Internet traffic

samIamsad · 09-02-2006, 10:45 AM

Er, I know, I know there are tools like traffic monitors out there, but see, I don't really need one.

My question is a bit more specific, just curious: In the status screen of your connection you can see two values. One representing the ingoing data, one the outgoing. But these aren't exactly bytes, or are they? They're..... packages. What is a package? How big is it in bytes? And, let's say you had a traffic limit of 5 gigs per month, what would count for the provider here? Data downloaded? Uploaded? Both?

Aj_ · 09-02-2006, 10:51 AM

Packets are variable in size, Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) is the maximum packet size. You can find MTU settings in the Windows registry and your router's settings.

*stepurhan* · 09-02-2006, 10:52 AM

As far as provider limits are concerned I believe it's the total traffic across the line i.e. Upload and Download.

Jeysie · 09-02-2006, 10:57 AM

Are you sure you don't mean "packets"? All data sent over the internet is broken up at the source into little packets of data, which then get sent all over cybercreation and reassembled by the recipient computer when they all arrive. The size of said packets varies according to the settings on any given computer.

As for your second question, my hunch is that the 5GB limit would apply to both uploading and downloading combined, but you'd have to ask/research your specific provider to find out for sure.

Peace & Luv, Liz

Edit: Took so long typing I got beat out by AJ and Stepurhan. Oh well.

samIamsad · 09-02-2006, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeysie

Are you sure you don't mean "packets"?

Sorry, for the confusion. I'm not a native speaker.

But yes, that's it.

Let's see... currently it says for me: 87.319 packets sent, 103.589 received. Is that much? Not so much? It's a standard TCP/IP connection (Win XP) via cable modem, would that equal about 190 megs of traffic for today? Well, not quite, I'm sure... but I kind of figured that the size of the packets would be the same for all XP system. That's not quite right as well, as Aj said. Just curious (and dumb, obviously).

*stepurhan* · 09-02-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samIamsad

That's not quite right as well, probably. Just curious (and dumb, obviously).

Don't be silly. We can't all be techheads.

Speaking of which, we've hit my outer limits on this packet size business. Could yuu be a bit more specific on the mechanics of checking these settings please Aj_?

samIamsad · 09-02-2006, 11:25 AM

Heh.

Back at college I had a traffic limit of 2 gigs per month, but the only time I ever reached the limit was when I had a trojan virus on my hd which was causing massive traffic and I didn't notice...

It just got me thinking.. even a regular web page on, let's say AGers (like the forums index) is probably already, I don't know.. 90 kb (?) in size. And how often do you load/reload a regular web page? Of course, every browser has a cache, but still.

Huz · 09-02-2006, 01:49 PM

The data uploaded and downloaded combined will generally be measured against any kind of quota.

As you've heard, 'packets' are simply the separate segments of data that all network traffic is broken up into. They have a maximum size but no real minimum - there is a minimum, but it's tiny - so packets are a pretty useless measure of how much you've actually sent or received. I don't know why Microsoft made it the default readout in the Windows GUI.

The simple answer, if you want to see how much you've sent and received in bytes since your last reboot, is to bust open the command prompt and type:
netstat -e

Note that these figures unhelpfully wrap around to zero after 2^32 bytes, or 4GB. Divide them by 1024^2 to get a figure in megabytes, 1024^3 for gigabytes.

Aj_ · 09-02-2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Speaking of which, we've hit my outer limits on this packet size business. Could yuu be a bit more specific on the mechanics of checking these settings please Aj_?

If you know how to use the registry editor use the key below, if not I recommended speedguide.net.

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/280

Quote:

Registry Settings
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Tcpip\Parameters\
Interfaces\[Adapter ID]]
Value Name: MTU
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: Default = 0xffffffff

That would get you your maximum you could have transferred, but that's all it could do, it wouldn't be reliable for actual ammount of data transferred.

Crunchy in milk · 09-02-2006, 10:09 PM

Uploads counted against your 'download limit' isn't uncommon for many ISPs but some claim not to. Keep in mind that even with those that do not technically count your upload traffic against your download limit - when you upload you still download ack packets.

Another thing to be aware of when testing new isps is checking if they count idle connection traffic against your limit (they SHOULDNT). Always online cable connections can generate huge ammounts of idle traffic over a month (even with your computer turned off).

insane_cobra · 09-02-2006, 10:50 PM

Sam, doesn't your ISP provide you with some contol panel where you can check your traffic for the month?

samIamsad · 09-02-2006, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crunchy in milk

Always online cable connections can generate huge ammounts of idle traffic over a month (even with your computer turned off).

Why is that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobra

Sam, doesn't your ISP provide you with some contol panel where you can check your traffic for the month?

I got my new connection three weeks ago and haven't checked that out yet, since I'm not really limited here. I was only being really, really curious.

samIamsad · 09-03-2006, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huz

T
The simple answer, if you want to see how much you've sent and received in bytes since your last reboot, is to bust open the command prompt and type:
netstat -e

Btw, I noticed that the value this command displays continues to increase even if I

* disconnect.
* pull the power plug of the modem
* disconnect my cable modem from my PC
* all of the above

WTF is up with THAT?

