download manager

[Stewart]

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was very
good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I have not
used it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone calls
but with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads and
accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

 

[Ed Cryer]

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was
very good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I
have not used it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone
calls but with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads
and accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

I think you're confusing "download manager" with "download monitor".
The former will actually do the downloading, keep a history of its
doings, allow scheduling etc.
The latter will monitor your actual usage, keeping records of bandwidth
usage, setting a daily (weekly/ monthly) limit etc.

Your Down2Home is a monitor. You can still get it here;
http://www.down2home.com-about.com/download.html
I've never used it. I use;
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/manual/?lang=English

If you also want a manager, try this;
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

Good luck, Ed

 

[Stewart]

Ed, you are right, I mean "download monitor". I have now sent an email to
my ISP asking them if they have a record of my monthly downloads,



"Ed Cryer" wrote in message

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was
very good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I
have not used it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone
calls but with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads
and accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

I think you're confusing "download manager" with "download monitor".
The former will actually do the downloading, keep a history of its
doings, allow scheduling etc.
The latter will monitor your actual usage, keeping records of bandwidth
usage, setting a daily (weekly/ monthly) limit etc.

Your Down2Home is a monitor. You can still get it here;
http://www.down2home.com-about.com/download.html
I've never used it. I use;
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/manual/?lang=English

If you also want a manager, try this;
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

Good luck, Ed

 

[mick]

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was very

good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I have not used
it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone calls but
with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads and
accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

I have seen this one mentioned a few times
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/tbbmeter.html?button

 

[Paul]

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was
very good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I
have not used it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone
calls but with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads
and accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

I don't want to spoil your fun, but lots of techniques for
measuring bytes at the user end, are only approximate. If
you get into a spat with your ISP, like some people here did,
you need iron-clad methods. Running a counter on your PC,
doesn't count the overhead bytes on the packet encapsulation.
(PPPOE versus vanilla Ethernet packet). Still, the error
should not be as large as the customer-measured 2.22GB and
the ISP measured 23.0GB.

http://www.lightreading.com/policy-control/suddenlink-defends-its-broadband-bit-counter/240136083

Measuring bytes in such a way, as both parties agree, is pretty
difficult. For the ISP, the byte counter needs to be right
at the access point, not further upstream. If your fiber optic
equipment gets into a routing loop (ours did that a few
times at work), it's all too easy to count the packets while
that is happening, as customer data. If they count too many bytes
in a short period, it may be physically impossible for those to
have traveled to you, over the media (wire or Wifi). So if
the ISP metering is measured in short intervals (log generated
every ten minutes), it may be possible to demonstrate that
they're wrong. (i.e. 20GB accumulated in ten minutes)

When a script-kiddie scans the WAN side of my router, I get
billed for the packets. But, my router doesn't pass those
packets, and the packets are not count-able by software
on my PC (LAN side). The router could count them, but then,
my stupid router only counts packets on the WAN side (a useless
measure, as packets are variable length, with a bimodal distribution).

I expect the broadband modem has statistics, but the statistics
interface is not visible to me right now. I can't get there.

Paul

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was very
good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I have not
used it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone calls
but with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads and
accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

My provider has a number available on my account pages. It's the total
data usage, rather than specifically only the volume of downloads.

I just looked as part of answering your post. My number is small because
it's early in my monthly cycle, and also I don't use a huge amount of
data.

But it was so hard to find it that even though I just did it, I can't
tell you how I got there, except that it seemed to be an accident...

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

My provider has a number available on my account pages. It's the total
data usage, rather than specifically only the volume of downloads.

I just looked as part of answering your post. My number is small because
it's early in my monthly cycle, and also I don't use a huge amount of
data.

But it was so hard to find it that even though I just did it, I can't
tell you how I got there, except that it seemed to be an accident...

But being rattled by the weirdness of it all, I forgot to mention why I
told you the above.

I meant to imply that maybe your ISP provides a similar service on your
account pages at their site. Thus you might be able to get the
information from time to time by looking there.

It's not the same as having a meter always visible, but perhaps it's
better than nothing (if it exists).

 

[Stewart]

I have now contacted my service provider and they tell me that as I am on an
unlimited contract they do not have a record of my usage so I shall have to
measure it myself.
Thanks everyone. Going on holiday for 12 nights so will not read any more
at present.





