping the pcap file from a full kismet dump for each MAC on your network with the count option works from the command-line. go command line fu. i seem to remember there being a way to view traffic percentages by MAC address in kismet, but i'll have to get back to you on that last part.






                                share|improve this answer













                                wireshark or kismet could both tell you this....wireshark's traffic graph might be more precise, but grepping the pcap file from a full kismet dump for each MAC on your network with the count option works from the command-line. go command line fu. i seem to remember there being a way to view traffic percentages by MAC address in kismet, but i'll have to get back to you on that last part.







                                share|improve this answer












                                share|improve this answer



                                share|improve this answer










                                answered Dec 11 '10 at 1:07









                                RobotHumansRobotHumans

                                5,63211323




                                5,63211323













                                • '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

                                  – RobotHumans
                                  Dec 11 '10 at 1:12



















                                • '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

                                  – RobotHumans
                                  Dec 11 '10 at 1:12

















                                '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

                                – RobotHumans
                                Dec 11 '10 at 1:12





                                '~Wl' gives you the client list checking to see if it is sortable by bandwidth

                                – RobotHumans
                                Dec 11 '10 at 1:12


















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