Making a Usage Logger

[RealityRipple]

Hello, everyone! I'm currently developing a little utility application that reads my current bandwidth usage as recorded by WildBlue Satellite, logs it, and displays nice graphs.

I get my connection through Dish Network, though, and the information is retrieved from myaccount.dishmail.net:8180/wbisp/usage_gadget/usage_gadget_xml.jsp?u=%ACCOUNT%@dishmail.net, where %ACCOUNT% is your account name. I'm hoping to add support for as many other WildBlue providers as possible. If any of you are interested in helping, please let me know (E-Mail or response here are both fine)! I'll of course post a link when the project is complete so you all can use it.

I'd also be interested in adding other companies such as HugesNet if they use a similar system. Dish happens to use a lovely, simple XML file, and I'd hope other companies do something similar.

If you'd like, I can post how I figured out the URL of the data file so you can try it yourself. (It doesn't break any laws, so don't worry.)

[SatinKzo]

Not to crap on your idea and maybe I am not understanding it properly, but why wouldn't a user just get a managed switch and monitor traffic on the ports, specifically the port that is connected to the router? They can be had pretty cheap now.

Just saying as that is what I do to monitor usage on my home system.

[RealityRipple]

Because WildBlue "doesn't support third party monitors" when you call them about problems, for one. Unless the data you have came from their servers, they won't listen to you. It's a usage logger, not a bandwidth monitor.

[SatinKzo]

I see, this is not just for a "I wonder what I've used" it's for troubleshooting, etc.

[RealityRipple]

It's for whatever it can be. I want it to be accurate according to their records in case of disputes of data, but without detracting from its other uses.

I'm not even sure any other company besides Dish allows you to read the usage info like this, but I'm hoping some of you might like to help out? All I really need is a packet log of what happens when you load the Flash object that gives you your current bandwidth reading. If it uses a password (which Dish surprisingly doesn't), you can easily *** it out, of course.

[ke4est]

Sounds interesting...let me know when you get it working.

[RealityRipple]

If all you're interested in is Dish accounts, it's already working. Since no one's offered to help for any other account types, there's not really anything more I can do.

[RealityRipple]

Major bump, but I have a generally working version of this program now. It should work for any redistribution of WildBlue, and runs on 32 or 64 bit Windows XP to 7, as it now runs on the .NET 4 Framework. The address is
WildBlue Bandwidth Monitor - RealityRipple Software

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[icewalk17]

Hughes already has an Adobe AIR based real time usage meter that sits in your system tray. It provides the percent left of daily FAP MB allowance. It auto checks with the terminals system control center every 60 seconds to update info. If FAP is exceeded you can visit the service tools link direct from meter & apply a restore token from there service tool website to instantly reset bandwidth to move out of FAP.