The poluted internet - Computing and Networks

media guy · 27-08-2004, 11:27

This is an interesting read - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08...uted_internet/ - and was something I was thinking about a few days ago.

My router tells me the packets that have hit my computer on my lowly home ADSL connection I have had...

Packets getting to my router
10,170,252
Packets that my router has seen are for a computer on the network
529,617

My little microsoft calculator tells me that this must mean that my router was hit my nine million, six hundred and fourty thousand, six hundred and thirty five packets of unsolicited traffic.

Now making the presumption that someone is paying for that traffic to get to me I'm surprised that no-one is getting furious about this!

Graham

Brush Master · 27-08-2004, 16:35

Yeah - it's a wild and dangerous place out there.

However, in some way or the other, that traffic does indeed get paid for. Not so much as a payment to your ISP (who maintains the line that delivers said traffic to your router), but somebody somewhere has a ISP connection that initiates that traffic.

It gets paid as much or as little as your road resurfacing gets paid for by a foreigner driving it, who pays road taxes in his/her country but not in yours.

Internet traffic is a bit like that, or more like your in-laws maybe. You didn't invite them, but they keep coming nonetheless.

TrevorPH · 27-08-2004, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by media guy

My router tells me the packets that have hit my computer on my lowly home ADSL connection I have had...

Packets getting to my router
10,170,252
Packets that my router has seen are for a computer on the network
529,617

This does not sound right. Does it actually say this in these exact words?

27-08-2004, 11:27	#1
media guy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Gender: Male Location: Southampton (Uni, Staff) Services: Freeview - Humax 9200t \|\| Sky+HD \|\| Sky Talk & BB Max @ 18Mb/s Posts: 3,770	The poluted internet This is an interesting read - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08...uted_internet/ - and was something I was thinking about a few days ago. My router tells me the packets that have hit my computer on my lowly home ADSL connection I have had... Packets getting to my router 10,170,252 Packets that my router has seen are for a computer on the network 529,617 My little microsoft calculator tells me that this must mean that my router was hit my nine million, six hundred and fourty thousand, six hundred and thirty five packets of unsolicited traffic. Now making the presumption that someone is paying for that traffic to get to me I'm surprised that no-one is getting furious about this! Graham

27-08-2004, 16:35	#2
Brush Master Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: London, U.K. Posts: 1,339	Yeah - it's a wild and dangerous place out there. However, in some way or the other, that traffic does indeed get paid for. Not so much as a payment to your ISP (who maintains the line that delivers said traffic to your router), but somebody somewhere has a ISP connection that initiates that traffic. It gets paid as much or as little as your road resurfacing gets paid for by a foreigner driving it, who pays road taxes in his/her country but not in yours. Internet traffic is a bit like that, or more like your in-laws maybe. You didn't invite them, but they keep coming nonetheless.