Inexpensive probes for automated bandwidth testing purposes

[Lorell Hathcock <lorell () hathcock org>]

Greetings, NANOG.  Happy Saturday to all.

I am running a DOCSIS network that has a noisy cable plant.  I want to be able to substantiate and quantify users' 
bandwidth issues.  I would like a set of inexpensive probes that I could place at selected customer's homes/businesses 
that would on a scheduled basis perform bandwidth tests.

Likely I would need to place a server in the head end or across the internet that would allow me to isolate and test 
certain network segments.

I've looked into these in the past and was presented with some wonderfully expensive units that would duplicate my 
network problems into company financial problems as well.

Any ideas?  I know there are other ways to measure noise in the cable plant and I am working on those as well.  I will 
soon be running other, non-DOCSIS networks and need to have the same capabilities to test available bandwidth on those 
networks.

Thanks!

Lorell Hathcock

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