Dear imonitor users, potential users, former users, and interested parties:
Some great new features this newsletter!
Summary for those of you new to this newsletter:
I am working on a project on Internet monitoring, and have a small device which I can deploy to help measure/monitor your Internet service. I have several "guinea pigs" deployed and am always interested in expanding my "customer" base. I initially targeted the service to users on the mountain in Jasper GA (windstream ISP), but it is applicable universally, and I have "customers" on Windstream, ATT, Spectrum, Hughes, Comcast, Qwest, CenturyLink, and several others. I am always interested in getting "customers - guinea pigs" on other ISPs. Please read on if you are interested. I am particularly interested in comments and suggestions from my more "nerdy" customers!!
Please let me know if you would like one of these devices. I still have a few available to deploy free to "guinea pigs"! I can give
login access for nerds!
As usual, I am extremely grateful for the use of your ISP connection to develop this service across many ISPs.
As always, you can refer to the main information page at https://johnloop.com/imonitor.
There are additional detailed references linked on that page.
Newsletter 3-3-2019 previous newsletter https://johnloop.com/imonitor/
There is news in these areas:
1. I have been working on making plots of the statistics collected for some time now. I have succeeded, using linux "gnuplot." I have 3 plots available via the web page, or via a link in the email. These plot ping delays to a ping target [which you can configure]! You can click on a link in the email, or go to the rpi web page [link in email]. These plots give possibility the quickest way to gauge Internet performance, over a longer time.
The first plot below is fairly normal, with the vast number of points at the "average" ping delay of about 40msec, and a scattering of slower ping times as normal congestion is encountered on the web. The second plot shows the effect of a much slower access speed and a very large network behind the router.
There are three plots available for the ping times:
-1 Today ping delays, from 2AM until the time you click the button.
-2 Last hour ping delays, showing the previous hour delays [from the time of your click]
-3 Yesterday ping delays [the plots below] from 2AM to 1AM
Here is a sample of "Yesterday's" ping delays, taken on pi1 3-3-2019. This is Spectrum standard cable. 2AM yesterday is on the very left. 1AM this day is on the right. 23 hours are plotted, with the ping delay recorded each minute.
Here is a sample of "Yesterday's" ping delays, taken on pi24 3-3-2019. This is basic ADSL, Centurylink 6Mbs svc. Notice the congestion in the evenings.
While it is very difficult to make EXACT comparisons, it is obvious that the path to the ping target is much more difficult to reach for pi24, especially in the evenings. This could be due to a multitude of causes. The MUCH slower access speed accounts for most of the basic added ping delay, but the congestion is due to other things. The ping target for both pi1 and pi24 is in Atlanta on an ATT Gbs router. The source for pi1 is Tampa, FL [which actually routes thru Miami]. The source for pi24 is Raleigh NC. So we can only make general conclusions. The local network on pi1 is much smaller than the local network on pi24. What is important is the constancy of the ping delays thruout the day. pi1 is much more constant than pi24.
While we really cannot make exact comparisons, this data can tell us much about our ISP performance. The paths to the ping target from pi1 and pi24 are very different, but -assuming the Internet is a wide open pipe- we can conclude the pi24 has a more difficult time than pi1. The assumption that the Internet is a "wide open pipe" is not true just yet, tho every year, it is coming closer to being true. At the same time it is filling up with TV etc. It is a race between building the Internet pipes and filling them up with new apps.
Continuing....
2. I have added an option to enable a weekly email instead of the daily email. The weekly email will include all 7 days, and will be sent on Saturday morning. This is configurable on the rpi web page.
3. I have fine tuned the wifi ping scripts. Remember that the wifi ping stats only measure your inside network, the rpi to the router. [In the case where the rpi has only wifi access, of course the main ping delays are ALSO run over the wifi]. It is much more meaningful to have the rpi participate in both the wifi [it needs the wifi key], and the ethernet. The Rpi can run both ethernet and wifi ping testing [assuming it participates in your wifi network]. I can add the rpi to your wifi network if I have the wifi key. Monitoring your wifi network is critical, especially if you live in a "wifi maze."
4. I have continued to refine the rpi web page to make it easier to use, and easier on the eyes. I have quick links at the top to each of the major sections. This is accessible by clicking on the rpi link in the email. I have attached a screenshot of the latest rpi web page. The plots are accessible via the "plot" button on the web page.
5. I have continued to refine the daily [weekly] email to make it more useful for a quick check of your status. It contains many links for the stats collected on the Rpi. These links are perfectly safe - they are to the rpi on your local network. You MAY have to enable them on your browser, because browsers are getting VERY picky about allowing non-https sites. The plots are also available on the email via the links. I have added an attachment showing the email.
6. I really encourage you to enable the INTERNAL scan of your network, especially if you are in a wifi maze where your network is visible to others [this can be noted by seeing if you can see OTHER networks]. Wifi hacking is a very real threat. This scan is enabled via the rpi monitor page. The results of this scan do NOT leave your network - they remain on the rpi. I am available to help you interpret these scans.
7. Please take note of the daily INTERNET scan of your Internet presence reported on your email. Ideally, this should list only the TCP port 113 as closed. If you have other ports open, you should exercise caution - make sure the apps listening on those ports are up to date, and that you have good passwords -if applicable- on the apps.
8. As always, I am quite desirous of feedback and comments, esp from my "nerdy" customers.
I am eternally grateful for allowing me to use your Internet connection to develop this service. I am hoping it is a more valuable service as time goes on.
General description of rpi monitor tests:
Bash scripts running on a small computer on your network attempt a connect to a target every minute of every day. Statistics are reset at beginning of month. The target is configurable, default is google.com.
The scripts perform a speedtest at 3AM and 3PM. This is done from the Rpi of course!
The scripts perform a single ping every minute of every day to a stable Internet IP address. These are counted and reset at beginning of every day. There will be an entry for each ping failure. The ping target is configurable.
The wait time for both the connect and the ping is 15 seconds; no response and a failure is declared. There are 44640 minutes in a 31 day month. I don't do quite that many.... housekeeping and such.
Last minute ping delays
Yesterday ping delay average and plot
Today ping delay plot -from 2AM to when you click the link.
Last hour ping delay plot
Route to IXC
Yesterday temp average [if enabled]. Up/down limits can be set and you can be alerted.
Scan of wifi networks from your location listing all SSID and sig levels, other info
Scan of your Internet connection to check for vulnerability
Scan of your internal network -if enabled
Week's worth of stats available in piweeklytars directory
Internet IP address changes are recorded, and you can be alerted for a change
Boot times of the Rpi, which may represent power bounces in your house. You are alerted.
A browsable web page [safely on the raspberry pi on your local network] with all these stats available at any time. Link provided in the email.
Access to your router [gateway] via the web page.
Raspberry Pi can be behind a secondary router.
There is absolutely no monitoring, capturing of your Internet traffic. The raspberry pi generates its own to collect stats. The bandwidth demands on your connection average less than 1Kb/s.
I can give you access/login to the raspberry pi if you wish.
I can give you an SD micro with the software if you have your own raspberry pi 3B or 3B+.
John Loop pccitizen@gmail.com txt to 706 669 7164