Ways to limit uploading on a network

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 08, 2003 Posts: 12

All of my computers on my network are windows xp and I was wondering if there is a program that will allow me to set upload limits on each of my computers and also have them report statistcs to my computer(as a logging server). Is this possible. I currently have Netlimiter running on a schedule for a couple of the computers. I was wondering if there is a more simlpe way to keep track of the uses of the network bandwitdh and amount of data transfered. Thanks.

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Something on the router level. I wish consumer grade products allowed this functionaliy. Anyone have and ideas?

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Nov 18, 2003 Posts: 28

A Cisco business-oriented router would have bandwidth controls built in, but getting one would be very expensive.

What exactly are you running that is using so much upstream bandwidth?

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 08, 2003 Posts: 12

well i stream mp3s from my computer and also do remote control applications to my home computer. I am accessing my house fomr school. When i use this upload bandwitdth it takes away from what is used from calls causing jerky calls. If i could prioritize the calls with QoS by restricting what each computer can take from the upload it gives more room to the vioce traffic. Such as: I have a total of 20kb/s usually upload. If each computer was limited to 3 kb/s the there would be 18kb/s for the voice traffic. Now when my dad's computer sends many requests to his stock chart pages he himself is messing his calls up by making those requests. I was wondering what else i could do to make it better for the voice call quality.

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Nov 18, 2003 Posts: 28

How much total upstream bandwidth do you have? It sounds like it is just 20 Kbps. Is that accurate?

Are you sharing MP3s using P2P software or streaming them? If you are streaming them, what software are you using?

Posts: 66 · Full Forum Member Joined: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 66

I know that a Cisco Soho 91 router would help. It could be configured to prioritize outbound voice traffic so that any outbound voice packet would be sent ahead of any other traffic. A friend of mine has one and it is very capable for the money, about $260 street. See Pricegrabber. I think this is a very reasonable price for what it can do. See the Cisco web site at:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps4866/ps4870/index.html

I have lots and lots of experience with Cisco routers, especially with Voice over IP. The Soho 91 can do the job but I don't know right now how easy to configure it is for the average or even experienced computer user. There is a web browser interface to the router which allows easy setup, but I don't know if this setup process covers VOIP config.

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 08, 2003 Posts: 12

my total upload bandwidth is 192kbps but that ammounts to 20kb/s which are two different things. Also that cisco soho looks fine but it only has 4 ports. I would need one with 8 ports or I am just thinking of making a linux routing box.

Posts: 66 · Full Forum Member Joined: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 66

So the Soho 91 only has 4 ports. Get a 4 or 8-port switch for $20. By the way, in another thread, I saw that Linksys's 8-port router/switch (BEFSR81) does QOS for one inside port. People say it works. You designate one inside port as the priority QOS port and the Linksys prioritizes that port's traffic when it sends it to the outside world.

Best Buy has it for $99, Pricegrabber lists it for about $75. I've seen recent Ebay auctions selling functional units for $40-70.

Posts: 83 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Nov 16, 2003 Posts: 83

Hmmm. I thought the 96 and 97 were the only Soho routers to support QoS. Since these are ISDN routers, having that ability on the 91 would be cool.

Posts: 66 · Full Forum Member Joined: Dec 15, 2003 Posts: 66

Another poster in another thread mentioned that the Soho 91 won't know that there is congestion upstream, so how is it going to know to limit non-voice throughput? Good point. I am not sure how I would configure QOS on the Soho. The advantage of the 96 and 97 is that they are directly connected to the WAN link and this will know when traffic is to be dropped.

I gotta think about this.