Easy way to shape internet traffic?

Keeper said:
Thanks for that Mike.

You forgot to mention a few important things.

1. Is it a pure software solution or is there hardware involved as well?
2. How difficult would it be for us newbies to just set it up that SAB has lowest priority, but speeds up if the network idles?
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The hardware I am using is a Dell GX 280 (or 270 - brain fail) server. I picked this machine up for R800 reconditioned and it has run 24/7 for years now. It's also dead quiet.
The spec is a Penton 4 2.8Ghz so nothing fancy at all.
2 ethernet cards. One connected to the ADSL modem and the other to an internal switch / router that hooks up your home.
The install of Kerio is simple as simple can be. Seriously. A few key strokes and it is running. You configure everything from your browser.

If you do got this route I am only too happy to assist.

Just remember the trick is to rather prioritise you most important traffic. SABnzbd you don't classify at all. If nothing is going on that requires high priority, then sabnzbd will max out your line.
With gaming, you don't require high bandwidth like with Netflix, Hulu or YouTube so you will see sabnzbd still making out your line - yet no lag in your game. Freaking amazing.

To add a little bonus, Kerio has the ability to assign individual DNS, gateway, etc... To DHCP clients. So all my Roku's get UnoTelly DNS settings while the rest of the network carried on as normal with local DNS. No having to set the DNS at the router level.

For R3k odd initial cost, it is so worth it.
 
ghoti said:
$265 ... ouch :(
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Hectic, and then annual renewal. Once off cost for Mikrotik is far better IMHO.

TheGuy said:
Do you have any idea how the routerboard does this on a technical level? As far as I understand a router can control traffic going out but not traffic coming in.
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That is true, but you can sort of control incoming traffic, by delaying the speed of the ACK packets going out. That said, since your router sits between the internet and your PC, instead it just slows down traffic going out of the router, to the pcs or home network. So if the pc that is downloading don't receive the packets, it can't send an ACK back, so the sending server starts to slow down packets as to not send them too fast. That is a very basic explanation but it is the basis of how it works with TCP at least. UDP you can't control like that exactly, so if you are going to Torrent, you may want to disable it using UDP packets and force it to TCP, so that you can at least QoS.
 
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I would go the Mikrotik route going to give you a lot of control and functionality. You have 2 options on doing Mikrotik for cheap either using a PC and install the RouterOS Level 4 software costs $45, or purchase a RB750 for around R500
 
Tim the Techxpert said:
I second this, pretty easy to get up and running and will hardly cost you a cent if you have a spare box lying around.
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Are you guys crazy? You'd rather have a big old box lying around making noise, gathering dust and chowing lots of electricity than have a sleek tiny little Mikrotik router that you can stick in a corner and forget about after you've programmed it? It's all nice and everything to rescue an old PC and turn it into a router, but it's just not practical.
 
deweyzeph said:
Are you guys crazy? You'd rather have a big old box lying around making noise, gathering dust and chowing lots of electricity than have a sleek tiny little Mikrotik router that you can stick in a corner and forget about after you've programmed it? It's all nice and everything to rescue an old PC and turn it into a router, but it's just not practical.
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What about running router OS in virtual box? Seeing as you are already going to have a pc running doing the downloads you might as well run the Router OS on there.
 
TheGuy said:
What about running router OS in virtual box? Seeing as you are already going to have a pc running doing the downloads you might as well run the Router OS on there.
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You could do that, but then every time you reboot your PC your network is going to go down which would be a pain if you have multiple devices connected to the internet in your house, like your tablet, smartphone, TV, laptop, etc. Rather have a dedicated device like a proper router that can just sit in the corner and do its job. What does R500 get you these days? Not a lot, but it can get you a decent Mikrotik router.
 
That makes sense. Can you recommend a mikrotik model that can do the above and wireless?

Edit: Also if I want to join the Jawug can I buy one Mikrotik router that can do the above + what is required for Jawug?
 
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TheGuy said:
That makes sense. Can you recommend a mikrotik model that can do the above and wireless?

Edit: Also if I want to join the Jawug can I buy one Mikrotik router that can do the above + what is required for Jawug?
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Without joining a WUG, I would suggest:
RB751G - 5x 1000Mbit ports + 1x 2.4ghz wireless - This is the older one, which I have, dont see it being available anymore
RB751 - 5x 100Mbit ports + 1x 2.4ghz wireless - Link
RB951G - 5x 1000Mbit ports + 1x 2.4ghz wireless and faster cpu than the above, this is a very new model released in the last 2-3 months. Link

ps. The 951 series is an upgrade over the 751 series, they are essentially the same, except the 951 will have faster cpu and possibly more memory. The 751 series should cost less.

If you want to join a WUG, I would suggest a separate router, purely because if you want a combined one, you are going to pay a lot, AND the WUG mikrotiks need to sit outside your house, almost right below the antenna, so you will really only have 1 ethernet cable running from it back into the house, and you will need a switch regardless. It will also work out much more expensive and be more manual work putting all the stuff together.

Joining a WUG I would suggest these: (seperate)
RB-GR52 - Link
RB-GR52A - Link
 
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Keeper said:
I want to give my SABnzbd a "low priority", so that when I watch youtube videos on the iPad it won't buffer, for example.
When there is no network activity, SABnzbd should go to work again.
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I'm achieving exactly this with a Mikrotik RB493. SIP gets 2nd highest priority and bandwidth, followed by general browsing and Youtube. Server PC gets the lowest priority, and all of the remaining bandwidth. The server will only operate at full speed if nothing else on the network is using bandwidth.

Like Tinuva said, ideal router for home usage would be the RB751 or RB951. Just watch out, the RB750's don't have integrated wireless. The second last digit in RB750/RB751 indicates the amount of ether ports, while the last digit indicates the amount of wireless interfaces.
 
Woops thx controlc, noticed I made a few types in those suggestions. Ultimate to have now is the RB951G however, I will probably upgrade if ipsec kills my RB.
 
controlc said:
I'm achieving exactly this with a Mikrotik RB493. SIP gets 2nd highest priority and bandwidth, followed by general browsing and Youtube. Server PC gets the lowest priority, and all of the remaining bandwidth. The server will only operate at full speed if nothing else on the network is using bandwidth.
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If you could explain how you are achieving this I would be over the moon grateful. Have been trying to achieve this on my mikrotik for ages. Or point me in the right direction? I want to have my roku have full priority and my server lowest priority. Your help would be greatly appreciated!
 
Keeper said:
?
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I have kerio Control set up at work and does that perfectly, by user or for everyone or however you want to set it up, can work both ways as well (limit or reserve bandwidth for user/group/port/service).
 
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