Traffic Monitoring System for Wireless Network

Using Embedded System

Heru Nurwarsito1, Gembong Edhi Setyawan2, Kautsarani Permata Alam3
123
Faculty of Computer Science, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract— By increasing technology development at the age of The traffic monitoring system design on wireless network
information and globalization, the wireless technology users were is using Raspbian Wheezy operating system that is Linux
also increasing. The wireless technology user enhancement in a operating system specifically developed to work on
certain area causing a density of the data traffic, so that required Raspberry-Pi. Where this Raspberry-Pi device also utilized a
a media in order to do network monitoring. In this research, the
device in a Wi-Fi dongle form as transmission media in order
traffic monitoring system designed using raspberry-pi use for
wireless network capacity compiling. The system design utilized to access an access point through wireless network. This
SNMP protocol (Simple Network Management Protocol) as system developed by Phyton programming language using
linking and exchange media in order to do wireless network pySNMP library to SNMP protocol application. The traffic
monitoring. The system implementation utilized Phyton monitoring system device built capable to read information
programming language with pySNMP library. Based on data on wireless network, that is traffic amount passed by
connection and traffic calculation testing, system was capable to utilize SNMP protocol.
capture and connect also read wireless network traffic capacity. On the previous research, developed a research about
The test results of calculating traffic capacity using raspberry-pi monitoring traffic on internet network using ENTM system
have smaller value relatively than the Mikrotik router and
utilized open source code embedded Linux as operating
greater value relatively than the dude. The monitoring accuracy
comparison results of raspberry-pi than the mikrotik router with system [1], while on the similar research contained about
value: Tx accuracy was 0.987 and Rx accuracy was 0.991, while building a online network management system based on PHP
the comparison than the dude with value: Tx accuracy was utilized android operating system [2].
1.0007 and Rx accuracy was 1.0022.
II. THEORY AND RELATED RESEARCHES
Keywords— Traffic monitoring; SNMP protocol; Wireless Raspberry-Pi is microcomputer device in credit card sized
network; Raspberry-Pi; embedded system. which easily designed and implemented. On this research,
used Raspberry-Pi type B which has 512MB RAM memory, 2
I. INTRODUCTION ports USB and Ethernet. System design using Raspbian
At the age of information and globalization, the world of Wheezy operating system, that is Linux operating system
communication increased very dramatically, signed by many specifically developed to work on Raspberry-Pi.
new communication tools arise with variety features. One Raspberry-Pi also utilized a device in a Wi-Fi dongle form
aspect of technological developments is the increasingly as transmission media in order to access an access point
widespread of internet with wireless technology using. The through wireless network. While on the implementation, this
wireless technology user enhancement in a certain area can system developed by Phyton programming language using
cause a density of the data traffic, so that required a media in pySNMP library to SNMP protocol application. Raspberry-Pi
order to do monitoring on the network. Then built a type B shown in Fig. 1.
monitoring system on wireless network use for compiling an
information in traffic, include to monitor the traffic condition
on network. The monitoring system on internet network
existence was important for comprehend network behaviour
so the administrator can react properly and helping design also
give network future with more efficient [1].
In this research, built monitoring traffic system using
Raspberry-Pi by utilizing SNMP protocol (Simple Network
Management Protocol) as linking media between transmitter
and receiver in communicating also information exchanging.
Where the SNMP protocol design for give an ability to user/
administrator towards monitor and arrange the computer
network systematically from far distance or commonly called
as remotely [2]. Fig. 1. Raspberry-Pi type B
 SNMP is an application protocol on TCP/ IP network B. Work Method Program Design
handled a network management. This protocol designed so To be able to do traffic amount-counting process on
that user can easily to monitor computer network condition. wireless network need a program addressed to read the traffic
Network condition monitoring can be done by collecting the object value. Where the counting work system based on
information values from network condition remotely method overall data packets transmission process in a network. The
or using one spot observation. program flow chart show in Fig. 3.
This research utilizing SNMP protocol as linking media
between transmitter and receiver in communication also Start

information exchanging so can do a monitoring towards

wireless network. SNMP divide into three main elements [3
Network monitoring purpose is compiling information Connect to wireless Timeout sign on
access point SNMP while
about status and behaviour on a network. The network unconnected
Fail
monitoring utility are [5]:
Fail
• Knowing the down and up of a link and inform it. Connect to wireless
acces point
• Monitor the good and bad of the line in a network. Count amount Succeed

• Knowing the number of data packets passed Succeed

traffic
Display Result
counting
(transmitted and received). amount
Check availability traffic
WLAN is local area network without cable where the OID

transmission media utilized radio frequency (RF) and infrared End

(IR) to give a network connection to whole users in

Fig. 3 Work Method Program
surrounding area.
System design in this research required router wireless. C. System Implementation
Router wireless is a device functioned to forward packets Implementation did based on desired design before.
from a network to another (either LAN to LAN or LAN to Implementation process did gradually so the researcher can
WAN). repair if errors happened on system. This research
implementation stages shown in Fig. 4.
III. SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
Start
On this Monitoring system design needed several
supporting factors in some devices form are hardware and Setting up the Raspberry Pi devices and
software. All of the software and hardware used have already SD cards, as well as wifi dongle for
wireless connection
desired before. On the system design stage, specified the MIB
contained on SNMP agent will be analysed. Then used
Raspbian Wheezy operating system and supporting software Installing and configuring software on Raspberry
Pi
installation like Phyton for programming language.
Monitoring system design include SNMP value retrieval Installation and configuration of network devices
as a supported device
program implementation also display passed traffic value or No
amount results. Implementation and configuration program on the
Raspberry Pi

