Does Mac OS X keep a log of network connection addresses and dates/times?

Question

I have lost a file containing my hours worked for a particular client over the last month.

However, I am always connected to their wireless network whilst I am working for them.

Is there anyway that I can view a record of connection start times, durations or disconnection times for a given wireless network in OS X?

That way I can bill them accurately rather than just making up a figure!

Thanks

Pete

Solution

Check out the various logs in /Applications/Utilities/Console.app.

system.log and /private/var/log/kernel.log look best (the latter was mentioned here for a similar issue). Just search them for "en1" or whatever your network's interface is (en0 is usually wired, en1 wireless).

These don't say, however, what the network's name was. But if you know the times roughly (check your email archive and version control software, for example), it might help a great deal.

Comments

[Justin]

Console.app is the quick and dirty solution but for longer term issues, I found this tool useful on OS X superuser.com/a/980399/137921 ... It's $10 though...

[user56876]

If anyone else can offer any other insights (maybe a log of all connections made to a particular ip address or possibly a way of checking the router for a connection history with my laptop) I would be very grateful

[HikeMike]

@user56876 You might want to tell us the router model. And it only works if you have access to it at your client's.

[user56876]

Daniel, I am looking through system.log, but can only see records from today and yesterday. Presumably there is an archive older logs that I can access in the same way. Could you tell me how I can access those? Thanks again. p.s. I can get access to the router, the model is 'D-Link Wireless 108G MIMO ADSL 2/2+ Router'. I'm not an IT professional but know enough to log onto the router's setup screen

[HikeMike]

@user This is the router's manual. Page 54 describes where the logs are located. Good luck.