Networks Help request - monitor LAN activity

Hi folks, a word or two of advice needed here please.

I have a home network set up via wired/wreless router, with PCs for my kids as well as various wireless connected clients.

Is there any software you know of which would allow me to monitor the kids' PCs, so that for example I can keep an eye on their web browsing or IM from my PC (so that I'm not physically having to stand overthem all the time they're on the 'net)?

(Preferably without having to install software on their PCs which could get switched off - as that would rather defeat the purpose )

Thanks in advance ...

 

http://www.softactivity.com/default.asp A proggy for it (didn't test it) , but arent you getting a bit paranoid? I know nothing beats Control(TM), but consider adding Trust(C) and friends.

 

dump it via a hub and run wireshark?
activly arppoison the network (switched) and run it via wireshark?
put squid/other proxy between them and the net (eg them ->switch->proxy->router->net) and run wireshark on it.

 

Thanks for the suggestions folks, I'll look into them.

Spaceraver - it's not a control thing, nor a question of mistrust, I just want to be able to keep a watchful eye on my kids without getting in their way

 

Just put a VNC server on their pc's... Be open about it, say it's on. If they turn it off, and you notice it you'll have grounds for some enforced internet restrictions.

 

yeah just use VNC and use the viewer in listen mode, one thing make sure you remove the icon from there icon tray as they can always kill the service

 

Ethereal might e over kill, but I absolutely love it. And as a bonus, if you learn to packet sniff properly, you too can solve network problems and posses l33t h4x0ring skillz (which the ladies love).*

* Said skillz may not pay the billz

 

Thanks guys

 

You could use a professional technology, developed by Cisco (but there is no need to use Cisco routers, any others would be ok). It's Netflow, a protocol that allows to collect detailed network traffic statistics. Cisco routers are able to send Netflow data. On other routers (inluding PC-based routers) it can be set a special application - a netflow probe (e.g., ndsad, ipcad, etc. there are a lot of them on the net, free and opensource) that will capture all packets and generate Netflow data.

There are a lot of various tools using raw Netflow data as network usage statistics, even ISP head-end software may work using Netflow (e.g., billing system UTM5), or you may use Flow Tools.

Netflow provides a very detailed statistics and there is no need to set up additional applications on the kids' PCs.

 

capnPedro just to say, ethereal now is called wireshark

By the way, withought getting "technical" you can always break VNC even without stopping the service. Get NetCat, force it to listen on the same port as VNC, and it will grab the port first(with -T maybe) and then when the vnc server connects, it will crash. The client will still be running however so you may be a bit perplexed to why it no longer works

You can run netcat hidden to, so it may not be obviouse to start with.

 

what you want is a transparent proxy on your router that way everything on they internet they access can be logged and you can browse the logs at your lesuire. IPcop inculdes one as an option although I'm sure there are plenty others out there