Windows XP exams - Set connection speed

Author

Set connection speed

ITman

2003-02-10, 7:52 pm

hi guys

maybe u guys already read my last thread
Delete C: Drive which is a pretty interesting topic.

here now Im facing another problem. I currently running an internet cafe here in L.A with 40comps here running on 2 DSL. Many times because of 1 or 2 customers here trying to download 50songs or mtv at the same time using KAZZA and which made my modem jam or effect all others comps on the same modem went VERY SLOW.

So now, how can I Set some of these computers here so I can equal share the bandwith ? Im using window XP...

If I can set each computer using the max 60k/sec way be pecfect.

Thx .....

Patrickjb

2003-02-10, 10:59 pm

quote:
Originally posted by ITman
hi guys

maybe u guys already read my last thread
Delete C: Drive which is a pretty interesting topic.

here now Im facing another problem. I currently running an internet cafe here in L.A with 40comps here running on 2 DSL. Many times because of 1 or 2 customers here trying to download 50songs or mtv at the same time using KAZZA and which made my modem jam or effect all others comps on the same modem went VERY SLOW.

So now, how can I Set some of these computers here so I can equal share the bandwith ? Im using window XP...

If I can set each computer using the max 60k/sec way be pecfect.

Thx .....

I am not aware of any way for XP to control each workstations bandwidth. I believe, for what you are trying to accomplish, you will need third party software. ISA will accomplish what you what, but it's very expensive. ISA not only allows you to control bandwidth, but all what sites your user may browse. You can also keep track of the sites your users are visiting.

richardwhit

2003-02-11, 8:56 am

I'm in agreemnt with the previous poster, as far as I am aware there is no way to do this. I know there are Linux utilities to do this but I am very much a beginner with Linux so couldn't offer you much advice here.

You could also try something like Surfcontrol, but again like ISA server this isn't cheap.

TBH though with an internet cafe of that kind I would have though its pretty much vital to have control of wht you're customers are viewing and downloading.

Having said this, if the user accounts that the cutomers are using are limited users then they shouldn't be able to install file sharing programs anyway, or am I missing something?

ITman

2003-02-12, 10:06 am

Oh I see ...... at this moment I wish I can find any software that I can limited the connection bandwith so this way these crazy customers wont able to use all of my dsl speed for their songs and mtvs and other ppl here will surf extremely slow.

thecomeons

2003-02-12, 3:45 pm

would you lose customers if you banned the use of sharing software or downloading or copyrighted material?

(i am aware that previously not having a policy against it could be bad if you do implement a new policy.)

tjwoody

2003-02-14, 3:21 pm

Hmm, I am not sure of a way to do this on the XP software side either. I have always had a dream to start an Internet cafe myself. (I live in the North East so we would not be competition).

I would think a better way to go would be using some switches, such as Cisco. High enough end that allows you to control max. bandwidth per port. Also, maybe you could isolate these file sharing in a way that keeps them on the same DSL line? Just throwing some ideas out there now!

Anyway I could talk to you about how you went about starting and setting up your biz? : )

Good luck
tj

Deja-vue

2003-02-16, 1:44 am

just create a local Computer Policy, then disable "Save as...menu option" in the Internet Explorer\Browser menu.
Or, even better, slap 'em with a Disk-Quota on every Machine. Limit to 5 mb.
There is many other Options, if in a Domain environment.

Patrickjb

2003-02-16, 4:02 am

quote:
Originally posted by Deja-vue
just create a local Computer Policy, then disable "Save as...menu option" in the Internet Explorer\Browser menu.
Or, even better, slap 'em with a Disk-Quota on every Machine. Limit to 5 mb.
There is many other Options, if in a Domain environment.

That's a good idea except were talking about an internet cafe. Different users come in to use the computers all day. With Disk Quotas you're dealing with users based on their SID.

Disk quotas allow you to monitor and limit disk-space usage on NTFS-formatted drives and volumes—a handy feature on a multi-user system where a download-happy family member can easily fill up even the most gargantuan physical disk with digital music, videos, and pictures. Using quotas, you can set storage limits for each user and each volume.

When you enable disk quotas, Windows tracks volume usage by file ownership. A file counts against a user's quota if the security identifier (SID) of the file's owner is the same as the user's SID.

Also if you disable "Save as...menu option" in the Internet Explorer\Browser menu, I believe this would affect all users. I believe the solutions that were looking for was only intended for those downloading large amounts of data, i.e. "music files".

Deja-vue

2003-02-16, 3:25 pm

ITman was talking about his Computers running on XP, not Machines that the Customers bring in.
You don't really want to crank down the Bandwith, otherwise People will complain about the Speed online.
If you, however restrict the amount of Data to be saved on the local Machine, you got yourself a winner.
I don't quite understand, why this would be such a problem.
I am in Stanton or LA all the Time, i can come down there and fix it for you.
And what the heck has the SID to do with the Disk quota, if the Machines are always the same, but the Customers change daily.
Something, i missed?

tjwoody

2003-02-16, 4:14 pm

I still say hardware is a better solution. I came out of my cisco class and getting a fairly simple switch u can control port speed. also, from what i am reading, review it on the fly in a GUI type interface and make the connection speed changed on the "fly."

hows the topology set up? u mention 2 dsl lines. is this X amount of PCS using the first and X amount using the 2nd. maybe a decent enough router that is using load balancing??? the router can be set up to allow all of one type of port request through one serial port while the rest goes through the other serial port.

do u have any restrictions for your customers at all? u mention them DLing and burning.

also, what u running for a firewall? is there a way using a retail version type firewall to control port speed per PORT (not port on hub or switch but port as in part of scoket).

