Internals

Bandwidth FAQ

Table of Contents

  1. Why do we set a bandwidth limit? Doesn't ResComp provide unlimited and ridiculously fast Internet?
  2. How do I know how much bandwidth I've used?
  3. Does use of University websites count against my bandwidth limit? What about lecture webcasts?
  4. Did I really exceed the bandwidth limit? I didn't use that much, I swear!
  5. What can I do if I go over?
  6. If my roommate is accessing the Internet through my wireless router, is my bandwidth being used? Is there a way my roommate can use his/her own bandwidth while using my router?
  7. Is there any way to know my exact usage in real time?
  8. So how does ResComp's bandwidth monitoring system actually work?

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why do we set a bandwidth limit? Doesn't ResComp provide unlimited and ridiculously fast Internet?

    There are three primary reasons for the weekly bandwidth limit:

    1. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) requires us to implement technical controls that limit illegal file sharing. ResComp does not engage in traffic shaping or give priority to one type of traffic over another, nor do we want to limit your connection speeds. We want the network to remain free and open as long as users remain under the weekly bandwidth limit. UC Berkeley's bandwidth policy is currently among the most lenient of all the UCs, but we are continually looking for ways to increase the weekly quota while remaining net-neutral and within the constraints of the HEOA.

    2. Unfortunately, our network capabilities are not limitless. If enough people use a lot of bandwidth simultaneously, the network speed will decrease to adjust for the heightened activity (especially if people leave their downloads going full-blast while in class or going about their day). By limiting bandwidth, we are able to ensure that no one on the network is unfairly using up an excessive amount of bandwidth, which would make the network less functional for other users.

    3. Bandwidth costs money. We are required to pay in accordance with the amount of bandwidth we use (and we already use a lot). While we strive to provide residents with extremely fast and reliable network speed, we want to ensure this is accomplished without passing on extra costs to our customers.

  2. How do I know how much bandwidth I've used?

    There are 2 options that can help you monitor your bandwidth usage, although each has its limitations:

    1. ResComp provides a bandwidth meter on your Helpdesk page (visible after you log in) that shows you what our system sees. This information has to go through the network routers on campus before it's aggregated, sent to us, and then processed. This causes bandwidth information to be about 2 to 4 hours behind, but there is a time stamp on your Helpdesk page that will let you know when it was last updated.

    2. You can install your own bandwidth monitoring tools, such as Netmeter for Windows or iStat Menus for for Mac OS X (disclaimer: ResComp does not officially support nor endorse these products, but they are good examples). These programs will allow you to monitor your bandwidth in real time; however, it's important to keep in mind that they only monitor bandwidth per individual computer, which means the numbers can be inflated if you forget to turn them off when using your computer outside of our network.

  3. Does use of University websites count against my bandwidth limit? What about lecture webcasts?

    Internet traffic between your computer and University-hosted resources does not count against your bandwidth limit. This includes most web content in the domain of berkeley.edu. However, some campus departments may provide web content that is hosted externally while still using a berkeley.edu web address. Viewing or accessing these resources will count as part of your measured bandwidth usage. Because department websites are administered locally and ResComp does not control how content is hosted, we are not able to provide comprehensive information about which online resources may be hosted off-campus.

  4. Did I really exceed the bandwidth limit? I didn't use that much, I swear!

    Here are several common reasons why residents go over bandwidth:

    1. The number one cause of bandwidth violations is due to file sharing programs. It's a good idea to rate-limit your (legal) downloads, and don't forget that these programs continuously upload files as well.

    2. Do you have a router? You are responsible for all traffic that goes through any device registered to you, including your router, so please set a secure wireless password and keep it to yourself.

    3. High-definition video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu use large amounts of bandwidth. These services will frequently detect your connection speed to deliver you the best possible quality available, even if it's unnecessary for viewing. Remember to specify video-quality settings if you want to conserve bandwidth (for example, 1080p on your 13" laptop may not be absolutely critical).

    4. Similar to sites offering video content, music streaming services and online-backup solutions are also common culprits of high bandwidth usage.

    5. Although less common, we have also seen systems where TV-streaming software and certain video game upload data are running in the background unbeknownst to the user (e.g. programs that install Pando Media Booster). Be aware that if you have any of these programs running, they may use up a significant amount of bandwidth.

    6. It is possible that mysterious, high bandwidth usage could be caused by a spam bot or other trojan that is infecting your computer, although this is very rare. You can rule this out by scanning your computer with an antivirus and anti-malware program such as Symantec Endpoint Protection and Malwarebytes, both included in ResComp's Be Secure package.

  5. What can I do if I go over?

    The first time you exceed your weekly quota, you can take our bandwidth quiz to get your connection back. This quiz will always be accessible through our website, even if your connection has been temporarily disabled. Your connection will automatically be re-enabled after passing the quiz.

    For any subsequent violations, you will have to wait until the next Monday at 12:01AM for your connection to be re-enabled.

    If you're unsure as to why you went over, an RCC would be happy to help you! Please schedule an appointment or come visit us at ASC office hours.

    To get help, log in to the ResComp Helpdesk or visit our Support page.

  6. If my roommate is accessing the Internet through my wireless router, is my bandwidth being used? Is there a way my roommate can use his/her own bandwidth while using my router?

    Your available bandwidth is indeed being used if your roommate is accessing the network through your router. Unfortunately, there is no way to differentiate multiple users’ bandwidth usage behind one router, because we measure the traffic coming and going from the router, which can only be registered under one name. Keep this in mind when deciding to share your router, as you will be held responsible for the traffic coming from it.

  7. Is there any way to know my exact usage in real time?

    Unfortunately this is just not technically possible at the moment. However, we hope that the following helps make the mandated bandwidth limit less painful:

    1. Eventually you will get a feel for how many much network activity our bandwidth limit can accommodate, but we don't expect everyone to get it right the first time. That's why we allow you to take a quiz for the first violation that restores your bandwidth quota for the rest of the week. See "What can I do if I go over?" for more.

    2. You can use ResComp wireless after being disabled for a bandwidth violation, albeit at greatly reduced speeds*. We also encourage you to utilize the computers in the Academic Services Centers if the situation is urgent.

      *Note that this does NOT apply to security violations. In these cases your device will be blocked from ResComp wireless in order to maintain network and data security for all users. Please see our security site for more information.

  8. So how does ResComp's bandwidth monitoring system actually work?

    Any network traffic that passes through one of the campus routers is rapidly sampled at the router level, and is then processed into time intervals using flow-tools. Campus then forwards these logs to ResComp, which usually takes anywhere from two to four hours.

    Our job is to correlate this 'flow data' with your in-room Internet connection, wireless sessions, and other network usage. We add together all the bandwidth that a single resident (or non-resident) has used, and our automated systems issue a warning email to the address you specified when you registered for your Internet. Keep in mind that you might receive this email after you exceeded your bandwidth limit due to the delay in processing network data.

    For privacy purposes, the bandwidth tracking logs are retained for as short a time as possible, and are not included in our routine server backups. Our staff does not review this data for any reason unless there is a specific concern or discrepancy that needs to be addressed.