Need application to monitor network usage on LAN

[cyberpks]

Hi,
I need to setup some network monitoring application to monitor the usage of internet on my LAN.
Actually there are around 15-16 devices including PC's, Laptops and Smartphones that are connected to a single router Belkin N600 DB (With a switch in between for wired PC's) using Wifi as well as wired, but I am currently facing issue of overusage of internet bandwidth by few of the devices. I do not want to put Proxy and Firewall to limit usage as it has other bad effects. So I am looking for some application to monitor the usage of data by counting the Packet transfer by each device connected to that router on daily basis. There are application that monitor the same for a single PC but then it is to be installed on each devices and again there are multiple OS's including Windows, Android etc.
I guess there are some routers that allow some kind of monitoring for all devices that are connected to them. But not sure if N600 DB does that. Can we simply calculate the total data usage like this

. Is there any cmd prompt command for that?

I found a lot close question on tomshardware but was not sure if it'll work in my case Need help to monitor internet usage in my LAN . Are wireshark or netflow good for use?

 

[USAFRet]

. Is there any cmd prompt command for that?

No, and if there were, it would be wildly misleading.
I have an application on my PC to monitor bandwidth used - BitMeterOS. Wireshark would do the same. It keeps track of all traffic that goes through the LAN port on this PC.

ALL traffic. Including nightly backups from my PC to the backup PC on the other side of the room, a movie that I transferred to the house HTPC, etc, etc. None of that has anything to do with overall bandwidth as seen by my ISP.

What you need is a border firewall appliance, connected right next to the router, that tracks all traffic that actually goes in and out. Generally, this would be a router with such capabilities, or a whole other PC.

 

[gengw2000]

I don't think any dos command can do that. There is freeware you can try. I know a program named WFilter shall be helpful, it helps you to monitor bandwidth, restrict websites and application control.

http://www.imfirewall.us/wfilterfree.htm

 

[cyberpks]

Well I tried wireshark and have to say it actually is too much for even an application developer like me who understands the working of internet, packets sending mechanisms, handshake etc. It was a lot confusing and never solved my purpose. It is good for a network magnet geek who wants to sniff in network for some other reason, but not for me :O. The other issue is that it only shows you the details of the PC's connected to the router with OS as windows on it, but ignores the Smart Phones with other OS'es like android etc, and rather than showing you the biggest user of bandwidth, it makes you the culprit. I mean, while showing the list of biggest user of bandwidth, it shows your IP on the top of the list, with largest number of data bytes received or sent.

 

[USAFRet]

Well I tried wireshark and have to say it actually is too much for even an application developer like me who understands the working of internet, packets sending mechanisms, handshake etc. It was a lot confusing and never solved my purpose. It is good for a network magnet geek who wants to sniff in network for some other reason, but not for me :O. The other issue is that it only shows you the details of the PC's connected to the router with OS as windows on it, but ignores the Smart Phones with other OS'es like android etc, and rather than showing you the biggest user of bandwidth, it makes you the culprit. I mean, while showing the list of biggest user of bandwidth, it shows your IP on the top of the list, with largest number of data bytes received or sent.

Right. It only shows what is flowing through that particular PC.

That's why I mentioned a border firewall appliance. Configured correctly, ALL devices flow through that, then to the main router, and then out to the ISP. It can report on what device is using how much in and out.