A. Network Topology Design

Network topology design is an illustration how the testing the system
embedded system devices working in wireless network system.
Yes
The research implemented on Wireless Local Area Network
(WLAN). Traffic monitoring system topology on wireless End
network using Raspbery-Pi shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 System Implementation Flow Chart
Raspberry Pi
Monitoring process
IV. TESTING AND ANALYSIS
On system testing there are scenario that the scenario is by
User connected to
access point
sending data packets between user and server so then knew
the traffic value passed on access point through the wireless
wireless
access point network. Testing process did by two stages that are
Internet
connectivity testing and traffic amount calculation testing on
LAN Port 2 LAN Port 1
wireless network.
Mikrotik
Testing process did by connecting to access point through
Router
wireless network and calculating the traffic amount passed so
Fig. 2 Traffic Monitoring System Topology
then analysing.
A. Connection Testing Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router:
Connection testing did for fixing that system devices built Tx = 0.077 MB (0.034) and Rx = 0.018 MB (0.014)
can be connected to internal network, then in a future can Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude:
Tx = -0.012 MB (-0.005) and Rx = -0.009 MB (-0.007)
monitoring towards desired access point. Testing did by
simulation, which is scanning IP address of access point
The Testing 2 mechanism results shown in Table II.
device and pc as user connected through Mikrotik router. The
scanning results shown in figure 5 and figure 6. TABLE II. TESTING 2 RESULT

Fig. 5 Scanning IP address by 1 user

Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router:

Tx = 0.156 MB (0.014) and Rx = 0.029 MB (0.009)
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude:
Tx = 0.006 MB (0.0005) and Rx = 0.002 MB (0.0007)

The Testing 3a mechanism results shown in table III.

TABLE III. TESTING 3A RESULTS

Fig. 6 Scanning IP address by 3 users

B. Traffic Calculating Testing

Traffic calculating testing did to know that system built
was able to give traffic amount calculating results. Traffic
amount calculating test consist of four mechanisms, that are
testing 1: when access point not connected to internet, testing
2: when access point connected to internet, testing 3a: when 1
user browsing, testing 3b: when 3 users are browsing, testing
4a: when 1 user downloading and testing 4b: when 3 users are
downloading.
The Testing 1 mechanism results shown in table I.
TABLE I. TESTING 1 RESULTS

Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router:

Tx = 0.225 MB (0.009) and Rx = 0.060 MB (0.014)
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude:
Tx = 0.146 MB (0.006) and Rx = 0.026 MB (0.006)

The Testing 3b mechanism results shown in Table IV.

 TABLE IV. TESTING 3B RESULTS Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router:
Tx = 0.470 MB (0.003) and Rx = 0.010 MB (0.0005)
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude:
Tx = -0.280 MB (-0.002) and Rx = -0.100 MB (-0.005)

From the four testing mechanisms did using Raspberry-Pi,

mikrotik router and the dude. It show that monitoring has no
big difference results. Raspberry-Pi, mikrotik router and the
dude monitoring results accuracy comparison, i.e.:
Accuracy of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router
Tx Accuracy
= 1 - (0.034+0.014+0.009+0.003+0.014+0.003)/6
= 1 – 0.013 = 0.9870
Rx Accuracy
= 1 – (0.014+0.009+0.0014+0.0005+0.013+0.0005)/6
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router: = 1 – 0.009 = 0.9910
Tx = 0.080 MB (0.003) and Rx = 0.010 MB (0.0005) Accuracy of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude: Tx Accuracy
Tx = -0.110 MB (-0.003) and Rx = -0.070 MB (-0.006) = 1–(0.005+0.0005+0.006+(-0.003)+(-0.0008)+(-0.002))/6
= 1 – (- 0.0007) = 1.0007
The Testing 4a mechanism results shown in table V. Rx Accuracy
TABLE V. TESTING 4A RESULTS = 1 – (0.007+0.0007+0.006+(-0.006)+(-0.002)+(-0.005))/6
= 1 – (- 0.0022) = 1.0022

V. CONCLUSIONS
Conclusions of this research are:
• Capable to design and build traffic monitoring system
on wireless network using Raspberry-Pi that can
working well. Those things proved by system testing to
access point results showed system capable to read
traffic amount on wireless network.
• The traffic amount calculating test results using
Raspberry-Pi have smaller value relatively than the
Mikrotik router and greater value relatively than the
dude.
• The results monitoring accuracy comparison of
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with Mikrotik Router: Raspberry-Pi than the Mikrotik router with value: Tx
Tx = 1.466 MB (0.014) and Rx = 0.137 MB (0.013) accuracy was 0.987 and Rx accuracy was 0.991, while
Difference value of Raspberry-Pi with The Dude: comparison than the dude with value: Tx accuracy was
Tx = -0.074 MB (-0.0008) and Rx = -0.023 MB (-0.002)
1.0007 and Rx accuracy was 1.0022.
The Testing 4b mechanism results shown in Table VI. REFERENCES
TABLE VI. TESTING 4B RESULTS [1] Rahman, M.D Mostafijur.: Network Traffic Monitoring System Based
On Embedded Linux And Single Board Computer. Malaysia. School
Of Computer and Communication Engineering, Universiti Malaysia
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Dengan Protokol SNMP Menggunakan Piranti Bergerak. Surabaya.
Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS). 2011.
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Aplikasi Monitoring Jaringan dengan Menggunakan Simple Network
Management Protocol. Surabaya. Institut Teknologi Sepuluh
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