Bandwidth monitoring with iptables

The word bandwidth holds a lot of meaning for ISPs and just about anybody related to the networking field. Even a home user has to deal with his bandwidth usage if his ISP allocates a bandwidth limit.

For example, my friend has bought an internet package which is data based. That is, he is charged by the ISP according to the amount of data in MB he has utilised. So it is imperative that he keep track of his bandwidth usage to control his internet bills.

Linux has a good collection of bandwidth monitoring tools available. But one of the basic tools which most people miss is the ubiquitous iptables. In fact, Gerard Beekmans has written an article detailing how one can monitor the bandwidth using iptables which forms a good read.

Related Posts:
iptables - The poor man's robust firewall for Linux.
Designing a firewall using iptables for the home user.