Just about everybody who uses the Internet these days has broadband access. Featured Freeware: Stellarium. Whether it's DSL, cable, or a direct high-speed LAN connection, most persons pick a faster connection to make files faster download, videos stream smoother, and online gaming much more enjoyable. But what if something is eating up bandwidth that you don't know about? When you have a superfast connection or Wi-Fi particularly, how do you know there isn't something or someone leeching off your bandwidth when everything seems to be working smoothly? Though I have my Big Three security programs running on every Windows machine I use, I know I can never be too careful about malware. Though it is not a fullproof system for detection, knowing how much bandwidth your computer is using can be a clue into possible issues. One of the best ways to find an issue is to watch for changes in your computer's behavior, and a bandwidth meter can discover changing trends as an early indicator.
Even if it's not malware, a good bandwidth meter can tell you if a new program is sucking up too much bandwidth or if another user is leeching your Wi-Fi connection. helperblackberry. I've rounded up a few freeware and shareware bandwidth meters you can download and check out right away. At the very least, you'll have a window into how fast your Internet connection runs over time to discover the best time to download large files.
But if a trend is noticed by you of sustained decreases of bandwidth, it could possibly be an indicator for malware or possible Wi-Fi hackers. Tons of information is available online with Line Speed Meter. previewfiles. Line Speed Meter is a free program that's great for getting bandwidth stats and following trends in your connection speed.
After a quick setup process, you can run a test to get basic information about upload and download speeds. But to get more information, you can click on the My Results button to get in-depth information online with graphs and diagrams showing your connection speed and trends over time.
I like the real way the information is set up at the online site, but an included animated window showing real-time connection speeds would have made this free software even better. Full traffic reports for multiple connections are only a click away. Net Meter is a shareware alternative ($19.95) that includes all the information you need within the interface. A small window shows real-time connection speeds for multiple network connections and a right click to the interface lets you bring up stats for daily, weekly, and monthly trends. You can use the options to change display graphics and choose which stats you want shown in the window. This one also lets you set alarms for when your bandwidth exceeds your specified limit. blocksbittorrent.
The graphical stats make this free application tough to beat. BitMeter could be my favorite of the bunch, but it might be more about aesthetics than functionality. Ардова Учебник Немецкого Языка Решебник. This free app offers everything you need right in the interface like Net Meter, but the smaller window and the real way it displays stats seems more appealing. Just like Net Meter, you can access a contextual menu with a right click to bring up connection statistics, but with BitMeter, stats graphically are displayed.
You can then drill down further to get a summary of network activity by the hour, day, or month. BitMeter lets you set alarms for both speed and volume alerts, including ISP restrictions if you have a time-based volume limit. selectrutracker. Keeping track of your bandwidth use can be an indicator of malicious software and can notify you of possible Wi-Fi leechers. Nero 11 multimedia suite does it all.
If you have a better software for the working job please let us all know in the comments! For a more general connection speed indicator to compare your connection with other services, try the CNET Bandwidth Meter (Yahoo Widget).