Ubuntu
gnome-system-monitor package

Log of Kbytes/Mb downloaded?

Asked by Tom on 2009-02-27

I'm on a network where our only internet connection is a wireless broadband usb dongle. My network manager wants me to log how much i use it and we've all been restricted to 'emails only', until we can get a new landline installed. It sounds like it's going to take quite a long while for that to happen. Our old isp wouldn't release the codes we needed in order to plan this migration better and also failed to let us know when they were going to cut us off. About a year ago they sent us a letter to say they'd cut off all their residential customers within a month and only retain their 'business customers'. lol

Anyway, thanks and regards from
Tom :)

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu gnome-system-monitor Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Alex Rybicki
Solved:
2009-02-28
Last query:
2009-02-28
Last reply:
2009-02-28
Best Alex Rybicki (alex-rybicki) said : #1

While it might not be as simple as a log file of your internet usage, a simple way of getting a rough estimate of your usage is to use System monitor.
System>Administration>System Monitor
Click on the Resources tab, and this will show all of the network activity of the machine, across all network devices. Some drawbacks though: It shows all network usage, so if you're on a local network swapping files, it will show an increase based on that. Also, it only shows usage up to that session, so you would have to write down or otherwise manually log your usage every time you restarted the machine.

I did a quick search for something like to described and came across http://usageagent.sourceforge.net/download.htm
I have not tried or installed that software personally though.

Bhavani Shankar (bhavi) said : #2

I use ntop, to install type

sudo apt-get install ntop

for more info on ntop

man ntop

Tom (tom6) said : #3

Thanks Alex Rybicki, that solved my question.

Tom (tom6) said : #4

Thanks both of you for good responses there. I've got to leave downloading & installing ntop until tomorrow so Alex's work-around is best for me at the moment and it was great that it showed how much i've used already. Ntop sounds like it may be the best answer after tomorrow but i can only give karma to 1 person :(

Good luck and regards to both, thanks guys :)
Regards from
Tom :)