[squid-users] Counting unique devices connected to squid proxy

[Amos Jeffries]

On 20/01/2023 9:16 am, Marcus Kool wrote:
> The squid log file contains the IP address of clients and could be a 
> good field to use for counting users.  But a NAT shows 1 IP for all 
> users behind the NAT...
>
> Marcus
>
>
> On 19/01/2023 15:48, Ben Goz wrote:
>> By the help of God.
>>
>> Hello,
>> I have a certain task to count the number of unique devices connected 
>> (Could be also transparently) to squid proxy server. While the users 
>> can be on different networks and behind NAT.
>> Is it possible?

No, not really. As Marcus said NAT erases information. As does any HTTP 
multiplexing being performed by downstream proxies.

>> What is the best approach of implement it?
>>

Squid provides a management report "client_list" with all recently seen 
client devices. It is reliable for the *currently* connected clients, 
but once a client disconnects entries are discarded relative to how much 
traffic they have used.

Or there are the logs which contain (or can be configured to record) a 
details of *completed* transactions.

HTH
Amos