Seems we need bit more info, but i would love to chat with u about your biz ITman.

tj

Patrickjb

2003-02-16, 5:07 pm

quote:
Originally posted by Deja-vue
ITman was talking about his Computers running on XP, not Machines that the Customers bring in.
You don't really want to crank down the Bandwith, otherwise People will complain about the Speed online.
If you, however restrict the amount of Data to be saved on the local Machine, you got yourself a winner.
I don't quite understand, why this would be such a problem.
I am in Stanton or LA all the Time, i can come down there and fix it for you.
And what the heck has the SID to do with the Disk quota, if the Machines are always the same, but the Customers change daily.
Something, i missed?

I apologize. Maybe we're not talking about the same post. Here's the one I was responding to
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"hi guys

maybe u guys already read my last thread
Delete C: Drive which is a pretty interesting topic.

here now Im facing another problem. I currently running an internet cafe here in L.A with 40comps here running on 2 DSL. Many times because of 1 or 2 customers here trying to download 50songs or mtv at the same time using KAZZA and which made my modem jam or effect all others comps on the same modem went VERY SLOW.

So now, how can I Set some of these computers here so I can equal share the bandwith ? Im using window XP...

If I can set each computer using the max 60k/sec way be pecfect.

Thx ....."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here ITMan clearly states that he is running an internet cafe with 40 computers. That he has 2 DSL lines, and that the problem that he is has is with 1 or 2 customers downloading 50 songs or MTV files on KAZZA. ITMan it not talking about his computers, or computer being brought in as you have stated, he's talking about the 40 that are in the internet cafe. I don't think he was talking about the "Cafe's" such as Starbucks where you bring your own computer in, and use their 802.11b connection.
Disk Quotas are assigned to users.
As far as SID's are concerned here is more information from a Microsoft press.

"Disk quotas rely on the SID, not the user account name. In a workgroup environment—where each user has a separate, identically named user account on each computer—this can cause quotas to be less reliable than in a domain. That's because the user's account on each computer has a different SID. Depending on how a file is created, it might be owned by the user's account on a different computer. If your NTFS volume contains files that are owned by a user account from another computer, you'll see the owner's SID in the Quota Entries window instead of (or in addition to) the user's name."

This is from Microsoft web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows200...cd_str_aumn.asp

Disk Quota Limits
The disk space used by each file is charged directly to the user who owns the file. The file owner is identified by the security identifier (SID) in the security information for the file. The total disk space charged to a user is the sum of the length of all data streams, and property set streams and resident user data streams affect the user's quota. Compressing or decompressing files does not affect the disk space reported for the files. Therefore, quota settings on one volume can be compared to settings on another volume.

The following are types of disk quota limits.

Warning threshold You can configure the system to generate a system log file entry when the disk space charged to the user exceeds this value.

Hard quota You can configure the system to generate a system log file entry or deny additional disk space to the user when the disk space charged to the user exceeds this value.

Patrickjb

2003-02-16, 5:13 pm

quote:
Originally posted by Deja-vue
ITman was talking about his Computers running on XP, not Machines that the Customers bring in.
You don't really want to crank down the Bandwith, otherwise People will complain about the Speed online.
If you, however restrict the amount of Data to be saved on the local Machine, you got yourself a winner.
I don't quite understand, why this would be such a problem.
I am in Stanton or LA all the Time, i can come down there and fix it for you.
And what the heck has the SID to do with the Disk quota, if the Machines are always the same, but the Customers change daily.
Something, i missed?

I mean no disrespect, but yes, you missed completely how "Disk Quotas" work. As I stated earlier, disk quotas are assigned to users. How do you assign disk quotas to a NTFS volume if you don't know who the users will be?

Deja-vue

2003-02-16, 5:52 pm

Perhaps i didn't understand the Question, i apologize.
But if i had an Internet Cafe' with about 40 Computers, i would give each Computer a "Guest-account" with limited abilities.
This is how a Customer would log in.
Attached to that "Guest-Account" i could configure numerous GPO's and Security-Policies, including Disk-quota's.
Just the same way i would in a Domain-environment or in a workgroup.

Patrickjb

2003-02-16, 6:20 pm

quote:
Originally posted by Deja-vue
Perhaps i didn't understand the Question, i apologize.
But if i had an Internet Cafe' with about 40 Computers, i would give each Computer a "Guest-account" with limited abilities.
This is how a Customer would log in.
Attached to that "Guest-Account" i could configure numerous GPO's and Security-Policies, including Disk-quota's.
Just the same way i would in a Domain-environment or in a workgroup.

I see where you're going, and it might work. You would either need to have multiple guest accounts or you would have to clear the account after each person logged off. A lot of work, but if a person can't afford the other solutions, it could work.
But ultimately ITMan was trying to control bandwidth problems.

tjwoody

2003-02-17, 8:42 am

I am curious...
Does anyone even remotely agree with my posts? Maybe it makes a bit more sense to use a hardware solution.
I am assuming that ITman does not want to many restrictions on his PCs as it seems they are bringing in some biz.
Also, using Kazaa, can u lock it down and so AFTER u change the settings to max downloads and set 24 K (lowest it goes I beleive) the customers cant change it back. further locking down the systems so they cant install other shareware programs will also help.

just brainstorming now realy...

Sponsored Links