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I've been searching the forums and the Internet in general, today, as I have gotten my first notice from Comcast that, lo, I am over my 1 Terabyte limit, this month. It has been inching toward that mark for a bit, and last month was around 944 Gig. What can I say: We are a connected, gaming, streaming family and our Comcast link is a vital utility. I have seen suggestions on this forum to "just disconnect everything and reconnect until you find the hog." With 30ish devices on the network, 4 kids, 2 renters, and countless visitors, this is simply not a possibility. What I could do is set up a different router (preferably one with this feature) and move the connections over to it one-by-one until I find the offender. If I have to go that route, I highly doubt the Orbi would get reconnected. Which is a shame because it is a pretty decent solution for everything else.
I would like for Netgear to seriously consider giving customers an option for this data. There are many ways to do it, but ANY of them would be acceptable to me. I'm a long-time networking pro, so even if these are scary for some people, at least it would be an option.
- Do the metering in the device with display of the statistics in the interface and in the app. This is obviously going to make the most customers happy because it would give us a report per-device of the usage. This isn't rocket science: Even if the device has a database limitation of 100 devices to monitor, or even 50, it would be useful. COMCAST does it on their modem devices for xFi. It can't be that hard.
- Do the metering externally by providing SNMP statistics on a per-device basis for smaller timeframes. This would mean that the Orbi doesn't have to store "dead" devices forever and would be up to whatever stat-gathering tool was used.
- Do the metering externally by providing some app that collects the data to a desktop. Maybe Java so you can hit Windows, Linux, and Mac all at once with it.
- Provide traffic mirroring to a selected wired port. This would at least give me the ability to plug in Wireshark or other tools to see what is going on. It would be super useful for troubleshooting intermittent issues and not just bandwidth monitoring.
- Provide netflow/sflow output to a collector on the home network. This would also have broader uses than just bandwidth monitoring, but it is potentially the hardest to use solution in this list. If it is easy to implement in the Orbi (i.e., the chips already support it), then I'll take it happily.
- Other things I haven't mentioned. Look, I'm desperate, here. I will find a way to use anything that helps.
I get 2 months free "warnings" from Comcast, but the cost of not knowing this outweighs replacing the Orbi. Once I start getting charged $10/50 Gig, I'm going to need to know right then and there. And if I don't have a reasonable answer by that time, another Orbi will be going out to eBay.
195 Comments
I started this thread and left for Google nest wifi pro mesh network with bandwidth monitoring a long time ago ... vote with your dollars.
Netgear doesn't listen to your requests.
Part of why I posted initially was in hopes that NetGear actually cared about their customers & would implement a solution available on other products that cost a fraction of what Orbi costs.
Now I post regularly so that other unsuspecting potential customers don’t make the same mistake. I switched long ago to another solution & sold my Orbi access points. I’m a big believer in voting with dollars. I hope as many people as possible see these posts & choose a better option. Then NetGear can one day refer to these posts while trying to figure out why no one is buying their crap products & wish they had implemented a solution so many people requested & needed.
Of course you can post about this and discuss it. Just some seem to post that there maybe problems that could be helped if they posted in the support forums and find solutions. As you can see, since 2018 NG doesn't seem to walk to make this work for those who have requested it. Thats NGs decision and I can only speculate that there maybe reasons behind it and not bring this request to there products. And of course, if this feature is wanted by users asking for it, then of course, you'll need to find a router mfr that does support it on there products. Good Luck.
Thanks Furry for your wonderful input. As you stated this is an idea exchange where users can post about ideas or requests. Adding bandwidth monitoring into their devices seems an awfully lot like an idea and/or request. Its unfortunate that this idea and request seems to go unanswered by NG in which you will end up with so many posts that indicate their devices don't do this. I would encourage others to keep posting that they think this idea or request is a good one and maybe just maybe NG will take notice based on the numbers in this post. Sending people off to individual device forums to be told their device doesn't do this won't really accomplish anything. Please understand this is a frustration held by many who purchased NG devices only to find they lack this basic function. Allowing others to outside of the community to see this aspect of NG and make a sound decision on their next purchase seems totally legit in my book.
How much more that comment would mean Furry if it came from a Netgear representative. And there may be someone asking for support or help somewhere in this thread but this is a feature request thread and the understandable frustration comments from those posters ignored by the company for years (since 2018 to be exact).
Too all, you can complain or post here however this is a idea exhange where users can post about ideas or requests to NG. For users who what help or need help, it's highly recommended to post in the appropriate support forum for your model product that you have and get free help and support there. Forums or active and help by many users.
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Home-Networking/ct-p/home-networking
You'll not get any support help or information here.
I know right. That is why when I just received an email from Netgear advertising a new system I just deleted it. I don't know or care if this feature has been added to it. There is no way I would sign on again with a company that never once responded to the hundreds of comments and complaints and requests of it's customers... not even to say no we aren't going to do it. They just flat out ghosted us.. for years! It's bad enough that I'm stuck with them until this system dies and I finally have to spend money to replace it. I'm not going to jump right back into the same boat.
Unbelievable we spend $299 on this product and this is not a feature. I have GB fiber and right now my wife is lagging out on her video call. I NEED to figure out which device is mooching all the speed and cut it. Unfortunately there are 10 PC's and endless other devices connected. Would expect more out of a professional company than this.
Nighthawk Mesh.
FYI, the CBR40 is EoL and not being developed on any more.
You should allow others to help you in your other post before completely blaming NG. Your ISP has been making there own service modifications which may be one cause of problems. Also would need to post your modems connections and event logs there as well for review to see if there are any issues seen there.NG doesn't provide lots of diagnostic or traffic meter options. Traffic Meter only covers over usage thru the system.
Find something that does. Though this may not help either.
Good Luck.I'm looking back through the history of this issue, we have an Orbi CBR 40. Overall, it has performed well over the years we have had it. However, now... Xfinity has reported we are over our 1TB usage both last month and hitting it again this month. This is crazy!!! Nothing has changed in our household. I've spent countless hours with Xfinity and Orbi trying to trouble shoot with no resolution because neither can tell me the source of the data usage.
Shocked Netgear has not listened to their customers and this need. We will be switching brands.
