How do I limit the bandwidth to each user on the wireless router?

Question

I have a linksys wireless router. Some of the users are abusing the bandwidth
making it difficult for others to surf the internet. Is there any way to set
limits to each user so that nobody ends up using too much of the internet?

How do you adjust the QOS?
I use router WRT54G.
I am the access point, not wireless router.

Answer 1

Well, the other answer is partly right; you can't really do it with what you have. However, it is possible to throttle bandwidth for a wireless connection with the right hardware; instead of trying to limit the physical medium by use of a switch, however, you can throttle how much data is allowed to flow to the IP address of each computer using the wireless router. That is to say, everyone still connects wirelessly to an access point, that access point either has built in hardware or attaches to another device that limits how much bandwidth each IP gets. (You can even go cheap and build a Linux router out of an old PC for this.) Theoretically, there is no limit between the access point and the PC, but if only 5Mb/sec comes to the access point to deliver to the PC, it effectively limits the connection.

See the following URLs for references.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/616580.html

http://lists.nocat.net/pipermail/nocat/2003-September/003731.html

http://oob.freeshell.org/nzwireless/nocat1.html

Answer 2

The other answers listed are excellent, but if you are looking for a cheap workaround with your existing equipment, try blocking "filesharing" ports.

Run a program that lets you do some simple traffic analysis to see what the bandwidth hogs are running and block those ports. A very sophisticated user can by-pass your restrictions, but many will not be able to do so and your problem is solved.

Some filesharing programs however are hard to block with this method, so it might not work for you. However, it is something you can try without any real additional expense and with relatively little complexity.

HTH

Answer 3

Yes you can slow down the wireless access for everyone, but your bandwidth to the internet is still slower than your bandwidth to your ISP. The net effect is that everyone is running slower, but the hog still gets most of it.

You may be able to adjust the QOS on the ports that those hogs are using for transfers. For example if you can't get your email because someone is on youtube, you can always give a medium priority to smtp and pop2 while leaving the priority of http and https traffic low.

Answer 4

You can limit everyone other then your self to i guess 100KB/s or just get faster internet if your using 5 + people on one modem at a time. To edit settings go to the routers IP for Belkin as for i have one it's 192.168.2.1 but it could be 192.168.1.1. After just look through the settings. You can also just setup a QOS like the other guy said. Also do research.

Answer 5

With the hardware you have the answer is NO.

You can use a wired network and managed switches to acheive what you want. This can be fairly costly as managed switches cost more and take time to configure. If you want wireless connection, you would have to plug wireless access points into different VLANs of the managed switch and subnet each differently.

Maybe you should charge the abusers or remove them - a lot cheaper.