I need to monitor network activity

[stayplation3]

I've raped Google on how to's for monitoring network activity and can't find anything that suits my needs. I simply want to do one thing. I want to see the URLs of sites that people on my network are going to. I've tried wireshark but all it shows is a bunch of code and jibberish, makes you work really hard and dig too much to find an actual URL. I just want a program to actively list URLs that are being visited on my network. Can someone help?

 

[FR@NK]

My router shows this in the logs.

 

[stayplation3]

Mine doesn't

 

[FR@NK]

Well you will need some sort of hardware to do what you are asking. Running software on one client on a network isnt going to see all traffic on the network.

 

[lemonadesoda]

http://www.softperfect.com/products/networksniffer/

The developer is very helpful. Ask for DNS resolution reconstruction. I'm sure he'd add it if not already available.

Well you will need some sort of hardware to do what you are asking. Running software on one client on a network isnt going to see all traffic on the network.

-promiscuous sniffing at the router should work. All depends on his LAN topology- client on a switch wouldn't see all, quite right.

 

[stayplation3]

Yeah it can, I've already got programs that can. They just come with a bunch of bullshit with it. I just want a program that doesn't include the BS and simply shows the URLs with nothing else.

 

[OnePostWonder]

Nevermind. The article I linked only details programs that monitor IP, not URLs.

This is the most relevant thing I could find, but requires a bit of work:

How-to-Geek

 

[lemonadesoda]

Go here

Sign up for "MS Message Analyzer" beta. It might do what you want. Report back.

 

[VulkanBros]

Microsoft Network Monitor 3.4

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=4865

 

[remixedcat]

Something called PRTG is good. You would need to install probes on each system tho.

 

[Easy Rhino]

iftop is a great program to do exactly that if you run linux.

 

[OneMoar]

iftop is a great program to do exactly that if you run linux.

its also a terminal app lol

this is probly what you want
http://cl.ly/OsMf/Image 2013-05-10 at 1.11.04 PM.png
assuming your router supports tomato

 

[newtekie1]

If you have access to the router or to each computer so you can change their DNS settings you can use OpenDNS, its free and works wonders.

 

[stayplation3]

ive now seen a couple programs you guys recommended, unfortunately they dont show the full url, only the main url. like if someone goes and watches a youtube video, it will only show they went to youtube.com, it wont show the rest of the url they were at

 

[cdawall]

Get a better router that kicks out logs or try and flash your current router to ddwrt.

 

[OneMoar]

I gotta ask why you need to spy on what people on your network are browsing ?

 

[n0tiert]

use "squid" to manage it, if you have that much clients that it´s worth to setup it

http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/howto-linux-unix-view-squid-log-files/

 

[Geofrancis]

The simple way would be setting up an open DNS accound and monitoring the urls requested from the dns. Just have to change the dns ip on the router to get it to forwar it to open dns.

But surely there must be a better way if tracking your girlfriend lol

 

[remixedcat]

But really has anyone given PRTG a try???

 

[AsRock]

Some thing like this ?, Although it's payware and you would think there be some thing free out there..

 

[VulkanBros]

But really has anyone given PRTG a try???

Does not work on Win 8 Pro x64 - right before finishing the installation the computer freezes....

 

[remixedcat]

Did you let them know?

 

[BiggieShady]

I see you have wireshark installed. Try using capture filters or display filters in wireshark to see only http requests:

capture:

tcp port 80

or display filter:

tcp.port == 80

 

[Aquinus]

You want to log any and all traffic on the entire network? You're not going to be able to do this without putting something that can log traffic between your modem and your router if your router can't run Tomato or DD-WRT unless all the traffic is wireless. If that's the case Wireshark can sniff all the Wi-Fi traffic since it gets broadcasted out (you hear what they say, they hear what you say.) What you're describing is a dedicated firewall between you and the router (unless the firewall and router are the same box) that can manage security and log traffic. On Ethernet, traffic doesn't get broadcasted out unless multicast is being used which is strange and unusual for normal web traffic.

All in all, what you're asking for is a more powerful router with more functionality and features than what you have now.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I gotta say this sounds kinda ominous. No offense.