Internet activity monitor

squeaky

Hi all,

Having made sweeping changes to my system lately, the one thing I'm noticeably missing at the moment is an internet activity monitor. Web searches show up all sorts of stuff loaded with gizmos gadgets and reports that I just don't need.

What I'd like is a tray icon similar to Zone Alarm's twin bar indicator showing upload and download activity. The only further thing I'd like is that when hovering over the icon I get a summary of total MB's up/down loaded this session.

Freeware would be nice

Can anybody recommend one please?

John_Gray

Most network monitors have the problem that they don't measure just the traffic flowing to and from the internet, but everything coming in and out of your network interface card - such as all LAN traffic (to other local PCs, for example).

If that's not a problem for you, try Netmeter (halfway down the page) or tbbMeter.

squeaky

Both look good thanks. Just what I need.

[Deleted User]

John_Gray wrote: »

try Netmeter (halfway down the page) or tbbMeter.

NetMeter isn't good as it's not particularly accurate.

I'd suggest the following:

http://download.cnet.com/WatchWAN/30...-10520334.html

Decent reviews too.

For anyone that's interested in this app have a read of this too:

http://duf.sourceforge.net/watchwan/why.htm

Quite an interesting read.

squeaky

Thanks, I've tried the first two suggested and already binned the netmeter one. It only ever shows me up/download speeds and I couldn't find a way to get it to show me totals. It may be an option somewhere - but if it's that hard to find... I'm sure there's software where it's easier to set up. And yes, inaccurate isn't the word I'd have used. Hopeless would have been closer to the mark.

tbbmeter is better, though it shows one of three stats when hovered over, all useful, but I never know which one I'm going to get If they have three - I'd prefer they showed them all at once. The tray icon has nice ladder bar indicators, but they show them against the background logo thingy and it's a bit of an eye strain (for me) to pick out the activity from the logo. "Could do better" is the phrase that springs to mind

So yes, time to take a look at your suggestions thanks.

Strider590

Coolmon version 1 is pretty good, no bars but has customisable display settings and can display just about any stats you want.

http://www.techforce9.co.uk/images/coolmon1.jpg

It can either sit on the background or be set to "always on top", the colours are changeable too, as is transparency.

Don't seem to be able to find a link to the file, the authors site no longer exists, but I can send you the file if you want it.
Version 2 I found to be a bit bloated.

[Deleted User]

Strider590 wrote: »

Coolmon version 1 is pretty good, no bars but has customisable display settings and can display just about any stats you want.

http://www.techforce9.co.uk/images/coolmon1.jpg

It can either sit on the background or be set to "always on top", the colours are changeable too, as is transparency.

Don't seem to be able to find a link to the file, the authors site no longer exists, but I can send you the file if you want it.
Version 2 I found to be a bit bloated.

It's been disbanded now hasn't it?!

Strider590

Its still available, or atleast version 2 is.... I prefer Version 1 myself.
You'll notice my screenshot shows a "ping" time 36ms, that data is pulled from a script that I wrote myself. Ping time is very useful if you suspect connection problems or a slow connection.

Coolmon is very customisable that way.

squeaky

Hmm... I'm sure it's good, but it's not quite what I'm looking for. Think ZA display plus tooltip up/down totals. That's all I want to see up front. But those I do want to see.

If it has options for more, fine, but I'm not looking for mega diagnostics and I'm not monitoring a major network, just little old me and my one computer.

[Deleted User]

squeaky wrote: »

Hmm... I'm sure it's good, but it's not quite what I'm looking for. Think ZA display plus tooltip up/down totals. That's all I want to see up front. But those I do want to see.

If it has options for more, fine, but I'm not looking for mega diagnostics and I'm not monitoring a major network, just little old me and my one computer.

What did you think to WatchWAN?

squeaky

Erm... got some nice bits. But although it has up/down indication I haven't found an option to show a ladder bar display in the tray. I've become very used to one over the years and it's amazing how often I'd like to know on a download not just that I am downloading, but at what sort of speed. (At a glance; not to have to open something up then select a graph tab and watch it.)

It doesn't doesn't always show the tooltip either.

Btw at the bottom of the download page there's an interesting looking broadband speeder-upper-thingy...