Control bandwidth usage of staff

[Martinco]

I have 6 staff members with some of them abusing my internet facility.
( Facebook, Surfing, emails to zillions of friends etc. ) And all this during work time !
Does anybody know of a software program I can install that can monitor the situation and preferably something where I can give each person a quota.
I have both a wireless ISP ( WiFi connection ) and an ADSL line so by just putting limits on the router ( If that can be done ! ) would not solve the problem.
I would prefer a program I can install on my PC that can do the monitoring for the whole network and so I can set the limits. I do not want to install software on the staff PCs as they will find ways around that. ( All PCs connect directly to the net )

I have googled but not sure if I see anything that would work for me.

It would obviously have to be something that looks at the IP address of the PCs concerned and then monitor the usage and apply a quota.

Come on.........put your thinking caps on !!!!!!!!!!!!

[daveob]

This private usage of your facilities is, in essence, THEFT !!

They are stealing your bandwidth which you paid for, they are stealing your time that you pay them to do your company's work, and they are stealing the service levels that your clients are now not receiving.

First thing I would do is to produce and distribute a Company Internet Usage Policy Document ( CIUPD ) which clearly states what can / can't be done on company time on the internet / PCs. It is difficult / unfair for you, currently, to punish someone for something if they don't fully know what the rules are.

Next, ask your ISP to give you a summary of the e-mails for each e-mail address - find out who is abusing the system. Look at the incoming and outgoing mails, subject lines, etc. You'll quickly spot the personal mails.

Are you allowed to do this ? I don't see why not. It's your mail server, your bandwidth, etc. And it is also specifically stated in the CIUPD.

Next, make an example. Make sure that it is severe enough ( as defined by the CIUPD ) that it sends a strong enough message to everyone else in the company. Is the time on the net is worth more to them than the monthly pay cheque ?

[tec0]

The question is how much money you are willing to spend on a solution. I can think of 3 products “hardware base that completely eliminate and control your problem” within hours but they are a bit costly I will find out prices from my good friend this week and come back to you on that but you are looking at a heavy amount.

Your second option is Mozilla Firefox. YES again a little trick that I do to keep people from eating internet. Look you have to admin your computers with some basic policies but this is really simple.

You get and add-on called Leach-block and on it you can permanently block face-thingy and everything else. Or!! Well setup a proxy... look at these products, I do NOT recommend them but they will give you some idea what a good proxy server can do...

http://www.youngzsoft.net/ccproxy/index.html

http://www.papercut.com/products/ng/tour/limit-internet-usage/

[Martinco]

First thing I would do is to produce and distribute a Company Internet Usage Policy Document ( CIUPD ) which clearly states what can / can't be done on company time on the internet / PCs. It is difficult / unfair for you, currently, to punish someone for something if they don't fully know what the rules are.

Good idea Dave. I shall certainly do this so everybody knows where they are standing. Thanks !

[Martinco]

The question is how much money you are willing to spend on a solution. I can think of 3 products “hardware base that completely eliminate and control your problem” within hours but they are a bit costly I will find out prices from my good friend this week and come back to you on that but you are looking at a heavy amount.

Well.....I think this is the problem....................am I throwing good money after bad ?

The "Papercut" program looks promising but I just fall into the situation where the license fee is going to be USD 400+ ( 5 users = free )
How do you think the program determines the number of users ?..........By simply looking at the IPs or PCs connected to the net ?, because I have 3 additional PCs on the LAN but not connected. ( Data server, and counter sales PCs. )

[tec0]

Right I used those two products as examples. I was NOT recommending them but I was hoping that you would Google a bit on the subject but ok here is one more thing for you to look at

http://internet-security.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_setup_internet_access_control_using_squid

There are a few other free products on the net so I am not recommending this one it is just an example

also google "WinProxy 5.0a"

[daveob]

Good idea Dave. I shall certainly do this so everybody knows where they are standing. Thanks !

Recommended. How many times have you found yourself in the situation where you are getting uptight and stressed about something, and the person that is causing the problem / stress isn't even aware that there is a problem or doesn't think that their actions could cause problems ?

Document and set the rules / guidelines so everyone knows what's allowed / expected, etc.

