How to check network usage history

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Inna
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How to check network usage history

Post by Inna »

Hello,

How can I check the history of my internet usage (Wi-Fi) in Linux Mint 19?
For example, I want to check how much I used in September (Megabytes or Gigabytes).
Also I want to check in each day how much I used. For example, in September 1st, my usage was A MB. In the 2nd day it was B MB.

In Windows, there was a section to check each application has consumed how much, and it was shown in a shape like graph.

Are there such things in Linux Mint?
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Hoser Rob
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by Hoser Rob »

vnstat is the tool I see most often recommended. It's probably installed already ... I'm typing this on 17.3 and it's there. But you have to activate it apparently, the system doesn't seem to preserve network history through rebooots by default.

See the 1st and 2nd answers here:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1459/ho ... ss-reboots
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Inna
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by Inna »

Hoser Rob wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:09 am vnstat is the tool I see most often recommended. It's probably installed already ... I'm typing this on 17.3 and it's there. But you have to activate it apparently, the system doesn't seem to preserve network history through rebooots by default.

See the 1st and 2nd answers here:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1459/ho ... ss-reboots
Thanks a bunch, but I can't see my network usage in the past month or in September for example.

In System Monitor, there's a tab called Resources in which I can see the live network usage. But I can't see any history.

History is more important to me than the live.
Total History + Each Application history
gm10

Re: How to check network usage history

Post by gm10 »

Inna wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:36 am
Hoser Rob wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:09 am the system doesn't seem to preserve network history through rebooots by default.
Thanks a bunch, but I can't see my network usage in the past month or in September for example.
Of course not, and he already told you why right there...
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AZgl1800
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by AZgl1800 »

Hoser Rob wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:09 am vnstat is the tool I see most often recommended. It's probably installed already ... I'm typing this on 17.3 and it's there. But you have to activate it apparently, the system doesn't seem to preserve network history through rebooots by default.
18.3 Cinnamon does not have it installed by default.

john@john-TP500LA ~ $ vnstat
The program 'vnstat' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing:
sudo apt install vnstat
john@john-TP500LA ~ $
and, as already mentioned, it is a history of this session and since I have just installed it,
my history is a bit lacking :?

john@john-TP500LA ~ $ vnstat

rx / tx / total / estimated
wlp3s0f0: Not enough data available yet.
enp2s0f1: Not enough data available yet.
john@john-TP500LA ~ $
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Inna
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by Inna »

gm10 wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:39 am
Inna wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:36 am
Hoser Rob wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:09 am the system doesn't seem to preserve network history through rebooots by default.
Thanks a bunch, but I can't see my network usage in the past month or in September for example.
Of course not, and he already told you why right there...
Thanks, I know it starts logging from the moment it's installed.

Then it seems there's no way.

Thanks a bunch for all the friends have helped me.
gm10

Re: How to check network usage history

Post by gm10 »

Inna wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:39 am Then it seems there's no way.
No, there isn't, unless you kept some other log. For example, I know Cinnamon's network monitor applet (I don't know the exact name) keeps traffic logs, so if you've been using that you'd have that.
Inna
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by Inna »

Code: Select all

vnstat -d

 wlp3s0  /  daily

         day         rx      |     tx      |    total    |   avg. rate
     ------------------------+-------------+-------------+---------------
     10/15/2018   218.70 MiB |   50.29 MiB |  268.99 MiB |   26.11 kbit/s
     10/16/2018   434.89 MiB |   85.94 MiB |  520.84 MiB |   50.57 kbit/s
     10/17/2018   332.43 MiB |   54.79 MiB |  387.22 MiB |   67.26 kbit/s
     ------------------------+-------------+-------------+---------------
     estimated       594 MiB |      96 MiB |     690 MiB |
This is my daily result.
I think there's something wrong with something.
My received data is far more than transferred.

Then how can I check "at least at the moment" which application is consuming how much data?
The network applet did not work, as it shows only live usage, but I want to check which application is consuming, so that I can decide better.

There is really no way?
gm10

Re: How to check network usage history

Post by gm10 »

Inna wrote: Wed Oct 17, 2018 6:04 am I think there's something wrong with something.
My received data is far more than transferred.
Why do you think something is wrong? Unless you're running a server then it's very much expected that you receive more data than you transmit.
Inna
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by Inna »

gm10 wrote: Wed Oct 17, 2018 6:05 am
Inna wrote: Wed Oct 17, 2018 6:04 am I think there's something wrong with something.
My received data is far more than transferred.
Why do you think something is wrong? Unless you're running a server then it's very much expected that you receive more data than you transmit.
I'm using Mint in my own laptop as a desktop user, not as server.
And I do not download any files explicitly. I just surf the web and do my job as I'm at work now, and I use limited ADSL internet.
That's why I think it's weird.
gm10

Re: How to check network usage history

Post by gm10 »

Well, it's not. This forum page right here alone is 227 KB total (less if you've got the images cached, but anyway), this adds up. All you're uploading in comparison is just your request for the page's URL and referenced images and such (and some transmission related packets), that's nothing in comparison.
Inna
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by Inna »

Yes, this forum itself does not consume any data, but it seems I should check further all the applications running, and the websites I visit, and any other activities I do each day.

Thanks a bunch.
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BG405
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Re: How to check network usage history

Post by BG405 »

AZgl1500 wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:08 am
Hoser Rob wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:09 am vnstat is the tool I see most often recommended. It's probably installed already ... I'm typing this on 17.3 and it's there. But you have to activate it apparently, the system doesn't seem to preserve network history through rebooots by default.
18.3 Cinnamon does not have it installed by default.
Neither does LM17.3 Cinnamon by the looks of it; just checked. :wink:
Looks like a useful tool.
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