Network Monitor Software

peter212693 · 8 Sep 2016 at 20:41

Hi all,

Im looking for some software preferable free that can monitor and log traffic on the network and what type of traffic it is.

Basically we have a customer hes broadband service is being throttled as the connection is being hammered around 7-8am in the morning but no one gets into the office untill around 8:30am. The provider have narrowed it down to this time and can see the usable peaking. What we want to do is have some software running on the server that will monitor and provide and IP address of the culprit and whats traffic is moving.

Gut feeling is its one of the servers but want to be sure.

What is there out there? I have had a look at wireshark but not used it for ages, will this do the job for me?

#Chri5# · 8 Sep 2016 at 21:41

What router / firewall / UTM appliance do they have?

peter212693 · 8 Sep 2016 at 21:50

Its a serviced office. The router is provided by Claranet and is serviced by them we have 0 access to it. If it helps, off the top of my head its a juniper of some sort.

ov_sjo · 9 Sep 2016 at 07:18

There are a few main ways, which give different levels of information.

Simplest - SNMP
Allows you to monitor traffic on interfaces, like switch ports - could tell you which device is busy at certain times of the day. Use software like mrtg or cacti

Netflow/Packetflow
Router sends netflow data to a receiving host/collector. This will tell you the type of data and where its coming from/to. Lots of tools out there that do this but your router needs to support it and be configured.

Deep inspection firewall
Add in a transparent firewall in-line with your internet connection and do logging and/or netflow export as above.