Codebox Software

How do I access the Web Interface?

To view the Web Interface on your computer, just click on this link

How can I make the Web Interface accessible from another computer?

The following command, executed from a Command Prompt/Terminal Window, will enable read-only remote access next time the Web Interface is started (remote users will be able to view the interface, but not change any settings):

bmdb webremote

To enable remote administrative access, use this command (remote users will be able to change settings and add/edit/remove Alerts):

bmdb webremoteadmin

To disable remote access, use this command

bmdb weblocal

Note that these commands don't take effect immediately, the web interface must be restarted first.

Once you have enabled remote access, and restarted the web interface, you should be able to access BitMeter OS from another computer using a URL of the format http://ip address here:2605 (so if the IP address of the computer running BitMeter OS is '192.168.1.2' then you would use the URL http://192.168.1.2:2605).

If this doesn't work then it is likely that the connection is being blocked by a firewall on the computer that is running BitMeter OS, you need to configure this to allow incoming connections to TCP port 2605.

Can I use BitMeter to monitor all the devices on my home network/all traffic going through my router?

BitMeter can only monitor network traffic going to/from the computer where it is installed. If you want to monitor multiple computers then you will need to install BitMeter on each one and use the bmsync utility to produce aggregate totals.

If you need to monitor data transferred from devices such as tablets, phones, and games consoles, then BitMeter cannot help you. You may be able to get the information you need from your Internet Service Provider's website, alternatively your network router may display some useful information, or you could install some custom firmware such as Tomato or DD-WRT onto your router.

How can I change the port number used by the BitMeter Web Interface?

Use the bmdb setconfig command to change the web.port value to the desired port number. For example, to change the port number to '80':

bmdb setconfig web.port 80

Note that this command doesn't take effect immediately, the web interface must be restarted first.

How can I stop/start/restart the BitMeter Web Interface?

The following commands will stop/start the Web Interface

bmdb webstop
bmdb webstart

The following commands will stop/start the Data Capture process

bmdb capstop
bmdb capstart

Where can I get the source code for BitMeter OS?

The source code is available on GitHub.

How can I remove BitMeter OS from my Mac?

To uninstall BitMeter OS on a Mac, just run this command (you may be prompted for the admin password):

/Library/Application\ Support/BitMeter/bmremove.sh

How can I backup the data that BitMeter OS has stored?

All the data that BitMeter OS records is stored in a single database file, so it is very easy to backup:

• On Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BitMeterOS\bitmeter.db
• On Windows Vista/7: C:\ProgramData\BitMeterOS\bitmeter.db
• On Linux: /var/lib/bitmeter/bitmeter.db
• On Mac OSX: /Library/Application Support/BitMeter/bitmeter.db

Where can I find the BitMeter OS error log?

BitMeter OS records details of some types of error in its error log, the log can be found in the following locations:

• On Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BitMeterOS\bitmeter.log
• On Windows Vista/7: C:\ProgramData\BitMeterOS\bitmeter.log
• On Linux: /var/log/bitmeter/error.log
• On Mac OSX: /Library/Logs/bitmeter.log

How can I clear out all the data from the BitMeter OS database, resetting all totals to zero?

To delete all data from the BitMeter OS database, used the following command:

bmdb purge

Use with caution - this command takes effect immediately and cannot be undone.

How can I change the location of the bitmeter.db file?

You can specify an alternative location for the bitmeter.db file by setting the BITMETER_DB environment variable. The variable should contain the full path to the file, including the name of the file (for example C:\robs_files\bitmeter.db). After the environment variable has been set, both the web interface and capture daemon/service must be restarted.

How can I change the location of the HTML/CSS/JS files used to create the web interface?

Use the bmdb setconfig command to change the web.dir value to the desired location, remembering to include a trailing slash/backslash. For example:

bmdb setconfig web.dir "c:\robs_files\bitmeterweb\"

Note that this command doesn't take effect immediately, the web interface must be restarted first.

Can I run BitMeter OS alongside BitMeter 2 on my PC?

Yes, there are no conflicts between BitMeter OS and BitMeter 2, you can run them both together with no problems.

Is it possible to import BitMeter OS data from a remote host into my local database?

Yes, you can do this using the bmsync utility. See this forum post for a guide to the steps that you should follow.

Which versions of Python and wxPython do I need to use the Desktop Client?

The client has been developed using Python v2.5.1 and wxPython v2.8.4.0, however it will probably work on earlier versions of both the language and the library.

Can I stop BitMeter writing to the hard-drive once every second?

By default BitMeter writes updates to its database at 1 second intervals. To increase this interval, use the bmdb setconfig command to change the cap.write_interval value. For example, to change the interval to 5 seconds, use the following command:

bmdb setconfig cap.write_interval 5

Note that this command doesn't take effect immediately, the capture service/daemon must be restarted first.

How do I report a problem?

If you discover a problem/bug with BitMeter OS then please let me know so I can fix it. Before contacting me please check the forum to see if the problem has been reported already - known issues will appear at the top of the first page, you don't have to search the entire forum.

If you think you have discovered a new bug then please post on the forum (no registration required), describing the issue. Be sure to say what operating system are you using (Windows/OSX/Linux) and what version. If you are having problems with the web interface then also tell me what browser you are using, and what version. Also, please use a descriptive subject line for your post - if the forum gets filled with posts all titled 'bitmeter error' then no one will be able to find anything.