How Do I Monitor My Home Network Usage?

✳️ It's possible, even easy, to monitor the amount of bandwidth a computer is using. The entire network? Not so much.

✳️ Monitoring your home network
Monitoring a single PC’s network usage is relatively easy using Windows’ own Resource Monitor. To monitor the traffic across an entire home network is more challenging, and either requires a better-than-average router to provide the analysis, or a fairly obtuse network reconfiguration and some geeky tools to do it yourself.

Chapters
0:00 Monitor Home Network Usage
1:20 Resource Monitor
2:00 A smart router
3:45 Network monitoring software
4:20 A typical network
5:30 Change network setup

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[askleonotenboom]

Depending on what you need to look at, it can be easy or hard.

[msun]

I have an Asus RT-AC86U router which is not too expensive yet includes features such as a traffic analyser, parental controls and adaptive QoS. The traffic analyser can display nice pie charts with many filtering options. I'm sure there are a number of other inexpensive routers with similar features on the market 🙂

[mclogikal]

This may be a little advanced for home users but I'm an avid user of the open source firewall software pfsense. This software turns any old outdated computer into a powerful firewall with a ton of features and it removes the need for a consumer router. The firewall does all the routing. You can even set limits on bandwidth (traffic shaping). Monitoring is a breeze with the software. No more guessing. You can also filter out adult content so the kids are shielded from it. There's also a way to block ads on your entire network. The best part is it's free! I've been using it for years in my office and home network with 0 issues.

Notes: You'll need an intel dual port server grade network card to make it work with the computer. You can hold onto your old wireless router and put it into ap (access point) mode as you're going to need some device to provide a wifi signal.

[markanderson]

I find it amazing that we have not moved further ahead with this but, correct me if I am wrong. I think one of the reasons why it has not is basically is because of privacy concerns.

There still seems to be grey areas on what we are allowed to do even within our own homes regarding this issue. Especially when it comes to children. Sure we have certain family security programs and services but it is limited on just how far we can do surveillance, even outside the home.

Example of this is when I installed security cameras I had to check with my neighbors first on where I directed the cameras. Most were thrilled with it but one was not. They declared invasion of privacy, so I had to accommodate and respect their request. Even within the home I had to be careful where I placed them.

I am a big believer on being secure within and around with everything. But it does have it's limitations on just how far I can go with it according to the laws.

[MrSnowMen]

Your 100% right, No easy way...
Ubiquiti do have some nice tools, but as you mentioned, very expensive.
Used a Ubiquiti Tough Switch (Edge Max now I think) and it shows throughput by port. And yes, WiFi shown using my Ubiquiti WiFi (Which had to be connected to a windows machine & run the UBNT software to view data)
OH for a simple solution.
Thanks once again

[sgw]

Thank you, it makes sense now you explain it..
Stopped me wasting my time trying.

[CovertDuck]

Flashing something like DD-WRT, Tomato or OpenWRT onto one's router can offer a massive amount of features, including monitoring, for basically free. That being said it doesn't work on every router, and even if the router is compatible there's the possibility of bricking the router beyond repair if you mess it up. Only proceed with that path if you're confident in your IT skills!

[pedrowangler]

what about DNS filtering services, aren't they able to provide the user with a log of the network traffic?

[MaxGoddur]

Could you list the router you use which provides device data usage?

[lordsOneSheep]

There is a way, to use a custom DNS, like openDNS, THEN you can monitor DNS activity

[Adamtronik]

Thanks for your video. You would already know, since making this video, Ubiquiti released their new UniFi express router, which is like $160, and it has traffic monitoring built in, plus is comes with Wifi built in. It's only one has one ethernet port so if you have more than one hardwired device you will also need to buy a switch. But, the features are awesome, I can see what my kids are doing on the internet in real time, and even create rules to block devices, apps, websites for specific devices etc. It's such an awesome piece of kit, highly recommend?

[Jon.......]

What about adding a 2nd NIC to Mom's computer, installing router software on her computer then connecting hub to the 2nd NIC? All other devices would cabled to the hub. With the right software, she could probably limit each child's computer to, say, 500MB per day.

[saleemsadruddin]

Ye Banda lallo hai
Most of the router shows each connection speed
Tenda shows and restrict speed
Tplinl qos shows speed

[soundingoftheclock]

where can you actually buy a hub these days and not a switch?