Insights > Network

Overview

This article explains the various components and metrics found on the Meter dashboard’s Network Insights section, which provides a high-level overview of network health and performance. This page displays key details about the status of security appliances, switches, access points, connected clients, WAN quality, and throughput.

Dashboard Sections

Network Status Indicators

• Security Appliances: This status shows if the security appliances are operational. An “All online” status means the Meter Security Appliance(s) is functioning and communicating with the network without issues.
• Switches: Indicates the status of switches within the network. “All online” suggests that all switches are functional, facilitating smooth data transfer across the network.
• Access Points: Shows the status of access points responsible for wireless connectivity.

Connected Clients

• This section provides a real-time graph showing the number of clients (devices) connected to the network at any given time.

• The graph can help administrators understand the current network load and identify potential issues if there are significant fluctuations in client count.

WAN0 Quality and WAN1 Quality

• These metrics represent the quality of the WAN connections. Quality is typically measured as a percentage, with 100% representing optimal performance, free from packet loss or latency issues.

WAN0 Throughput and WAN1 Throughput

• This section measures the data transfer rate on each WAN connection, typically displayed in bps (bits per second), kbps (kilobits per second), or Mbps (megabits per second).

How to Use the Dashboard

Identify Network Issues: If any security appliance, switch, or access point is offline, the network’s reliability may be affected. For example, an offline access point may impact wireless connectivity in certain areas.

Monitor Client Activity: Use the “Connected Clients” graph to monitor device activity. Sudden changes may indicate network issues or increased demand on the network.

Assess WAN Health: Consistently high WAN quality values (around 100%) indicate stable, high-quality connections to the internet or external networks. Any drop in quality below 90-95% may require investigation.

Track Network Traffic: The throughput graphs for each WAN connection help administrators track data transmission. A spike in throughput may indicate a period of high network activity, which could be expected during file transfers or backups.

A note on data representation

Unfortunately, sending all real-time data to the Dashboard is not feasible as this would be incredibly resource-intensive. Instead, averages are used depending on your selected time filter. Up to 24 hours, data is represented in 5-minute intervals. The data point will contain the average of the last 5 minutes. After 24 hours the interval increases to 30 minutes. At 30 days, the interval increases to 1 hour. You may notice data appear to change selecting different time windows as averages will change for different intervals.