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Network cards, packets or bytes?

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Michael

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May 30, 2001, 11:12:37 PM5/30/01
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Is there a way to change whether your network card displays packets or bytes
when you look at it's properties/status? My flatmate has some sort of
d-link card that has always displayed in bytes ever since he got it, I have
run a few different network cards (including a different d-link one) and am
currently running an Intel PRO/100+ PCI Adapter that currently displays all
network trafic in packets, which isn't very useful to me.

Does anyone know how to change this? and make it display bytes?

Thanks in advance
Sincerly, Michael

PS sorry for the cross posting


Halfton

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May 31, 2001, 9:17:28 AM5/31/01
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if you just want to monitor traffic in/out of your machine by bit's or
byte's, try this
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/nsl.htm
its small and free :-)

HTH
Joe

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Michael

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May 31, 2001, 5:39:52 PM5/31/01
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Thanks for the link, I'm giving it a go now, but I'm more interested in
being able to see bytes instead of packets in the windows network status
area. The main aim is to not have to use any seperate programs to monitor
this as I am familier with using a dial up modem to connect to the net, it
would seem logical to look at lan traffic the same way.
Regards, Michael
"Halfton" <hal...@pickup.com> wrote in message
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Halfton

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May 31, 2001, 9:13:11 PM5/31/01
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a hah, windows 2000 link icon in tool tray is what your talking about !
My preference is to double click it, click on Properties and Uncheck the
show Icon box, I never did trust the M$ DUN icon either :-)

HTH
Joe

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Michael

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Jun 1, 2001, 12:14:24 AM6/1/01
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oooo, but I just love the little box with the flashing lights... and it was
sort of a challenge to get it to display bytes because my flat mates shows
bytes.... Anywayz, I guess I'll soldier on trying to find an answer...
anyone? help : )

Michael


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Halfton

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Jun 1, 2001, 2:08:34 AM6/1/01
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sorry, I'm getting cynical in my old age :-)

this was such a good question though that I have been trying to find any
settings for this in .INF's or registry and also trying to see if different
Nics/drivers made a difference
only machine I have at hand now is an i5000, w2k pro, SP2
I have turned my link icon back on for curiosity sake and tried 4
different Nic's, Farallon PN473, Linksys WPC11, "both Wireless", Xircom
RBEM56-1000 & Dlink DE660 "both Wired"

"and my icon stayed at Packets for all" :-\

what's different between yours and flat mates ?

also have you done a search at M$ support or here
http://www.windows2000faq.com/

I can't guaranty it, but they may have an answer

HTH
Joe

"Michael" <flat...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

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Michael

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Jun 1, 2001, 9:12:27 AM6/1/01
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only difference is he is using a d-link dfe-500tx+ nic which has always
displayed bytes in win2k and winxp, I use to use a d-link dfe-530tx+ nic but
it always displayed packets, now I'm using an intel one and it displays
packets as well...
perhaps the drivers for that specific model promote the use of bytes?
hmmmmm
Michael

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David Chadwick

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Jun 2, 2001, 4:32:44 AM6/2/01
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Hi Michael,

I asked a similar question a few days ago and noone seemed to know.

I have two network cards in my machine, a 3Com and a D-Link 530TX. My 3Com
shows as bytes and my D-Link shows as packets!

I can only assume it has something to do with the driver for the network
card.

Good luck in finding an answer. :)

Seeya,

...David

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Michael

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Jun 2, 2001, 6:42:37 AM6/2/01
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thanks dude, pity it's not so easy to find.... I thought that lots of people
would be interested..... it would be nice to know how much data transfer has
occured in an easy to do way without any add on programs....
Michael
"David Chadwick" <op...@iname.com> wrote in message
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Michael

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Jun 2, 2001, 6:43:50 AM6/2/01
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ooo, forgot to ask, what sort of chipset is in the 3Com? and what type of
3Com?

Michael
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Thomas F. Divine

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Jun 3, 2001, 5:22:57 PM6/3/01
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The answer to this question has to do with the Microsoft "Network Driver
Interface Specification" or "NDIS". NDIS specifies how to write what is
called a "miniport device driver" for each adapter.

Among other things, NDIS provides a way that the OS can fetch statistics
about transmit and receive operations. NDIS defines a large number of
statistics that adapters _CAN_ maintain about transmit and receive
operations. Each statistic is fetched using what is know an an "Object
Identifier" or "OID".

NDIS defines statistics OIDs for transmit and receive packets (or "frames")
as well as for bytes sent and received on an adapter.

HOWEVER, NDIS also specifies which statistics are _mandatory_ and which are
_optional_.

In general, the packet or frame statistics are the ones that are mandatory.
All miniports must support packet/frame statistics.

The byte statistics are, unfortunately, optional.

The gizmo that you are looking at probably is smart enough to ask each
miniport for byte statistics, and show them if they are available. If they
are not available for the particular miniport, then it shows packet counts.

Regards,
--
Thomas F. Divine

PCAUSA - Toolkits & Resources For Network Software Developers
NDIS Protocol - NDIS Intermediate Driver - TDI Client - Windows 95
Redirector
<http://www.pcausa.com>


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Michael

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Jun 3, 2001, 8:44:05 PM6/3/01
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wow, that's a pretty informative answer, thanks heaps :)
So in theory you should be able to modify the driver if you knew what you
were doing and make it display bytes

Thanks for your post
Regaurds, Michael
"Thomas F. Divine" <tdi...@pcausa.com> wrote in message
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Thomas F. Divine

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Jun 6, 2001, 12:30:32 AM6/6/01
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Only the writer of the adater driver could do that...

Regards,
--
Thomas F. Divine

PCAUSA - Toolkits & Resources For Network Software Developers
NDIS Protocol - NDIS Intermediate Driver - TDI Client - Windows 95
Redirector
<http://www.pcausa.com>

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Michael

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Jun 6, 2001, 2:09:34 AM6/6/01
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aw crap!
: (

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