Can anyone recommend me a monitoring software that tracks computer and internet usage? Im not looking for a filter just something that will track the computer usage, kinda like recording whats being displayed on the screen. It would also be good if it could view the recorded items over the network. I have a client who wants to see what his son is doing online and doesnt want him to know that hes watching. I know that people do this all the time in the large companies so I was wondering if there was something for the home or small network.
![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
monitoring software
- Thread starter tb311
- Start date
yeah, its a program called "good parenting"
parents being spies makes me sick.
anyway, to actually help the OP I would look at a program similar to ethereal. What your looking for is actually called a network monitor, or packet sniffer.
WRONG! Wow, that answer could not be any more incorrect. Ethereal isn't going to tell you squat.
tb311, if you want something that records keystrokes or captures what is on the screen, you can't beat Spector. I just used it at my company to nail a guy who was spending his entire workday gambling online. Spector captured EVERYTHING.
You can get a standalone version for a home PC for about $100.
http://www.spectorsoft.com/
so your ASS UMING he wants a program similar to netnanny or a keystoke logger actually installed on the kids computer right?
Granted, ethereal isn't going to record the screen, but I don't see any mention of his intent to install the software on the offending computer. Although he does leave it open to interpretation.
Wow, you are uninformed. Even NetNanny isn't going to do the job here. You need to take a closer look at the request.
tb311 asked "I have a client who wants to see what his son is doing online and doesnt want him to know that hes watching."
Spector is completely hidden on the source PC. No one even knows it is there.
tb311 said "Im not looking for a filter just something that will track the computer usage, kinda like recording whats being displayed on the screen."
Again, Spector will track e-mail, IM, application usage, web usage, keystrokes AND take snapshots of the screen at any interval you specify. Is a packet sniffer like Ethereal/Wireshark going to do that? Absolutely not, hence my comment that your answer couldn't be more wrong.
And before you go throwing around terms like ASS UMING, keep in mind that I gave tb311 a suggestion that fits his critera. You didn't. Grow up man.
RiDDLeRThC
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2002
- Messages
- 3,963
We use SpectorSoft at work on 13 computers. Works good no problems so far.
Really MPS, well let ME play the quote game.
internet usage huh? hmm
over the network huh?
small network huh?
Sounds like it can be taken a lot of ways there MPS. While I agree that your suggestion warrants a look, to tell me that any suggestion I have given is "informed" and "wrong" is suggesting that you might be the uninformed one.
So before YOU go throwing around things like "grow up" re-read your posts before you start telling people they are wrong and uninformed.
Thanks for all the info guys! I have already used ethereal in the past but my client is not that computer smart so ethereal is kinda out of the question. Also I checked out netnanny and its not really what hes looking for. My client just knows how to use basic apps like IE and Word so that Spector software sounds interesting and I'll have to take a look at it. I did try to teach him Ctr+H on IE but he had no clue what he was looking at . As far as the parenting goes, its not really my place to judge but if a client wants it I'll do it. Thanks again for all the help.
. As far as the parenting goes, its not really my place to judge but if a client wants it I'll do it. Thanks again for all the help.you could just walk him through setting up a VNC client and server. He would have to watch real time on his machine what the kid was doing on the machine, but it would work if he wanted something like that.
The kid "could" see the small VNC icon in the task tray, but odds are he would have no idea what it is or even notice it with all the other icons there
UltraVNC is pretty easy to get working, plus its free
More of the old school approach, and like I said it is real time (no recording), but sometimes the simple old school things work out best
The kid "could" see the small VNC icon in the task tray, but odds are he would have no idea what it is or even notice it with all the other icons there
UltraVNC is pretty easy to get working, plus its free
More of the old school approach, and like I said it is real time (no recording), but sometimes the simple old school things work out best
tb311, Spector is pretty idiot-proof. I'm sure your client would not have any problem getting it up and running. Spectorsoft makes another product called eBlaster -- basically the same thing as Spector, but the reports are e-mailed to you instead of having to look at them through the Spector viewer.
I agree with your assessment that Ethereal & NetNanny would not work for your situation. It is a shame there are so many children here (are you listening cyr0n_k0r) that are not capable of properly looking at a situation and giving good informed advice.
Please let us know what solution worked best for your client.
I agree with your assessment that Ethereal & NetNanny would not work for your situation. It is a shame there are so many children here (are you listening cyr0n_k0r) that are not capable of properly looking at a situation and giving good informed advice.
Please let us know what solution worked best for your client.
yeah, its a program called "good parenting"
parents being spies makes me sick.
anyway, to actually help the OP I would look at a program similar to ethereal. What your looking for is actually called a network monitor, or packet sniffer.
You seriously want some paranoid old person to attempt to sniff packets from their childs computer.... yea, that'll work
Get spector, i think they make a personal version, you can't even tell it's running... doesn't show up in ctrl+alt+del... long as it's an xp box
YeOldeStonecat
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2004
- Messages
- 11,330
Another vote for Spectorsoft.....hey have stand alone single PC products, and fully networked versions that can record all workstations and save to a central location for the admin to review.
The Enterprise networked version is the one I used to nab the gambler I mentioned above. I'm monitoring about 150 stations now, and I will be doing more next year.
This sounds like it could be extremely effective for investigating corrupted employees. Just out of curiosity, do you do other types of monitoring at your job? Also, what exactly does your security policy say that gives you the legal right to do extensive monitoring like this without the worry of being sued?
Party2go9820
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2000
- Messages
- 3,695
A business can do anything with its own equipment without fear of lawsuit. If you are at a place of employment you have virtually no guarantee of privacy. The company can record your key strokes, monitor your web usage, tap you calls or video tape you as you sit at your desk. If you, as the employee don't like it, you are free to leave at any time.
Not from what I understand. You have to notify not just your employees that any of their activity may be monitored, but you also have to notify potential attackers. For example saying that any and all unautorized access is strictly prohibited as well as any activity may be monitored. You have to take away peoples expectation of privacy by having them sign agreements.
I don't believe you have any reasonabe expectation of privacy on when you are being paid to work unless you are providing your own equipment under federal law, state laws can vary more. I could be mistaken as I don't have much to do with that side of things though.
I don't believe you have any reasonabe expectation of privacy on when you are being paid to work unless you are providing your own equipment under federal law, state laws can vary more. I could be mistaken as I don't have much to do with that side of things though.
There have been cases where workers who bring their own computers to work (for use as work computers) have tried the "reasonable expectation of privacy" argument - the courts have tended to say no, depending on various factors which you can find by googling around for these cases. Privacy is evaluated in the courts by place or activity, not by person or object.