DU Meter 5.25

I remember a time when downloading stuff off the web at 4KB was the bees knees. I also remember a time when that saying was in fashion. No, I’m not that old, I just have a good memory, that’s all. Those days have long passed and nowadays just about everyone has access to a high-speed, broadband internet connection that can download content off the web at lightning speed.

But do you know how much of your internet connection you’re using? How much data is coming in, and how much you’re sending out? If those two questions left you scratching your head, then you need to get DU Meter. This Hagel Technologies-developed application can tell you if you’re getting the most out of your internet connection.

The application weighs in at less than 2MB, so on your high-speed connection it should take but a moment to download. Installing the application will take but a moment as well. I counted about 5 clicks between the time I launched the setup executable (I launched it using the keyboard, I did not double click it) and the time the application was up and running.

Once up and running, you will first be greeted by a “Welcome to DU Meter” prompt. The prompt thanks you for getting DU Metter and asks you to complete a wizard that will explain how the application works. The wizard is useful for new DU Meter users that have never used the application before; it is also useful to old DU Meter users as it presents the new features the software has to offer. If you skip the wizard, you can also revisit it by right clicking the DU Meter window, then selecting “Welcome wizard”.

Using DU Meter is a straightforward process as you don’t actually have to do anything. The software displays a window in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen – in the window you see a real-time chart of your network traffic. The whole thing is color coded. Red represents incoming traffic, green represents outgoing traffic, and yellow is traffic that goes both ways.

You can change these colors if you want to. Also, you can move the window around and place it wherever you want on the monitor. You can also resize the window if you want, or you can use the mini mode, which I found to be less distracting.

DU Meter can help those of you that need to keep network traffic within certain limits. You can set up alerts for when total monthly traffic exceeds a certain limit. Or you can use a stopwatch to see how much traffic you generated during a specific amount of time.

DU Meter is the perfect solution for the user that needs to keep a close eye on incoming and outgoing traffic, the user that need to monitor his internet connection closely.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Simple, comprehensive, customizable interface
• Mini mode, which can be less distracting
• Welcome wizard
• Data traffic alerts

Cons

• Free to use only during the 30-day trial period

DU Meter has been reviewed by George Norman on 25 Mar 2010. Based on the user interface, features and complexity, Findmysoft has rated DU Meter 4 out of 5 stars, naming it Excellent