Network Metrics Monitoring

[mainstay]

I have a few networks that report loss of internet at random times (despite being on a UPS) and I am looking for a way to measure network accessibility with an old mac mini g4.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to place the mini on the companies network and have it immediately start a schedule of tests. We use PathView on other sites, but at $1200 it's a bit pricey.

Anyone know of a mac-based (or pc-based for that matter) program that can measure performance characteristics such as jitter, latency and available bandwidth from any location to any IP-addressable target worldwide.

I would then log into the device to check the logs OR have them sent to my office for archiving and analysis.

Any ready-to-go programs that do this?

 

[mainstay]

OK - how about something SIMPLE like, every 120 seconds, check to see if you can ping google and then keep a running log so that we can check back at 2 am last week and see...?

Come on, I'm striking out on the search engines and you guys MUST have encountered this at some point.

 

[elistan]

I have no idea, but perhaps this is something that can be done through Automator?

 

[mainstay]

good suggestion - thank you.

I've also been scouring the geektools script libraries... but nothing seems to exist... although it sounds so simple.

 

[wilsonhaven]

The free version of untangle works well for simple things. It provides a VPN too. All open source well documented stuff in an single toolset. It can send you email reports too.

 

[mainstay]

That untangle looks pretty cool.

I might have to put together a little test box to play around with the free version just to see how I might use it in other locations.

But I did not see a network uptime / connectivity capability.

 

[Mal]

Perhaps just having GeekTool display your external IP pulled from WhatsMyIP.org would help? Just place a new shell script with this command:

curl -s http://automation.whatismyip.com/n09230945.asp | awk {'print $1'}

Give it a refresh rate of 300 seconds (according to their documentation, they ask that you not do it more often than that), and I'd set a timeout of only 1 second. Should give you your current external IP. If it can't get it in time, it'll just go blank, in which case you know it's slowed down.

jW

 

[mainstay]

Thank you for the script! That was very nice and greatly appreciated.

I have no experience with GeekTools so am learning the syntax as I go and this definitely helps!

While I'm playing, I've come across this which seems to solve my immediate problem:

http://code.google.com/p/internetconnectivitymonitor/