Network Flow Meter?

[ELECTRISK]

I'm not sure if this device exist, but I'm essentially looking for a network flow meter. A little device with 2 Ethernet connections that will display the ammount of data (Prefferably in GB) that passes through it, similar to how hoses can have flow meters such as these attached:

But instead of water passing through data does, and instead of displaying liters it displays gigabytes 

Does anyone know if this type of device exist, and if so, where I could buy it?

Thanks!

[schwellmo92]

You mean like the one built in to windows?

[manikyath]

i doubt a purpose made device for this exists, because the hardware you'd need to do this somewhat reliably requires you to basicly build a router, at which point you may as well build a router.

 

which comes to the question... why... does this need to be a dedicated device?

[Juniiii]

This would honestly be pretty cool to have.

[ELECTRISK]

1 hour ago, schwellmo92 said:

You mean like the one built in to windows?

No, this would be connected in between my powerline adapter and my router, and needs to monitor all network activity, not just the activity from my windows computer, which does not have traffic from my phone, my laptop, my raspberry pi, my tablets, my NAS, etc. 

 

1 hour ago, manikyath said:

i doubt a purpose made device for this exists, because the hardware you'd need to do this somewhat reliably requires you to basicly build a router, at which point you may as well build a router.

 

which comes to the question... why... does this need to be a dedicated device?

For poor people like me who can't afford expensive routers and instead buy a bunch of used wrt54g's on ebay and call it a day but still want this information.

1 hour ago, Juniiii said:

This would honestly be pretty cool to have.

I know! Kickstarter anyone?

[Juniiii]

12 minutes ago, ELECTRISK said:

No, this would be connected in between my powerline adapter and my router, and needs to monitor all network activity, not just the activity from my windows computer, which does not have traffic from my phone, my laptop, my raspberry pi, my tablets, my NAS, etc. 

 

For poor people like me who can't afford expensive routers and instead buy a bunch of used wrt54g's on ebay and call it a day but still want this information.

I know! Kickstarter anyone?

PM me, we can start one together! I can help you layout everything out.

[manikyath]

51 minutes ago, ELECTRISK said:

For poor people like me who can't afford expensive routers and instead buy a bunch of used wrt54g's on ebay and call it a day but still want this information.

3 things to note here

1: this wont be cheap

2: most cheap routers i've seen have this built in.

3: no matter how cheap you're getting wrt54g's, they're a bad choice.

 

EDIT: oh, and you've still not given me a reason why.

[manikyath]

36 minutes ago, Juniiii said:

PM me, we can start one together! I can help you layout everything out.

before you do, go and figrue out what this would cost per unit to produce, compare that to the cost of routers with this funcitonality built in, and take a step back to consider if this is really even a viable idea.

[Acedia]

Before you start anything should read up on NetFlow. Depending on your router type it might even already support it or openFlow or sFlow.

 

Edit: I've looked into my old notes. Either use an enterprise grade switch (any cisco should do it) which supports netFlow and pull the data from that or this might interest you aswell:

https://northboundnetworks.com/collections/zodiac-fx/products/zodiac-fx

[kirashi]

On 3/1/2019 at 10:04 AM, ELECTRISK said:

For poor people like me who can't afford expensive routers and instead buy a bunch of used wrt54g's on ebay and call it a day but still want this information.

Using DD-WRT is actually exactly how you can have an internet bandwidth monitor built right into your router. I've moved on from DD-WRT to Advanced Tomato, but same idea applies; inside AdvancedTomato I have a section that keeps track of my bandwidth for the entire internet connection, and another section that tracks bandwidth on a per-IP / device basis so I can see which devices are sucking up all my internets internally.

 

 

[ELECTRISK]

On 3/1/2019 at 12:54 PM, manikyath said:

3: no matter how cheap you're getting wrt54g's, they're a bad choice.

Why are they a bad choice? They serve me just fine.

[mynameisjuan]

45 minutes ago, ELECTRISK said:

Why are they a bad choice? They serve me just fine.

100meg ports and 2.4g only. Pretty poo. 

 

If you really really need a physical device get this or the 2011. 

https://www.amazon.com/MikroTik-Cloud-Router-Switch-CRS109-8G-1S-2HnD-IN/dp/B00N9ZIIFC/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2N3L7RYY8PIIW&keywords=mikrotik+router&qid=1554092721&s=gateway&sprefix=mikr%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-15

 

It has a screen with real time bandwidth per port/bridge. 

 

Or you use netflow/snmp. The reason a device does not exist is it needs a CPU to process the statistics. Essential just a two port switch. 

[manikyath]

12 hours ago, ELECTRISK said:

Why are they a bad choice? They serve me just fine.

because for the same level of cheap, within margin, you can get better stuff. it'll still be garbage, but it'll have A LOT more features than a WRT54G, including some notable ones like modern wireless security.

[Daimaou]

On 4/1/2019 at 12:20 PM, manikyath said:

because for the same level of cheap, within margin, you can get better stuff. it'll still be garbage, but it'll have A LOT more features than a WRT54G, including some notable ones like modern wireless security.

Like he said the security aspect here is huge, these routers are plagued with security flaws. 

 

Notable ones including the ability to collect all are your internet traffic. 

[manikyath]

3 hours ago, Daimaou said:

these routers are plagued with security flaws. 

and.. the wireless G standard isnt?

[Daimaou]

I was agreeing with you just letting them know about the issues those things have.