"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message

On Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:58:05 +0100, Stewart wrote:

<snip>
<snip>

 

[Kenny Cargill]

Most ISP's send a warning mail when you're nearing your monthly limit, you
can also check usage on ISP's website.
I have used tbbmeter in the past and found it useful except for one thing,
it measures only the PC you're using, if like me there's more than one PC
using the same connection you'll have to install it separately on each and
add the totals together.
Maybe someone in the group knows of a meter that measures total traffic
through the router?

Kenny Cargill

"Stewart" wrote in message
Ed, you are right, I mean "download monitor". I have now sent an email to
my ISP asking them if they have a record of my monthly downloads,



"Ed Cryer" wrote in message

I used to run a program called Down2Home issued by JITServe and it was
very good. Since I bought my present computer , Windows 7 64 bit, I
have not used it and now find that it is not available under that name.
I am being offered an attractive package of broadband and telephone
calls but with a 10Gb limit whereas at present i am unlimited.
There are many download managing programs but I do not want lots of ads
and accessories, just a monitor of my downloads.
Can anyone recommend such a one?
Thank you.

I think you're confusing "download manager" with "download monitor".
The former will actually do the downloading, keep a history of its
doings, allow scheduling etc.
The latter will monitor your actual usage, keeping records of bandwidth
usage, setting a daily (weekly/ monthly) limit etc.

Your Down2Home is a monitor. You can still get it here;
http://www.down2home.com-about.com/download.html
I've never used it. I use;
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/manual/?lang=English

If you also want a manager, try this;
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

Good luck, Ed

 

[charlie]

Most ISP's send a warning mail when you're nearing your monthly limit,
you can also check usage on ISP's website.
I have used tbbmeter in the past and found it useful except for one
thing, it measures only the PC you're using, if like me there's more
than one PC using the same connection you'll have to install it
separately on each and add the totals together.
Maybe someone in the group knows of a meter that measures total traffic
through the router?

Kenny Cargill

"Stewart" wrote in message
Ed, you are right, I mean "download monitor". I have now sent an email to
my ISP asking them if they have a record of my monthly downloads,



"Ed Cryer" wrote in message

I think you're confusing "download manager" with "download monitor".
The former will actually do the downloading, keep a history of its
doings, allow scheduling etc.
The latter will monitor your actual usage, keeping records of bandwidth
usage, setting a daily (weekly/ monthly) limit etc.

Your Down2Home is a monitor. You can still get it here;
http://www.down2home.com-about.com/download.html
I've never used it. I use;
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/manual/?lang=English

If you also want a manager, try this;
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

Good luck, Ed

I gave up on this sort of thing.
My IP may impose a "speed limit", but not change billing.
The IP's usage data is based upon traffic to the cable modem and router.
This, unfortunately, seems to include "stuff" that has no bearing on
actual usage, thus inflating the raw usage numbers that the IP sees.

When the download/data transfer speeds go to heck, and it persists for
more than short periods, I complain to the IP, and usually get a refund
that is between $25 and $75. The IP "throttles" almost all users to some
extent. The actual attainable download speed at this location is close
to 95Mbps, and the maximum allowed by "throttling" is about 65Mbps on a
top tier account. Data transfer speeds from this location to Atlanta GA
are usually very good, with most of the variations occurring between
Atlanta and destination areas. This can easily, and often does, reduce
65Mbps to about one half or less. As a result, sustained download
rates very from less than 1Mbps when things are bad, to a bit better
than the listed tier rates.

 

[Char Jackson]

I have used tbbmeter in the past and found it useful except for one thing,
it measures only the PC you're using, if like me there's more than one PC
using the same connection you'll have to install it separately on each and
add the totals together.
Maybe someone in the group knows of a meter that measures total traffic
through the router?

I use dd-wrt router firmware, which includes exactly the capability you've
asked about, in addition to dozens of other useful features that a stock
router probably doesn't offer.

 

[Ed Cryer]

Most ISP's send a warning mail when you're nearing your monthly limit,
you can also check usage on ISP's website.
I have used tbbmeter in the past and found it useful except for one
thing, it measures only the PC you're using, if like me there's more
than one PC using the same connection you'll have to install it
separately on each and add the totals together.
Maybe someone in the group knows of a meter that measures total traffic
through the router?

