How to install bmon on Ubuntu without compiling from source?

bmon is available in Ubuntu repositories; use 'sudo apt install bmon' for a stable version. For the latest features, compile from source as per README, but it requires dependencies like libconfuse-dev and libnl-3-dev.

bmon vs iftop: which is better for monitoring network traffic?

bmon offers a more detailed curses interface with programmable output and multiple interface support, while iftop is simpler and focuses on per-connection bandwidth. bmon is better for scripting and comprehensive stats, but iftop is lighter for quick checks.

How to use bmon in a script to log network traffic data?

Use bmon's ASCII output mode with commands like 'bmon -p eth0 -o ascii:rate' to generate programmable text, which can be redirected to files or processed by tools like awk or Python for logging and analysis.

Does bmon work on Windows natively?

bmon is designed for Unix-like systems; on Windows, it may run under WSL or Cygwin with limitations, but native support is absent. For Windows, consider alternatives like Performance Monitor or third-party tools.

What dependencies are needed to compile bmon from source?

Compiling bmon requires libraries such as libconfuse, libnl, and ncurses. On Debian-based systems, install packages like libconfuse-dev, libnl-3-dev, libncurses-dev, and build-essential, as detailed in the README.

How to monitor multiple interfaces simultaneously with bmon?

Run bmon without arguments to display all interfaces, or specify interfaces with '-p' flag (e.g., 'bmon -p eth0,eth1'). The curses UI allows toggling between interfaces for real-time visualization.

Open-Awesome

bmon

NOASSERTIONCv4.0

A command-line bandwidth monitor and rate estimator with interactive curses UI and programmable text output.

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1.4k stars111 forks0 contributors

What is bmon?

bmon is a bandwidth monitor and rate estimator tool that captures and displays networking statistics in real-time. It provides both an interactive curses-based user interface and a programmable text output for scripting, helping users visualize and analyze network traffic across interfaces.

Target Audience

System administrators, network engineers, and developers who need to monitor and debug network performance on Unix-like systems.

Value Proposition

bmon offers a lightweight, command-line alternative to heavier network monitoring suites, with a focus on real-time visualization and scriptable output for automation.

Overview

bandwidth monitor and rate estimator

Use Cases

Best For

Real-time monitoring of network interface bandwidth usage
Debugging network performance issues on servers
Scripting network traffic analysis with programmable output
Visualizing network statistics in a terminal with curses UI
Monitoring multiple interfaces simultaneously
Lightweight network monitoring without GUI dependencies

Not Ideal For

Teams needing web-based dashboards for remote or collaborative network monitoring
Projects requiring long-term historical data storage and trend analysis
Environments without Unix-like terminals or curses library support
Integrated monitoring suites with built-in alerting and automation features

Pros & Cons

Pros

Interactive Curses UI

Provides a real-time visual display with graphs and statistics in the terminal, ideal for quick diagnostics without GUI dependencies, as shown in the screenshots.

Programmable Text Output

Offers script-friendly ASCII output for automation, enabling integration into custom monitoring scripts and pipelines, as highlighted in the features.

Cross-Platform Availability

Supports Linux, macOS via Homebrew, and various Unix-like systems with detailed installation instructions for multiple distributions.

Lightweight and Efficient

Focuses on simplicity without bloat, making it fast and resource-friendly for real-time monitoring, aligning with its philosophy of minimal complexity.

Cons

Complex Compilation Setup

Installation on some platforms requires manual compilation and managing dependencies like libconfuse and libnl, which can be error-prone and time-consuming.

Limited Advanced Features

Lacks built-in alerting, historical data logging, or integration with external monitoring systems, focusing only on real-time display and basic output.

Sparse Documentation

The README covers basic installation and usage but lacks comprehensive guides for advanced configuration, troubleshooting, or customization options.

Frequently Asked Questions

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