# Can I limit a user's bandwidth on wireless internet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 21, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894 "2004-12-21T01:37:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chefIL11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chefIL11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefIL11)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/1 "2004-12-21T01:37:26Z")
Here’s the situation: I have a gross roomate who spends a great deal of his leisure time looking up internet porn on the web as well as programs such as limewire. When I want to use the internet for normal activities such as checking email, it is LAGGED due to his porn addiction. I have control of the router and the wireless internet. Is there any way to block his use of limewire and other programs or the rate at which he can use the internet. Is there anyway to share the bandwidth so that we can both use it equally and he cannot hog it? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/2 "2004-12-21T01:41:31Z")
What type of router do you use? I recommend reading the help files for the router, as sometimes there is a setting in the router’s software which will allow you to do this (maybe under “parental controls”) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/3 "2004-12-21T01:44:52Z")
I’m not familiar with Limewire, but perhaps it uses a dedicated TCP port, which your router should allow you to block. Some routers also have bandwidth throttling and quotas, but it depends on the model. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/4 "2004-12-21T01:47:08Z")
Most wireless routers allow you set access restrictions for specific computer IP address, net addresses, access times/days and services, but none that I know of re affordable homeowner versions like Linksys etc., allow you to control the amount of bandwidth allocated to speciifc users. ---
**Author:** ![chefIL11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chefIL11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefIL11)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/5 "2004-12-21T01:48:01Z")
The router is a microsoft MN-700 it also says 802.11G ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/6 "2004-12-21T01:50:54Z")
Bandwidth limitation is an advanced feature that is generally not found on routers sold for home LAN’s. However, some file-sharing software like WinMX has bandwidth throttles in it. I used these throttles when my wife complained of our network slowing due to me downloading music. For some complicated reasons, the upload rate was hurting her download rate. If you don’t mind provoking a confrontation with your roommate, many home routers have port blocking features. You could close the port used by LimeWire (port 6436 I think), and he wouldn’t be able to use LimeWire at all unless he found another unused port. I don’t think that would be the case… usually routers are shipped with all ports closed except the ones you really need (for example, web on port 80, email on port 25 and 110, etc). We’d need to know your router model before going any further… I can only help you with routers I know. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/7 "2004-12-21T01:53:08Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Most wireless routers allow you set access restrictions for specific computer IP address, net addresses, access times/days and services, but none that I know of re affordable homeowner versions like Linksys etc., allow you to control the amount of bandwidth allocated to speciifc users. I bought an inexpensive 3Com wireless/wired broadband modem/router (inexpensive = less than 80 quid) and I’m pretty sure it had quite advanced throttling options, as well as options to allow guests with time/bandwidth/quota/access limitations. Looking around at a few reviews, it would appear that the MN 700 does have parental control options and that you can set other restrictions by MAC address, which could be just the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/8 "2004-12-21T01:54:45Z")
> [@chefIL11](#): > > The router is a microsoft MN-700 > > it also says 802.11G I have one of these at home. If there isn’t a satisfactory solution by the time I get home tonight, I’ll nose around a bit and see what I can find. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/9 "2004-12-21T01:55:37Z")
I should have added that yes, you can block Limewire services (specifically) from and to his PC, but this is asking for trouble if you start playing secret net cop with your roomates access. People have gotten seriously injured for pulling stunts like that. It would be a lot easier to simply tell him his bandwidth hogging ways are not acceptable to you, and that he’s going to have to get his own connection. It’ll cost you more (assuming you’re sharing cost) bu the headache of his use levels will be gone. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/10 "2004-12-21T02:05:05Z")
> [@chefIL11](#): > > The router is a microsoft MN-700 The MN-700 does not have bandwidth filtering, sorry. All you can do at the router side is disable forwarding of the limewire ports. The parental controls of the MN-700 can only help you restrict his network access during particular hours. You could set the router to only allow limewire traffic during hours when you know you’ll be asleep or away… sort of the reverse of the intent of a parental filter. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/11 "2004-12-21T10:09:49Z")
I have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router. You can use its filters to block an individual user’s access at certain times of day, to pages with certain keywords, or to certain IP addresses altogether. As far as I can tell there’s no bandwidth limiter though. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/12 "2004-12-21T10:27:49Z")
Looking back, I may be wrong about the 3Com device I mentioned above - I set up a couple of different routers in the same week and the one I’m remembering is a Linksys model not unlike **sturmhauke** ’s - you get to block, redirect and schedule, but not actively throttle and it seems the general consensus is that inexpensive routers for home/small office don’t have this feature (yet). There are bandwidth-limiting applications you could install on the client machine, but I suspect your room mate would just uninstall it. Other alternatives include getting an old PC and setting this up as a router, upstream of the wireless one. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-limit-a-users-bandwidth-on-wireless-internet/280894/13 "2004-12-21T10:28:59Z")
I meant to mention that his file sharing software will undoubtedly have some bandwidth limiting features built in, but again, you’d have to convince him to use them.