Kenny Cargill

"Stewart" wrote in message
Ed, you are right, I mean "download monitor". I have now sent an email to
my ISP asking them if they have a record of my monthly downloads,



"Ed Cryer" wrote in message

I think you're confusing "download manager" with "download monitor".
The former will actually do the downloading, keep a history of its
doings, allow scheduling etc.
The latter will monitor your actual usage, keeping records of bandwidth
usage, setting a daily (weekly/ monthly) limit etc.

Your Down2Home is a monitor. You can still get it here;
http://www.down2home.com-about.com/download.html
I've never used it. I use;
http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/manual/?lang=English

If you also want a manager, try this;
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

Good luck, Ed

I don't think anyone would make much profit from a meter to measure all
traffic through the typical household router these days.
That's because they route far more than just between themselves and the Net.
They route between computers on the same network, streaming between
devices in the home such as hi-fi, etc.

I should think that if someone did produce something to monitor the
router itself, then it would have to have so many settings for the user
to apply that it would take a specialist to use it meaningfully.

Ed

 

[Paul]

I don't think anyone would make much profit from a meter to measure all
traffic through the typical household router these days.
That's because they route far more than just between themselves and the
Net.
They route between computers on the same network, streaming between
devices in the home such as hi-fi, etc.

I should think that if someone did produce something to monitor the
router itself, then it would have to have so many settings for the user
to apply that it would take a specialist to use it meaningfully.

Ed

On my setup, I would insert it as follows:


ADSL ------ ADSL_Modem ---------- Count ---- Router ------------ Computer
line (bridged mode) Bytes (terminate PPPOE)
PPPOE packets Here (NAT and routing)
= ISP bandwidth

I have a separate box for modem, and separate box for router.
The modem is actually a modem/router, but the router is disabled
and the modem runs in a "raw" (bridged) mode. The PPPOE packets,
if you count the bytes, this would be the same bandwidth
the ISP is counting.

I was thinking, maybe a RaspberryPI plus an additional
USB to Ethernet dongle, you could do a simple counter.
And set up a separate communications path to the PI, to
read out the data when desired. Since it's ADSL, the data
rate probably isn't high enough to tax anything.

Paul

 

[Char Jackson]

I don't think anyone would make much profit from a meter to measure all
traffic through the typical household router these days.

I would have to agree. All the solutions I've seen have been free.

I'm talking, of course, about 3rd party router firmware, of which there are
multiple solutions available. My personal preference is dd-wrt.

That's because they route far more than just between themselves and the Net.
They route between computers on the same network, streaming between
devices in the home such as hi-fi, etc.

Actually, no. The only "routing" a router does is between the LAN and the
WAN. All intraLAN traffic only hits the router's switch, not the router
portion of the router. You can pass traffic between PC's on the LAN all day
long and the router will never see a byte of it.

As you can see, it can get confusing to call a typical home NAT router a
router since it includes a router, a switch, sometimes an access point, and
a bridge to glue the switch and the router together. There are other
components, as well, but the industry lumps all of it together and calls it
a router.

I should think that if someone did produce something to monitor the
router itself, then it would have to have so many settings for the user
to apply that it would take a specialist to use it meaningfully.

No, the default settings typically work fine in most cases. Nearly anyone
should be able to see what's going on, if they'd like.

 

[Ed Cryer]

I would have to agree. All the solutions I've seen have been free.

I'm talking, of course, about 3rd party router firmware, of which there are
multiple solutions available. My personal preference is dd-wrt.


Actually, no. The only "routing" a router does is between the LAN and the
WAN. All intraLAN traffic only hits the router's switch, not the router
portion of the router. You can pass traffic between PC's on the LAN all day
long and the router will never see a byte of it.

As you can see, it can get confusing to call a typical home NAT router a
router since it includes a router, a switch, sometimes an access point, and
a bridge to glue the switch and the router together. There are other
components, as well, but the industry lumps all of it together and calls it
a router.


No, the default settings typically work fine in most cases. Nearly anyone
should be able to see what's going on, if they'd like.

