Guests used all the wifi!

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does anyone know a way to limit internet usage or block certain sites.

a recent guest used over 50gb of data in a few days, normally100gb lasts me all month with numerous guests.

then it got my thinking what were they doing. is there a way to block certains sites for example illegeal movie downloading sites, porn etc…

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I have a laminated sign under the modem - saying - if you download anything you shouldn’t your details are noted and WILL be supplied to the authorities

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This is a legal issue which will most certainly be different depending on the country you are in. In my case, what worries me more is guests uploading, not downloading, illegal contents from my home, since this could be tracked back to me, making me responsible for what has been done.

I am not having sleepless nights because of this, but it is on my “to-do” list of things to get sorted out, eventually. In theory, I could of course terminate the connection the guest is using, by going into the configuration menu of my router. I never did this, so far.

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I know there are routers that support OpenWrt that can have the firmware flashed with a software called Gargoyle, available for free here: https://www.gargoyle-router.com/

This software can be used to set daily data limits on your internet usage.

A list of supported routers is here: https://www.gargoyle-router.com/wiki/doku.php?id=supported_routers_-_tested_routers

5

Maybe consider getting unlimited usage plan?

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Hi @Cocoanouk,

What kind of plan do you have, and what is your location? Presumably you’re in one of those unfortunate places where you still have a bandwidth/data cap.

Personally, I don’t think it’s useful to try to censor your guest usage. For one thing, it would probably be very difficult. But if you have a monthly limit, you might consider apprising them of it. You could also include a suggested daily limit.

My plan is technically unlimited, but after a certain point it’s subject to throttling. In Indian parlance this is called Fair Usage Policy.

While I occasionally have guests using excessive amounts of data (usually Westerners), so far overall usage has stayed below the cutoff where throttling happens. 50 gb in a few days is certainly impressive. I’ve occasionally had guests that managed to use 20 gb over a few days. But for most people actually getting out and seeing the place you’re visiting takes precedence over excessive usage of internet bandwidth.

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You should be able to set up your router and have a “guest” access, much like what cafes do. You can set a limit to how much data the guest can use. I’ve no idea how to do this… I just know that such a thing is possible.

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The OP did not say where they are, but I know in parts of the US where only satellite TV is available - no cable service - there are few unlimited data plans and if there are, they are prohibitively expensive. I did this research just recently when contemplating buying a second property in the Catskill Mountains. Affordable broadband to rural areas of the US has been an issue for the last decade and a common rally cry in Upstate New York.

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@Cocoanouk you cannot assume in this day and age that your wifi was used for “illegal” movie downloading or porn. Streaming services like Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix, and a gazillion others, are all perfectly legal and the preferred way for a large demographic of the US to consume their entertainment.

You will have your job cut out for you to find a way to manage guest expectations and find an affordable option for you.

Where are you located?