iPhone Data Usage Tracking/Monitoring

Question

I've searched over this topic but found very few details which were helpful. With these details I've tried to cook some code as follows.

Note: Please compare the details shared in this post with other posts before marking this as DUPLICATE, and not just by the subject.

- (NSArray *)getDataCountersForType:(int)type {
    BOOL success;
    struct ifaddrs *addrs = nil;
    const struct ifaddrs *cursor = nil;
    const struct sockaddr_dl *dlAddr = nil;
    const struct if_data *networkStatisc = nil; 

    int dataSent = 0;
    int dataReceived = 0;

    success = getifaddrs(&addrs) == 0;
    if (success) {
        cursor = addrs;
        while (cursor != NULL) {
            if (cursor->ifa_addr->sa_family == AF_LINK) {
                dlAddr = (const struct sockaddr_dl *) cursor->ifa_addr;
                networkStatisc = (const struct if_data *) cursor->ifa_data;

                if (type == WiFi) {
                    dataSent += networkStatisc->ifi_opackets;
                    dataReceived += networkStatisc->ifi_ipackets;   
                }
                else if (type == WWAN) {
                    dataSent += networkStatisc->ifi_obytes;
                    dataReceived += networkStatisc->ifi_ibytes; 
                }
            }
            cursor = cursor->ifa_next;
        }
        freeifaddrs(addrs);
    }       
    return [NSArray arrayWithObjects:[NSNumber numberWithInt:dataSent], [NSNumber numberWithInt:dataReceived], nil];    
}

This code collects information of internet usage of an iPhone device (and not my application alone).

Now, if I use internet through WiFi or through 3G, I get the the data (bytes) only in ifi_obytes (sent) and ifi_ibytes (received) but I think I should get WiFi usage in ifi_opackets and ifi_ipackets.

Also wanted to add that if I'm connected to a WiFi network, but am not using internet, I still get value added to ifi_obytes and ifi_ibytes.

May be I'm wrong in the implementation or understanding. Need someone to help me out.

---

Edit: Instead of AF_LINK I tried AF_INET (sockaddr_in instead of sockaddr_dl). This crashes the application.

Answer 1

The thing is that pdp_ip0 is one of interfaces, all pdpXXX are WWAN interfaces dedicated to different functions, voicemail, general networking interface.

I read in Apple forum that : The OS does not keep network statistics on a process-by-process basis. As such, there's no exact solution to this problem. You can, however, get network statistics for each network interface.

In general en0 is your Wi-Fi interface and pdp_ip0 is your WWAN interface.

There is no good way to get information wifi/cellular network data since, particular date-time!

Data statistic (ifa_data->ifi_obytes and ifa_data->ifi_ibytes) are stored from previous device reboot.

I don't know why, but ifi_opackets and ifi_ipackets are shown just for lo0 (I think its main interface ).

Yes. Then device is connected via WiFi and doesn't use internet if_iobytes values still come because this method provides network bytes exchanges and not just internet.

#include <net/if.h>
#include <ifaddrs.h>

static NSString *const DataCounterKeyWWANSent = @"WWANSent";
static NSString *const DataCounterKeyWWANReceived = @"WWANReceived";
static NSString *const DataCounterKeyWiFiSent = @"WiFiSent";
static NSString *const DataCounterKeyWiFiReceived = @"WiFiReceived";

NSDictionary *DataCounters()
{
    struct ifaddrs *addrs;
    const struct ifaddrs *cursor;

    u_int32_t WiFiSent = 0;
    u_int32_t WiFiReceived = 0;
    u_int32_t WWANSent = 0;
    u_int32_t WWANReceived = 0;

    if (getifaddrs(&addrs) == 0)
    {
        cursor = addrs;
        while (cursor != NULL)
        {
            if (cursor->ifa_addr->sa_family == AF_LINK)
            {
#ifdef DEBUG
                const struct if_data *ifa_data = (struct if_data *)cursor->ifa_data;
                if (ifa_data != NULL)
                {
                    NSLog(@"Interface name %s: sent %tu received %tu",cursor->ifa_name,ifa_data->ifi_obytes,ifa_data->ifi_ibytes);
                }
#endif

