FAQ
TL;DR: 70 % of evening home bandwidth is video streaming [Cisco, 2017]; "Almost every home router has a 'QoS' tab" [Elektroda, IC_Current, post #16923528] Use router-level QoS, not packet sniffers, to curb torrents on low-end TP-Link gear. Why it matters: smart traffic shaping fixes slow Wi-Fi without spying.
Quick Facts
• TP-Link WR740N CPU: 400 MHz Atheros AR9331, 32 MB RAM [TP-Link Specs].
• Gargoyle/OpenWrt flash size needed: ≥4 MB, file ~3.8 MB [OpenWrt, 2023].
• BitTorrent averages 3 % of fixed-line downstream traffic globally [Sandvine, 2022].
• Mikrotik hAP Lite price: ≈ 25 USD, supports per-IP traffic accounting [Mikrotik Price List].
• Typical home QoS cuts latency by 30-50 % during congestion [Bufferbloat Project].
Can I see which websites users visit using Wireshark on my home network?
Yes, but only if the router supports port mirroring or you run Wireshark on each PC. Without that, you capture only broadcast traffic. HTTPS also hides the actual pages; you will see domains but not URLs. For three users, Wireshark quickly becomes noise [Elektroda, biku11, post #16917540]
What simpler tools log visited domains without packet captures?
Router firmware with DNS logging—OpenWrt plus the "luci-app-stats" package—or Pi-hole on a spare Raspberry Pi records every DNS query per device. Setup takes about 15 minutes and needs no deep packet inspection [OpenWrt Docs, 2023].
Is monitoring housemates’ browsing legal?
In most jurisdictions, the connection owner may log metadata, but viewing content without consent can violate privacy laws. Always inform users and get written agreement to avoid legal risk [EFF, 2023].
How do I block or throttle BitTorrent on a TP-Link WR740N?
Stock firmware cannot identify BitTorrent. Install OpenWrt 19.07, add the "sqm-scripts" and "simple-qos" packages, then set BitTorrent ports (6881-6999) to low priority. Encryption and random ports still bypass filters, so prefer bandwidth ceilings per IP [Elektroda, mick1, post #16925437]
Will Gargoyle help with bandwidth control on this router?
Yes. Gargoyle’s web GUI exposes per-host quotas and real-time graphs. On a 10 Mb/s link the WR740N can shape traffic with <5 % CPU idle left [Gargoyle Wiki, 2022]. Edge-case: above 25 Mb/s the router drops packets due to CPU saturation.
Which budget router logs traffic most easily?
A Mikrotik hAP Lite offers built-in torch and connection tracking. It records per-IP, per-protocol traffic and supports scriptable queues. Cost is about 25 USD [Mikrotik Price List]. “Mikrotik gear logs ‘who, when, how much’ in one click,” notes network engineer Tomasz Nowak [Nowak, 2022].
How do I set basic bandwidth limits on stock TP-Link firmware?
- Login to 192.168.0.1 → Bandwidth Control.
- Define total upstream/downstream rates (e.g., 9000 kbps/1000 kbps).
- Add rules for each device’s MAC, set min/max rate. Stock QoS is global; you cannot target torrents only [Elektroda, KOCUREK1970, post #16943448]
Does enabling QoS slow my router?
Shaping adds CPU load. On WR740N, SQM at 12 Mb/s uses ~80 % CPU. Latency improves but throughput drops ≈3 % [Bufferbloat Tests, 2022]. Routers with ≥700 MHz CPUs handle 100 Mb/s with SQM smoothly.
What happens if I misflash OpenWrt on the WR740N?
A bad flash can brick the unit. Recovery requires a UART adapter or TFTP push via bootloader. If bootloader is overwritten, hardware JTAG becomes necessary [OpenWrt, 2023].
How much bandwidth do torrents consume compared with streaming?
Globally, BitTorrent is 3 % downstream and 22 % upstream traffic, while Netflix alone is 14.9 % downstream [Sandvine, 2022]. This asymmetry means torrents can starve your upload and slow everyone’s download.
How should I address heavy users before enforcing limits?
Explain the congestion issue, share stats, and propose fair caps. Collaborative policies cut conflict and reduce technical work [Elektroda, mick1, post #16923680]
Three-step: create priority rules in Gargoyle
- Navigate QoS → Download, enable service-based QoS.
- Add rule: Protocol TCP/UDP, Ports 1-65535, Set Host IP to offender, assign Low priority.
- Save and reboot. Traffic now de-prioritises torrent and streams while web and VoIP stay responsive.