frayude/throttnux

Throttnux is a Linux command-line program that lets you slow down the internet connection of any other device on your local network, without logging into the router or changing its settings. The README gives a familiar scenario: someone on the same Wi-Fi is using all the bandwidth, and you want to cap them. You run this tool on your own Linux machine and it does the rest. It only works on Linux because it depends on two standard Linux utilities, arpspoof and tc, which do not exist on Windows or macOS. The way it works is described in two steps. First, it uses a trick called ARP spoofing, which sends fake network messages to the target device so the device thinks your computer is the router. All of its traffic then flows through your machine on its way to the real router. Second, your machine uses the Linux traffic shaping tool tc to slow that traffic down to whatever speed you pick before forwarding it on. Installation is a clone of the repository followed by a setup script that you run with sudo. You then start the program with sudo and a Python command. Everything after that is interactive. It auto-detects your network interface and gateway, scans for devices on the network, lists them with their IP and vendor, and asks you to pick one and choose a bandwidth limit like 1, 2, or 3 megabits per second, or a custom value. Once active, the screen shows a live bandwidth meter that updates every second. Pressing Ctrl+C stops the throttling, removes the traffic shaping rules, and restores the target device to its normal connection. The README is upfront about limits and ethics. Your machine must stay on for the throttling to keep working, because ARP spoofing has to run continuously. And the disclaimer says the tool is for networks you own or have permission to manage, not for use on networks you do not control.