Internet load balancing software

[pabloaguilar]

Hi,

If this is not an appropriate place to post this question, please excuse me and dissmiss the post; thanks.

I'm looking for software to balance the load on an internet connection for an internet/gaming cafe. I've seen hardware based solutions, but they're somewhat above my budget, and I've seen software solutions that require using a computer as a gateway instead of using the router, but then I can't reset the gateway computer, since it'd kill everyone's internet connection.
So I'm looking for something like:
1) Server software for collecting bandwidth usage statistics
2) Client software to:
- Monitor usage and report to server
- Download statistics from server and limit bandwidth appropriately.
- When the server isn't available, the above point just wouldn't apply

I don't want to hardwire a limit either, because that'd waste bandwidth when available.

Is there anything like this available out there? Or am I asking for too much? Basically my problem is, a couple of people playing in Battle.Net or Wow, a few others browsing, and suddenly someone on P2P will kill everybody else's connection.

Any hints are welcome... thanks!

Pablo Aguilar
pablo dot aguilar at gmail dot com

 

[riser]

You could do a google search on load balancing software and a little hunting will probably find you something..
If you want a cheap piece of software to monitor your bandwidth needs with a neat little GUI, try a program called DU Meter (download/upload meter) and it'll show you who is pulling/pushing what.. It'll give you a 3 week demo I believe..

Riser

 

[pabloaguilar]

Thanks for the reply.

I've already looked in google, and found only:
- hardware based
- computer gateway based

I'll try DU Meter, thanks for pointing me to it...

Pablo

 

[folken]

It sounds like you need to do bandwidth restricting not balancing. Load balancing is for when you have multiple internet connections and you want to use both at once. Bandwidth restricting (by ip, port, or adaptor), usage statistics, etc are avaliable on many many routers. If money is an issue you should seriously consider it. Any old junky computer that is laying around can become a router that does all you need in no time thanks to linux router distros Best of all if you have a junky computer your gateway/router upgrade will be free.

<A HREF="http://www.folken.net/myrig.htm" target="_new">My precious...</A>

 

[pabloaguilar]

Thanks!

I'd searched for bandwidth "limiting", but hadn't thought of "restricting", I'll see what that turns out... and, I guess you're right about just using and old computer with Linux, I guess I'll do that if I can't find what I'm looking for this last round of searching...

thanks again

Pablo

 

[arkus]

This any use?

<A HREF="http://www.netlimiter.com/" target="_new">http://www.netlimiter.com/</A>



<A HREF="http://forums.btvillarin.com/index.php?act=ST&f=41&t=2765&st=0#entry21597" target="_new">My Rigs</A>

 

[pabloaguilar]

I'll check it out, thanks...

Pablo

 

[kklkanna]

try winroute firewall... it has load balancing and bandwidth management.. exellent software for sharing internet connection

Regard
Kanna

 

[Guest]

as for me I prefer to use ProteMac Meter ( www.protemac.com ) ...