                // name of interfaces:
                // en0 is WiFi
                // pdp_ip0 is WWAN
                NSString *name = @(cursor->ifa_name);
                if ([name hasPrefix:@"en"])
                {
                    const struct if_data *ifa_data = (struct if_data *)cursor->ifa_data;
                    if (ifa_data != NULL)
                    {
                        WiFiSent += ifa_data->ifi_obytes;
                        WiFiReceived += ifa_data->ifi_ibytes;
                    }
                }

                if ([name hasPrefix:@"pdp_ip"])
                {
                    const struct if_data *ifa_data = (struct if_data *)cursor->ifa_data;
                    if (ifa_data != NULL)
                    {
                        WWANSent += ifa_data->ifi_obytes;
                        WWANReceived += ifa_data->ifi_ibytes;
                    }
                }
            }

            cursor = cursor->ifa_next;
        }

        freeifaddrs(addrs);
    }

    return @{DataCounterKeyWiFiSent : @(WiFiSent),
             DataCounterKeyWiFiReceived : @(WiFiReceived),
             DataCounterKeyWWANSent : @(WWANSent),
             DataCounterKeyWWANReceived : @(WWANReceived)};
}

Improved copy/paste support !

Answer 2

It's important to understand that these counters are provided since the device's last boot.

So, to make effective use of them, you should accompany every sample with the device's uptime (you can use mach_absolute_time() - see this for more information)

Once you have counters samples + uptime you can have better heuristics as to data use...

Answer 3

To add to the accepted answer, its important to realize that the amount of data displayed by the interface overflows and restarts at 0 after every 4 GB, especially if you are using this code to calculate the difference between two readings. This is because ifi_obytes and ifi_ibytes are uint_32 and their max value is 4294967295.

Also, I recommend using unsigned ints for the variables containing the data sent and received. Regular ints have half the max value of an unsigned integer, so when adding ifi_obytes, it may cause an overflow.

unsigned int sent = 0;
sent += networkStatisc->ifi_obytes;

Answer 4

Swift version of the accepted answer. I also break the code into smaller units.

struct DataUsageInfo {
    var wifiReceived: UInt32 = 0
    var wifiSent: UInt32 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataReceived: UInt32 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataSent: UInt32 = 0

    mutating func updateInfoByAdding(info: DataUsageInfo) {
        wifiSent += info.wifiSent
        wifiReceived += info.wifiReceived
        wirelessWanDataSent += info.wirelessWanDataSent
        wirelessWanDataReceived += info.wirelessWanDataReceived
    }
}

class DataUsage {

    private static let wwanInterfacePrefix = "pdp_ip"
    private static let wifiInterfacePrefix = "en"

    class func getDataUsage() -> DataUsageInfo {
        var interfaceAddresses: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs> = nil
        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        guard getifaddrs(&interfaceAddresses) == 0 else { return dataUsageInfo }

        var pointer = interfaceAddresses
        while pointer != nil {
            guard let info = getDataUsageInfo(from: pointer) else {
                pointer = pointer.memory.ifa_next
                continue
            }
            dataUsageInfo.updateInfoByAdding(info)
            pointer = pointer.memory.ifa_next
        }

        freeifaddrs(interfaceAddresses)

        return dataUsageInfo
    }

    private class func getDataUsageInfo(from infoPointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>) -> DataUsageInfo? {
        let pointer = infoPointer

        let name: String! = String.fromCString(infoPointer.memory.ifa_name)

        let addr = pointer.memory.ifa_addr.memory
        guard addr.sa_family == UInt8(AF_LINK) else { return nil }

