Where to get started with network traffic monitoring [closed]

Question

Case: The kids use excessive internet bandwidth, and need to be monitored, devices are always connected, so connection times are not required. Need a program that can monitor each device for network usage, and can tell the difference between internet and local network.

Right now the internet is from the modem to a router which does not have this capability, I intend to connect the internet directly to a desktop computer then using Windows ICS(internet connection sharing) redirect it through wifi. So an application running on the desktop should be able to capture this information and display it to me.

This is more of a learning opportunity for me than any real need. I have decent experience with c# winforms and very little experience with sockets, though I don't think I will be needing them.

I am looking for where to get started, the internet is full of tons of information, but it is getting harder and harder to search, google brings up tons of ready made programs full of spyware to download, but I would prefer a more organic method.

Can someone point me in the right direction, which classes should i be looking at etc...

Devices are, PCs, iPods, iPhones, PS3, WiU, XBox360, so basically everything, though I am not certain this even matters.

Answer 1

ADVICE

How to sniff local outgoing network traffic in .NET without using PCap?

this is sort of 2 birds with one stone, however.. winpcap looks commercial. and when you look at network monitering api it says it is for windows server.

other than this the only other option may be to look into NIDS filter drivers, there is an SDK for Visual Studio but I can't remember where I got it from.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff565501(v=vs.85).aspx

there is a link that should help you find it. (I hope)

I know this is not an answer and the solution may not be easily obtained via C#.net/Windows but I hope It starts you out, as well as others looking for this information.

END ADVICE