SHARE ARTICLE
A few months ago, I wrote an article on how to analyze Website log files from your WHS. You can glean all sorts of information about who is “visiting” your WHS website. The program discussed in this article is a standalone program (non-WHS specific). If so desired, you can install the free version of this program, Deep Log Analyzer, on any machine you desire.
A new WHS specific add-in, WHS Web Logs, has been released to the wild that will allow you to look up IP/DNS information of who is accessing your WHS from the following database sites:
- ARIN.NET
- HOSTIP.INFO
- NETWORK-TOOLS.COM
From my repetitive installation opening statement:
Installing the add-in is as simple as any other add-in. Copy the msi installer to your D:SoftwareAdd-ins folder, open the WHS Setting Window in the console and install the software from the Add-ins tab, as shown below.
Reopen the WHS console, scroll over and click on the Web Logs tab. Click on the Reload Logs (if needed) and watch the database entries fill in. Most of the information is self explanatory as you proceed across the row. The information in the last column is the files accessed on your WHS, which is normally the items associated with your Remote Access log-in page.
If you are interested in obtaining more information about a specific IP address of whomever is accessing (or attempting to) your WHS, simply click on one of the appropriate buttons (to the right side) in the row that contains the IP address you are interested in.
Clicking on whois Lookup will open up a browser window and query the ARIN.NET website for that specific IP address
If specific information is not in the ARIN.NET database, there is a link provided for a specific database related for the IP address you are interested in.
Going back to WHS Web Logs, clicking on the Geo Locate IP button will open up a browser window and query the HOSTIP.INFO website for that specific IP address.
And finally, clicking on the DNS Lookup button will open up a browser window and query the NETWORK-TOOLS.COM website for that specific IP address.
That is that. A nice first effort of a WHS-specific add-in. In my opinion, it needs some additional error checking (or code refinement) as it sometimes kicks you out of the Console when you Reload Logs, and/or click on the checked options across the top.
Other refinements:
- A manual/help file would be nice (required?) to better explain the options and database entries.
- A better grouping of the IP log entries would be most appreciated. Each graphic/entry in your Remote Access webpage becomes a log entry in WHS Web Logs. Clean it up a bit, as one cannot see the forest through the trees.
But again, this is a first effort and perhaps future releases will be able to provide information in line with the type of data that is provided by Deep Log Analyzer.
So is this an add-in for you? The big plus is that it is integrated into the WHS console. Another plus is that it requires no configuration by the user. Install it, use it. It does do what it says it will do: provide you with IP/DNS look-up capability. However, it is a far cry from the information that is indexed by Deep Log Analyzer. Since I normally RDC to my WHS, console integration is not enough to make me use Web Logs over Deep Log Analyzer.
Perhaps a few program iterations from now, I may sing a different tune. For the record, it does have the coolest looking console icon I have seen!
Author: tadow
Version Reviewed: 1.0.2.0
Release: 21Mar2009
1. April 2009 at 11:40 pm
Downloaded this – in theory a great app but it’s just a) slow and b) crashes the console virtually every time it’s used….
5. April 2009 at 2:44 pm
It keeps crashing my server
17. May 2010 at 2:56 am
I found it too basic and slow for me. Maybe newer WHS users will find it a good stepping stone to better things. I coul not find enough options to suit my needs and the local connection box was greyd out so I had to put up with seeing all my own traffic too.
Good starting point and with time I am sure it will be great