Thread: Any free tool to keep track on upload download data usage?

I have limited plan, and would like to keep track on my monthly bills.
Is there any good free tool which keeps a check on my upload/download data?
I am using "BitMeter II".
It shows your daily, weekly and monthly total count.
But problem is that it resets to zero after few days (there is bug in it). Hence you loose your data usage some time.
Please let me know.
Many thanks.

I downloaded BitMeter II from:
codebox.no-ip.net

Originally Posted by agrsaurabh123

I have limited plan, and would like to keep track on my monthly bills.
Is there any good free tool which keeps a check on my upload/download data?
I am using "BitMeter II".
It shows your daily, weekly and monthly total count.
But problem is that it resets to zero after few days (there is bug in it). Hence you loose your data usage some time.
Please let me know.
Many thanks.

I downloaded BitMeter II from:
codebox.no-ip.net

Have u tried Netmeter? Try googling for it. It is similar to DU meter.

You can also use Shaplus Bandwidth Meter. But there is also a problem. The problem is that if you have LAN (Connecting 2 PC) then the data tranfer between these 2 PC were also recorded and the Accuracy of BB usage is disturbed

You can use Shaplus Bandwidth Meter. It also have the option to skip usage between 2:00 AM to 8:00 AM (Night Unlimited). Or you can use Net Meter. Both of them are freeware and shows daily & monthly usages. In Shaplus Bandwidth Meter, session wise internet usage is also displayed. But only monthly usages are recorded in graph. And there is very little options in it to customize. But it does the job.

U can also checkout your usage in BSNL - Broadband Account Management using the portal id and password which has been provided to u. BSNL bills according to the data transfer as recoded by the usage portal ..

@agrsaurabh

Try Tautology Bandwidth Meter - Internet Traffic Usage Monitor

Accuracy not guaranteed. could be some variations.
Not dependent on BSNl usage portal.
Update 0915
for @matrix post.
http://thegoan.com/datafox/
About 50,000 downloads so far.

Reference:
http://www.indiabroadband.net/bsnl-b...html#post82142 (Confusion)

Originally Posted by robert_0007

You can also use Shaplus Bandwidth Meter. But there is also a problem. The problem is that if you have LAN (Connecting 2 PC) then the data tranfer between these 2 PC were also recorded and the Accuracy of BB usage is disturbed

The software will be running independently on the different PCs, right? And the software will list only the data transfer occurred in that PC right? Can u please explain why u stated so?

I havent used the mentioned software, did some beta testing for him long before it was released. Havent used the software in its current avatar !!

@agrsaurabh

If you are using firefox (windows/Linux) you can download DataFox plugin specifically developed for BSNL/MTNL BB users. You have all the options to view Daily, Monthly, etc. It will be placed in the status bar of firefox. Once setup just you have to move the mouse over the datafox icon in status bar, it will show you the details immediately.

Hi All,

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I am summarizing what has been replied till now..........
(1) Net Meter: Freeware, tested, used by many, recommended.
(2) Shaplus Bandwidth Meter: Freeware, supports night usage skipping, used by many, multi-pc issue needs clarification.
(3) Tautology Bandwidth Meter: Freeware, used by many, accuracy and robustness still not known.
(4) NetMeter II: Freeware, I personally used for last 6 months, some time resets after a week, hence data is lost.
(5) DataFox Firefox Plugin: Freeware, can only calculate data usage through Firefox. Can not count IE, or your anti-virus automatic updates.
(6) BSNL bbservice: Gives actual value of data usage. But site is down most of the time. Data is updated after 1 or 2 days. Site is extremely slow.


After above option, I am downloading Net Meter. Will post my feedback after couple of weeks.

What I want is that any data usage from my PC is calculated and I can keep an eye on my broadband bills. Tool should count data usage through browsers, anti-virus daily updates, Microsoft updates, etc, etc.

Thanks all for the help.

Originally Posted by agrsaurabh123

Hi All,
After above option, I am downloading Net Meter. Will post my feedback after couple of weeks.

What I want is that any data usage from my PC is calculated and I can keep an eye on my broadband bills. Tool should count data usage through browsers, anti-virus daily updates, Microsoft updates, etc, etc.

Thanks all for the help.

Glad to know that my suggestion helped.

Keep us posted about your experience with the software!!

Originally Posted by agrsaurabh123

Hi All,

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I am summarizing what has been replied till now..........
(1) Net Meter: Freeware, tested, used by many, recommended.
(2) Shaplus Bandwidth Meter: Freeware, supports night usage skipping, used by many, multi-pc issue needs clarification.
(3) Tautology Bandwidth Meter: Freeware, used by many, accuracy and robustness still not known.
(4) NetMeter II: Freeware, I personally used for last 6 months, some time resets after a week, hence data is lost.
(5) DataFox Firefox Plugin: Freeware, can only calculate data usage through Firefox. Can not count IE, or your anti-virus automatic updates.
(6) BSNL bbservice: Gives actual value of data usage. But site is down most of the time. Data is updated after 1 or 2 days. Site is extremely slow.

datafox merely gets the record available in the bbservice.bsnl.in website without having to go through the hassles of logging in manually. It reflects all data use from all computers using that net connection.