Right then, tell me your freeware solution to my set-up.
1. Main computer with router-modem into telephone socket
2. Two upstairs computers with wireless dongles.
3. iPad with wifi.
4. Several digital radios receiving streaming from computer and Net.
5. Smart TV with browser and streaming from main computer.
6. Wireless Printer upstairs, taking from all computers.
7. Several people occasionally bring their laptops and use my wifi Net.

Say I wanted to have daily, weekly, monthly running totals for;
A. All down/up from/to Net; ie telephone usage.
B. (I'll ask later.).

Ed

 

[Ed Cryer]

Right then, tell me your freeware solution to my set-up.
1. Main computer with router-modem into telephone socket
2. Two upstairs computers with wireless dongles.
3. iPad with wifi.
4. Several digital radios receiving streaming from computer and Net.
5. Smart TV with browser and streaming from main computer.
6. Wireless Printer upstairs, taking from all computers.
7. Several people occasionally bring their laptops and use my wifi Net.

Say I wanted to have daily, weekly, monthly running totals for;
A. All down/up from/to Net; ie telephone usage.
B. (I'll ask later.).

Ed

Oh, I forgot the Blu-ray recorder attached to the TV. It is smart and
has browser and streaming.

Ed

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Oh, I forgot the Blu-ray recorder attached to the TV. It is smart and
has browser and streaming.

Ed

Depending on the box you have for connecting to the outside world, which
will contain a DSL MoDem and may contain a switch/router for the house
routing (or that may be a separate box), you _may_ be able to get
alternative firmware for it that'll do what you wish.

By far the easiest way to get those daily/weekly/whatever running totals
of your net usage, however, unless you want it automated, would I'm sure
be to just access the page your ISP provides that tells you this
information; I've yet to find an ISP that doesn't provide this
information, usually somewhere in something called something like
"member information". I guess there will be _some_ who don't provide it.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

(If you are unlucky you may choose one of the old-fashioned ones [language
schools] and be taught English as it should be, and not as it is, spoken.)
George Mikes, "How to be Decadent" (1977).

 

[Char Jackson]

Oh, I forgot the Blu-ray recorder attached to the TV. It is smart and
has browser and streaming.

Like John says, most ISP's provide this information, but if you're like me
you'll want to track it yourself. In your case, all of the data that you
care about goes through your router-modem, which I assume is a combo unit
(yuck). If your router-modem can't accept 3rd party firmware, and I strongly
suspect that it can't, you could always daisy-chain a router that will. It
doesn't have to be anything fancy as long as it's on the supported list of
at least one of the various firmware projects. As I said, I like dd-wrt, but
Tomato is also very good, as are several others.

By tracking usage in a router like that, you capture aggregate usage from
any LAN-connected device, regardless of what it is or how it's connected,
while *not* counting traffic that flows only within your LAN.

 

[Ed Cryer]

Like John says, most ISP's provide this information, but if you're like me
you'll want to track it yourself. In your case, all of the data that you
care about goes through your router-modem, which I assume is a combo unit
(yuck). If your router-modem can't accept 3rd party firmware, and I strongly
suspect that it can't, you could always daisy-chain a router that will. It
doesn't have to be anything fancy as long as it's on the supported list of
at least one of the various firmware projects. As I said, I like dd-wrt, but
Tomato is also very good, as are several others.

By tracking usage in a router like that, you capture aggregate usage from
any LAN-connected device, regardless of what it is or how it's connected,
while *not* counting traffic that flows only within your LAN.

Judging from your comments the situation in USA must be very different
from in the UK.
The vast majority of people here have a router-modem, supplied with a bb
package from an ISP. My guesstimate would be that this cover well over
99% of users. Many are left with several units after switching ISPs.

It falls rather reluctantly on UK ears to be advised to purchase another
router for the express purpose of being able to monitor traffic through
the already installed one; as well as then having to install different
firmware in the new one.

That's what we call a Heath Robinson solution. I'll leave you to google
for that.

Ed

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

It falls rather reluctantly on UK ears to be advised to purchase another
router for the express purpose of being able to monitor traffic through
the already installed one; as well as then having to install different
firmware in the new one.

That's what we call a Heath Robinson solution. I'll leave you to google
for that.

I did, and to return the favor, I'll suggest you Google for Rube
Goldberg.

I'm sorry: I meant "return the favour"

Thanks - Heath Robinson is new to me, and he looks like fun.