        return dataUsageInfo(from: pointer, name: name)
    }

    private class func dataUsageInfo(from pointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>, name: String) -> DataUsageInfo {
        var networkData: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data> = nil
        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        if name.hasPrefix(wifiInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.memory.ifa_data, UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            dataUsageInfo.wifiSent += networkData.memory.ifi_obytes
            dataUsageInfo.wifiReceived += networkData.memory.ifi_ibytes
        } else if name.hasPrefix(wwanInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.memory.ifa_data, UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataSent += networkData.memory.ifi_obytes
            dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataReceived += networkData.memory.ifi_ibytes
        }

        return dataUsageInfo
    }
}

Answer 5

I fixed above source code to Swift3 version

struct DataUsageInfo {
    var wifiReceived: UInt32 = 0
    var wifiSent: UInt32 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataReceived: UInt32 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataSent: UInt32 = 0

    mutating func updateInfoByAdding(_ info: DataUsageInfo) {
        wifiSent += info.wifiSent
        wifiReceived += info.wifiReceived
        wirelessWanDataSent += info.wirelessWanDataSent
        wirelessWanDataReceived += info.wirelessWanDataReceived
    }
}


class DataUsage {

    private static let wwanInterfacePrefix = "pdp_ip"
    private static let wifiInterfacePrefix = "en"

    class func getDataUsage() -> DataUsageInfo {
        var ifaddr: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>?
        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        guard getifaddrs(&ifaddr) == 0 else { return dataUsageInfo }
        while let addr = ifaddr {
            guard let info = getDataUsageInfo(from: addr) else {
                ifaddr = addr.pointee.ifa_next
                continue
            }
            dataUsageInfo.updateInfoByAdding(info)
            ifaddr = addr.pointee.ifa_next
        }

        freeifaddrs(ifaddr)

        return dataUsageInfo
    }

    private class func getDataUsageInfo(from infoPointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>) -> DataUsageInfo? {
        let pointer = infoPointer
        let name: String! = String(cString: pointer.pointee.ifa_name)
        let addr = pointer.pointee.ifa_addr.pointee
        guard addr.sa_family == UInt8(AF_LINK) else { return nil }

        return dataUsageInfo(from: pointer, name: name)
    }

    private class func dataUsageInfo(from pointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>, name: String) -> DataUsageInfo {
        var networkData: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>?
        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        if name.hasPrefix(wifiInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.pointee.ifa_data, to: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            if let data = networkData {
                dataUsageInfo.wifiSent += data.pointee.ifi_obytes
                dataUsageInfo.wifiReceived += data.pointee.ifi_ibytes
            }

        } else if name.hasPrefix(wwanInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.pointee.ifa_data, to: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            if let data = networkData {
                dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataSent += data.pointee.ifi_obytes
                dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataReceived += data.pointee.ifi_ibytes
            }
        }

        return dataUsageInfo
    }
}

Answer 6

A new version about based on previous versions, but adapted for Swift4 and Xcode 9

struct DataUsageInfo {
    var wifiReceived: UInt32 = 0
    var wifiSent: UInt32 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataReceived: UInt32 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataSent: UInt32 = 0

    mutating func updateInfoByAdding(info: DataUsageInfo) {
        wifiSent += info.wifiSent
        wifiReceived += info.wifiReceived
        wirelessWanDataSent += info.wirelessWanDataSent
        wirelessWanDataReceived += info.wirelessWanDataReceived
    }
}

class DataUsage {

    private static let wwanInterfacePrefix = "pdp_ip"
    private static let wifiInterfacePrefix = "en"

    class func getDataUsage() -> DataUsageInfo {
        var interfaceAddresses: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>? = nil

