Hello, everybody!
Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but it seems like the correct one. I would simply like to know how I can monitor internet usage by bandwidth on a wireless network address. My setup:
I am using the ZTE MF28B from Rogers to access the internet. The network can be accessed wirelessly from 3 different laptops, wirelessly from my PS3 and from a wired connection to my desktop computer. All laptops and my desktop computer operate on Windows 7 Home Premium.
Why do I want to do this?
My parents live me/I live with them, same thing. But they each have a laptop and access the internet through it. My monthly allowance is 30 GB, and was consistently around 24-25 for about 6-8 months, then my parents both recently found out that they can watch videos online and look at neighbouring properties on Google Earth so my usage for last month was about 44 GB. At a cost of $5 per extra GB, that adds up.
When I first approached my mom about this, she claimed, "I never download anything. I just watch horse auctions online." These horse auctions can go on for a good 6-8 hours. Essentially, I have explained to them that watching videos IS downloading and using bandwith, but they do not seem to understand the cost of it.
What I would like to do is monitor their usage as well as mine by each device so that I can show them just what they are using and how much it is costing each of us. I really do not care WHAT they are using the internet for, I just want to know the bandwidth. I suppose it would help to know if they are watching videos or how much Google Earth uses, but that is not a concern to me at this point. (Does anybody know how much Google Earth uses?)
1. To monitor their access, would I be correct to assume that I need to use a different router?
2. How exactly do I do this? I have found a few free programs online that work with XP, but nothing for Windows 7. Well, nothing free, that is.
3. Would it be accurate to assume I would be monitoring this by MAC address?
On a final note, I feel that I've mentioned this already, but I do not want to do this to monitor and restrict my parents. I want to do this so I can show them just how much they are using and then help them curb their internet habits rather than simply tell them to not watch videos or anything like that.
Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but it seems like the correct one. I would simply like to know how I can monitor internet usage by bandwidth on a wireless network address. My setup:
I am using the ZTE MF28B from Rogers to access the internet. The network can be accessed wirelessly from 3 different laptops, wirelessly from my PS3 and from a wired connection to my desktop computer. All laptops and my desktop computer operate on Windows 7 Home Premium.
Why do I want to do this?
My parents live me/I live with them, same thing. But they each have a laptop and access the internet through it. My monthly allowance is 30 GB, and was consistently around 24-25 for about 6-8 months, then my parents both recently found out that they can watch videos online and look at neighbouring properties on Google Earth so my usage for last month was about 44 GB. At a cost of $5 per extra GB, that adds up.
When I first approached my mom about this, she claimed, "I never download anything. I just watch horse auctions online." These horse auctions can go on for a good 6-8 hours. Essentially, I have explained to them that watching videos IS downloading and using bandwith, but they do not seem to understand the cost of it.
What I would like to do is monitor their usage as well as mine by each device so that I can show them just what they are using and how much it is costing each of us. I really do not care WHAT they are using the internet for, I just want to know the bandwidth. I suppose it would help to know if they are watching videos or how much Google Earth uses, but that is not a concern to me at this point. (Does anybody know how much Google Earth uses?)
1. To monitor their access, would I be correct to assume that I need to use a different router?
2. How exactly do I do this? I have found a few free programs online that work with XP, but nothing for Windows 7. Well, nothing free, that is.
3. Would it be accurate to assume I would be monitoring this by MAC address?
On a final note, I feel that I've mentioned this already, but I do not want to do this to monitor and restrict my parents. I want to do this so I can show them just how much they are using and then help them curb their internet habits rather than simply tell them to not watch videos or anything like that.