If I log to bbservice.bsnl.in, it takes more time but datafox does that automatically. Also, as per my experience, datafox forces update of records. Before using datafox there was lag of about 2 days for the update of records to happen but after datafox the same is updated instantly. The drawbak is IE user cannot use datafox

Originally Posted by matrix

If I log to bbservice.bsnl.in, it takes more time but datafox does that automatically. Also, as per my experience, datafox forces update of records. Before using datafox there was lag of about 2 days for the update of records to happen but after datafox the same is updated instantly. The drawbak is IE user cannot use datafox

The datafox plugin fetches the records from the official BSNL usage portal. So if the portal is updates, datafox will also show the updated usage. If not, it wont show.

I am using NetMeter. This tool is excellent. It records all data usage. Even if you do chatting, any browser, windows updates, antivirus updates....all data transfer is recorded.
Thanks for suggestion.

such tools are good if you have a single pc on your network.. if you have multiple machines , it can get confusing!!

Originally Posted by agrsaurabh123

I am using NetMeter. This tool is excellent. It records all data usage. Even if you do chatting, any browser, windows updates, antivirus updates....all data transfer is recorded.
Thanks for suggestion.

DU meter is a similar tool ... DU meter gave me better results and service than netmeter for quite some now ...

But DUMeter is paid software. So unless u are into warez stuffs, Netmeter will suit fine..

Originally Posted by cool_techie_tvm

But DUMeter is paid software. So unless u are into warez stuffs, Netmeter will suit fine..

isnt it the same case with netmeter ?

it is also a paid software ... only the maybe limited/trial version is free ... same as DU meter

Originally Posted by saurav_kataruka

isnt it the same case with netmeter ?

it is also a paid software ... only the maybe limited/trial version is free ... same as DU meter

Yaar please do some research before posting (if u have not used it).

Netmeter is free.

DUMeter is a paid software.

Yes. NetMeter is absolutely FREEWARE. Please go ahead if you are using net on single PC. Excellent tool.

Hi. I have been using Netmeter for long now, and it works quite satisfactorily.

A question for users of Netmeter program.. I save a copy of the logs every month. However, there is a problem if & when the logs get reset by accident/crash.

If such a thing happens, i go to the isp site, open the session statistics of current month > copy to excel .csv format > calculate to daily totals (as isp gives session-wise totals) > use 'import' function of netmeter

This updates the netmeter logs fine, but only glitch is that 'data transferred since last reset' does not get updated.

This creates a big problem, as i keep netmeter window onscreen to show the monthly download so far. So basically after each crash, i have to remember to add the lost monthly total mentally each time to the total showing on screen.

Anyone knows how the 'data since last reset' can be updated in Netmeter?
Thanks.

(Had posted this as a separate thread, but this seems to be the appropriate discussion.)

I also observed this issue, it happens every 2-3 weeks, and I loose all figures.

I am using Netmeter 1.1.3.

Any other freeware crashfree tool?

Really sorry! We are using the net for some useful info, quick communication, etc. As we are aware about our requirements, the plan we are using, the bandwidth already used why to bother about these utilities? Is Indians so lazy to calculate a simple mathematics? (Indianan have a good reputations globally in this area). I wonder we still use our fingers to count numbers?

@agrsaurabh123
Hi. Unfortunately, i have not found a solution yet. There is a file "Netmeter.tlg" in the Netmeter folder (wherever u have installed it). If u see its properties, it keeps getting updated to the latest time. I am presuming that the download figures are stored in it. I tried opening it using Notepad++ program, to see if i could manually change the 'download since last reset' value, but the file shows mostly garbled up in Notepad++.

What i can suggest to you:
a) Make frequent backups of the Netmeter log. How? If you click on the system tray icon and go to the panel "Totals and reports", there is an option to export the log file as a .csv file.
Whenever a crash does happen, you can then import back the file. (Obviously, there would now be an under-reporting, as the data transfer since the date of backup file creation, would not be there)

b) Go to the panel "Options" and then to "Totals+reports"
Here you will find a checkbox "Autosave log file". Tick it, if not already enabled, and set time as something like 10 minutes.
How it helps: Suppose u r having a net session 2 hours long with lot of data transfer.. The browser crashes/system crashes or for any reason, the net meter program does not close normally. If u have this option enabled, u will maximum loose data of last 10 minutes, rather than of entire 2 hours.

A tip: You are the first user of Netmeter i am interacting with, so i share a tip. How to keep the DL transfer available real-time on your screen, rather than having to hover over the system tray icon:
Open the Net-meter window, and then reduce its edges diagonally till the entire graph disappears, only the lower text box is visible. Now, shift the entire window to the top-centre of your screen (or wherever you want it to be). Two more changes required now:
Right click on icon, go to "Options> General" and tick "Always on top" and "Snap to screen edges" if not already ticked.

This option of being able to monitor the data transfer real-time with minimum wastage of computer screen space, is the single biggest factor that i prefer Netmeter over any other meter.

Cheers!