Bytes in - bytes out

djth · Dec 9, 2010, 5:35 PM

Hi.
I'm running pfsense 2.0 beta 4 on a micron dual xeon server.

I see that bytes in on wan is a lot larger than bytes out on lan

It looks like the pfsense box is downloading something for its use.

Any ideas about what's happening?

jimp · Dec 9, 2010, 6:03 PM

Are you using squid?

How about traffic shaping?

Any other local services?

The box itself generally doesn't download things "for itself" (except the monthly bogons update but that is a tiny text file). Some packages might do that though.

djth · Dec 10, 2010, 1:31 AM

Yes I'm using squid and no traffic shaping

jimp · Dec 10, 2010, 1:35 AM

If you are using squid that might explain it, I have seen squid do that before (though I don't recall the exact circumstances)

Nachtfalke · Dec 10, 2010, 9:49 AM

I remember this phenomen, when downloading windows updates using SQUID with this additional refresh_pattern:

http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Squid_Package_Tuning

This happens, if I am right, when a client only downloads a part of a file and this patterns for SQUID force the proxy to completly download the file and not only the part.

My explaination ist 100% correct, but I hope the content will help you a little bit.

djth · Dec 10, 2010, 4:08 PM

Ok. I have that configuration for avg and windows update.
My concern is that I see it takes all my bandwidth.
I don't want it to leave my customers without any bandwidth available.

Nachtfalke · Dec 10, 2010, 5:43 PM

perhaps you could throttle bandwidth for EXE, CAB, MSI files.

Further this high bandwidth usage is only as long as, till the proxy has them all in the cache. Perhaps you can do a windows update over night and at the next morning all files will be downloaded.

Another option ist, that you lower the maxmum file size, so that only small updates gets cached.

There are pros and cons for caching those files.