Huz · 09-03-2006, 08:28 AM

The netstat -e command will give you statistics for all your network interfaces, which can include

1) Any LAN traffic, if you're on one, and
2) Traffic on the 'loopback' interface, which is your computer talking to itself over the TCP/IP protocol. Firefox and Thunderbird do this, for some reason.

LAN and loopback traffic don't contribute much to my netstat figures, but it could well be different for you. I don't know if Windows has any built-in way of seeing traffic statistics for individual network interfaces (i.e. the one your cable modem is connected to), but the statistics are available through the Windows API so there should be millions of freeware programs that can read them.

Another possibility is that your computer is trying to send data to the cable modem despite it not being there, which still counts as traffic. The reverse effect of this is the reason that...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crunchy in milk

Always online cable connections can generate huge ammounts of idle traffic over a month (even with your computer turned off).

"Huge amounts of traffic" is pushing it, but "traffic that exists" is certainly true. Thanks to the vagaries of networking, data packets can make it all the way across the Internet and into your house, only to find that your computer is turned off and unable to receive them. Boo hoo. Your ISP still sees this as valid traffic, though.

My ADSL connection clocks up around 20MB of traffic a day because of this.

09-02-2006, 10:45 AM	#1
samIamsad capsized. Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,534	Internet traffic Er, I know, I know there are tools like traffic monitors out there, but see, I don't really need one. My question is a bit more specific, just curious: In the status screen of your connection you can see two values. One representing the ingoing data, one the outgoing. But these aren't exactly bytes, or are they? They're..... packages. What is a package? How big is it in bytes? And, let's say you had a traffic limit of 5 gigs per month, what would count for the provider here? Data downloaded? Uploaded? Both? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Look, Mr. Bubbles...!

09-02-2006, 10:51 AM	#2
Aj_ Beyond Belief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Blighty Posts: 2,186	Packets are variable in size, Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) is the maximum packet size. You can find MTU settings in the Windows registry and your router's settings. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Richard Dawkins :: AAI 07 :: NOVA ID on Trial :: Skeptic's Guide :: Beyond Belief :: Out Campaign :: NeuroLogica :: Skepticality

09-02-2006, 10:52 AM	#3
stepurhan Freeware Co-ordinator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South East England. Posts: 7,309	As far as provider limits are concerned I believe it's the total traffic across the line i.e. Upload and Download. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ No Nonsense Nonsonnets #43 Cold Topic A thread most controversial, that’s what I want to start Full of impassioned arguments, of posting from the heart And for this stimulation all will be thankful to me On come on everybody it won’t work if you agree

09-02-2006, 10:57 AM	#4
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Are you sure you don't mean "packets"? All data sent over the internet is broken up at the source into little packets of data, which then get sent all over cybercreation and reassembled by the recipient computer when they all arrive. The size of said packets varies according to the settings on any given computer. As for your second question, my hunch is that the 5GB limit would apply to both uploading and downloading combined, but you'd have to ask/research your specific provider to find out for sure. Peace & Luv, Liz Edit: Took so long typing I got beat out by AJ and Stepurhan. Oh well. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

09-02-2006, 11:25 AM	#7
samIamsad capsized. Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,534	Heh. Back at college I had a traffic limit of 2 gigs per month, but the only time I ever reached the limit was when I had a trojan virus on my hd which was causing massive traffic and I didn't notice... It just got me thinking.. even a regular web page on, let's say AGers (like the forums index) is probably already, I don't know.. 90 kb (?) in size. And how often do you load/reload a regular web page? Of course, every browser has a cache, but still. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Look, Mr. Bubbles...!

09-02-2006, 01:49 PM	#8
Huz Kersal Massive Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,430	The data uploaded and downloaded combined will generally be measured against any kind of quota. As you've heard, 'packets' are simply the separate segments of data that all network traffic is broken up into. They have a maximum size but no real minimum - there is a minimum, but it's tiny - so packets are a pretty useless measure of how much you've actually sent or received. I don't know why Microsoft made it the default readout in the Windows GUI. The simple answer, if you want to see how much you've sent and received in bytes since your last reboot, is to bust open the command prompt and type: netstat -e Note that these figures unhelpfully wrap around to zero after 2^32 bytes, or 4GB. Divide them by 1024^2 to get a figure in megabytes, 1024^3 for gigabytes. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-02-2006, 10:09 PM	#10
Crunchy in milk delusions of adequacy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,403	Uploads counted against your 'download limit' isn't uncommon for many ISPs but some claim not to. Keep in mind that even with those that do not technically count your upload traffic against your download limit - when you upload you still download ack packets. Another thing to be aware of when testing new isps is checking if they count idle connection traffic against your limit (they SHOULDNT). Always online cable connections can generate huge ammounts of idle traffic over a month (even with your computer turned off). Share Share this post on Twitter

09-02-2006, 10:50 PM	#11
insane_cobra gin soaked boy Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Virovitica, Croatia Posts: 4,093	Sam, doesn't your ISP provide you with some contol panel where you can check your traffic for the month? Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ What you piss in is yours for life.

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