[tec0]

look at

http://www.bestfreewaredownload.com/freeware/k-proxy-sites-t-free-safesquid-personal-freeware-auyrzavz.html

also at

http://www.handycafe.com/en/

See I hope you see what I am on about there are loads of software “freeware” that can do the trick I recommend you Google read and workout what will work for you FOR FREEEE!

[SilverNodashi]

The only sure way to limit, and monitor who does what is to put a firewall inbetween the network and the PC's. Any software installed on the PC's themselves can be bypassed and won't help you much.

There are some decent, affordable hardware based firewalls which you basically install-and-forget and then just monitor who does what. You can limit who goes to which website(s) thet visit, what they can / can't download, when ( i.e. only in lunch time / after hours, etc) they can access it, and even much bandwidth any user can use. You can also track / monitor / block stuff like Skype, Email, FTP, SSH, HTTPS ( which you otherwise can't block), torrents, etc, etc.

[Martinco]

http://www.handycafe.com/en/

Just a word of warning on the above software!!!

I installed the server and client software on two PCs

When one opens the client software, the monitor goes blank first and then brings up a screen with "HANDY CAFE" graphics which just keeps on repeating on and on and no way of getting out of this.
Just a forced shutdown could stop this.

After a restart all the desktop icons went missing !

I had to restart and quickly open "Regcleaner" to uninstall client because the normal win control panel "remove programs" does not even see the client program.
Lucky I have Zone Alarm installed which bought me some time to get to my Regcleaner program.

Well..........all's well that ends well. PC running again.

[daveob]

PC lesson #1 learned with experience : always backup / ghost your PC before downloading and installing unknown software.

Bet you'll remember that one next time !!

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

Just a word of warning on the above software!!!

I installed the server and client software on two PCs

When one opens the client software, the monitor goes blank first and then brings up a screen with "HANDY CAFE" graphics which just keeps on repeating on and on and no way of getting out of this.
Just a forced shutdown could stop this.

After a restart all the desktop icons went missing !

I had to restart and quickly open "Regcleaner" to uninstall client because the normal win control panel "remove programs" does not even see the client program.
Lucky I have Zone Alarm installed which bought me some time to get to my Regcleaner program.

Well..........all's well that ends well. PC running again.

Heres a very basic Computer policy. Add and adapt according to your requirements.

[tec0]

Sorry about that last link I just Googled copied and paste. But I did say “does a search”... any way got my name hit with a sleeper and sorry about that



The stuff you are looking for is below I used to work with it and it is extremely powerful hardware you will be a demigod in your office that I can promise you. There is no getting around it or anything like that but again I warn you it IS expensive if you want I can pm me and I can give you a number of a dude that deals with a bit cheaper version of this product but is still the same thing.

http://www.juniper.net/as/en/products-services/ipc/

now you can or me

[Martinco]

PC lesson #1 learned with experience : always backup / ghost your PC before downloading and installing unknown software.

Bet you'll remember that one next time !!

Ok Dave...............

I am ahead of you this time, I have a ghost version ready but it was (fortunately ) easier just to try the fix first, but yes point well taken.

What has helped me out on previous occasions was to make a restore point before attempting suspicious software but in this case I would not have been able to open the restore before the graphics took over.
Come to think about it...this is actually a good idea as a virus to send to somebody you don't like ! ( Just kidding )

On the same subject: there is a software program available called "Go Back" which loads even before windows starts which works the same as win Restore and gives you the opportunity to go back in time and do a system restore but as opposed to Restore, this program make restore points several times a day and puts meaningful names to these points so one can easily identify where things went wrong and restore to before that. I.E. you lose nothing.

So..actually a lesson for all PC users !

[ABCAB]

I have popped this onto my work PC's (3 of them) http://www.netlimiter.com/. You can set it up so that it does not even show it's presence on the task bar. You can firewall or throttle speed per application.

Facebook is a found in a browser, so not able to throttle I'm afraid. but Yahoo, Skype and MSN chat has died in my office

I already have enough hassle trying to make things fit into a monthly cap of 15gig. Kills me when I see a bill for 30gig for a total of a 5 machine network.