        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        guard getifaddrs(&interfaceAddresses) == 0 else { return dataUsageInfo }

        var pointer = interfaceAddresses
        while pointer != nil {
            guard let info = getDataUsageInfo(from: pointer!) else {
                pointer = pointer!.pointee.ifa_next
                continue
            }
            dataUsageInfo.updateInfoByAdding(info: info)
            pointer = pointer!.pointee.ifa_next
        }

        freeifaddrs(interfaceAddresses)

        return dataUsageInfo
    }

    private class func getDataUsageInfo(from infoPointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>) -> DataUsageInfo? {
        let pointer = infoPointer

        let name: String! = String(cString: infoPointer.pointee.ifa_name)
        let addr = pointer.pointee.ifa_addr.pointee
        guard addr.sa_family == UInt8(AF_LINK) else { return nil }

        return dataUsageInfo(from: pointer, name: name)
    }

    private class func dataUsageInfo(from pointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>, name: String) -> DataUsageInfo {
        var networkData: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>? = nil
        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        if name.hasPrefix(wifiInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.pointee.ifa_data, to: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            dataUsageInfo.wifiSent += networkData?.pointee.ifi_obytes ?? 0
            dataUsageInfo.wifiReceived += networkData?.pointee.ifi_ibytes ?? 0
        } else if name.hasPrefix(wwanInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.pointee.ifa_data, to: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataSent += networkData?.pointee.ifi_obytes ?? 0
            dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataReceived += networkData?.pointee.ifi_ibytes ?? 0
        }

        return dataUsageInfo
    }
}

Answer 7

Sorry for same answer again.

but I found that UInt32 is not enough, so it crashes when it became too big.

I just changed UInt32 to UInt64 and it works fine.

struct DataUsageInfo {
    var wifiReceived: UInt64 = 0
    var wifiSent: UInt64 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataReceived: UInt64 = 0
    var wirelessWanDataSent: UInt64 = 0

    mutating func updateInfoByAdding(info: DataUsageInfo) {
        wifiSent += info.wifiSent
        wifiReceived += info.wifiReceived
        wirelessWanDataSent += info.wirelessWanDataSent
        wirelessWanDataReceived += info.wirelessWanDataReceived
    }
}

class DataUsage {

    private static let wwanInterfacePrefix = "pdp_ip"
    private static let wifiInterfacePrefix = "en"

    class func getDataUsage() -> DataUsageInfo {
        var interfaceAddresses: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>? = nil

        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        guard getifaddrs(&interfaceAddresses) == 0 else { return dataUsageInfo }

        var pointer = interfaceAddresses
        while pointer != nil {
            guard let info = getDataUsageInfo(from: pointer!) else {
                pointer = pointer!.pointee.ifa_next
                continue
            }
            dataUsageInfo.updateInfoByAdding(info: info)
            pointer = pointer!.pointee.ifa_next
        }

        freeifaddrs(interfaceAddresses)

        return dataUsageInfo
    }

    private class func getDataUsageInfo(from infoPointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>) -> DataUsageInfo? {
        let pointer = infoPointer

        let name: String! = String(cString: infoPointer.pointee.ifa_name)
        let addr = pointer.pointee.ifa_addr.pointee
        guard addr.sa_family == UInt8(AF_LINK) else { return nil }

        return dataUsageInfo(from: pointer, name: name)
    }

    private class func dataUsageInfo(from pointer: UnsafeMutablePointer<ifaddrs>, name: String) -> DataUsageInfo {
        var networkData: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>? = nil
        var dataUsageInfo = DataUsageInfo()

        if name.hasPrefix(wifiInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.pointee.ifa_data, to: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            dataUsageInfo.wifiSent += UInt64(networkData?.pointee.ifi_obytes ?? 0)
            dataUsageInfo.wifiReceived += UInt64(networkData?.pointee.ifi_ibytes ?? 0)
        } else if name.hasPrefix(wwanInterfacePrefix) {
            networkData = unsafeBitCast(pointer.pointee.ifa_data, to: UnsafeMutablePointer<if_data>.self)
            dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataSent += UInt64(networkData?.pointee.ifi_obytes ?? 0)
            dataUsageInfo.wirelessWanDataReceived += UInt64(networkData?.pointee.ifi_ibytes ?? 0)
        }

        return dataUsageInfo
    }
}