Each tunnel can have its own speed limit, a bandwidth limit that stops it after a set amount of data, and an expiration date that stops it at a set time. This page explains the three limits, how to read and reset the usage, and what to do when a limit has stopped a tunnel.
Before you start #
- The limits are in the tunnel's settings panel: open the page of the tunnel type under My Tunnels and select Settings in the row of the tunnel. See Settings reference.
- HTTP, TCP - UDP, TLS, File Server, Proxy Server and MCP Gateway tunnels have all the settings on this page. A Rotating Proxy tunnel has only Bandwidth Traffic; its limits are set per client, see Rotating Proxy.
- These are limits you set yourself on one tunnel. The limits of the Free plan apply to the whole account and are described in Plans and Balance.
Overview #
| Setting | What it does | Off value | Restarts a running tunnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed Limits | Caps how fast data can move through the tunnel. | 0 (No limit) | Yes |
| Bandwidth Limit | Stops the tunnel when it has moved a set amount of data. | 0 (No limit) | No |
| Bandwidth Usage | Resets the data counter of the tunnel to zero. | – | No |
| Bandwidth Traffic | Charts the data that went through the tunnel. | – | No |
| Expiration Date | Stops the tunnel on a set date. | Switch off | No |
Speed limit #
Speed Limits › Manage opens the Speed limit dialog. It caps how fast data can move through this tunnel, separately for upload and download.
| Item | Values |
|---|---|
| Upload speed, Download speed | A whole number. Enter 0 for no limit. |
| Unit | Mbps, MB/s or KB/s. The dialog shows the equivalent in the other notation next to the field. |
| Presets | No limit, 1 Mbps, 5 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 50 Mbps, 100 Mbps. For the download speed there is also Same as upload. |
As a guide, 1 Mbps is about 0.12 MB/s: 10 Mbps is enough for HD video, 1 Mbps for light web use.
Select Save. A running tunnel is stopped and started again with the new limit, so the Localtonet app of its device must be connected.
Bandwidth limit #
Bandwidth Limit › Manage opens the Bandwidth limit dialog. When the tunnel has moved this much data, it stops.
| Item | Values |
|---|---|
| Data limit | A whole number. Enter 0 for no limit. |
| Unit | GB or MB |
| Largest limit | 1024 GB, or 1048576 MB |
| Presets | No limit, 1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, 50 GB, 100 GB, 500 GB |
The limit is a total for the tunnel, not a monthly allowance: the counter keeps growing until you reset it. Saving the limit does not restart the tunnel.
Bandwidth usage #
The Bandwidth column of the tunnel list shows the data the tunnel has used so far. When the tunnel has a limit, the column shows both values, for example 1.20 GB / 10.00 GB.
To start counting from zero again, select Bandwidth Usage › Clear in the tunnel settings and confirm Reset bandwidth usage? with Reset usage. The data used so far by this tunnel goes back to zero. The bandwidth limit stays as it is.
Bandwidth traffic #
Bandwidth Traffic › Show opens the Bandwidth traffic dialog with the data that went through the tunnel over time.
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Recent | Download and upload as a chart, with the totals Download, Upload and Total for the chosen range: Last 24 hours, Last 3 days or Last 7 days. Drag across the chart to zoom in. |
| By month | One value per month. |
The chart menu can save the chart with Download SVG, Download PNG or Download CSV.
Expiration date #
Expiration Date › Manage opens the Expiration date dialog. It is handy for demos and temporary access: the tunnel stops working at that moment.
-
Turn on the switch #
Turn on Stop this tunnel on a set date.
-
Pick the date and time #
Set Date and time, or use a shortcut under From now: 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days, 30 days or 90 days. The time is in your account’s time zone, which the dialog names under the field.
-
Check the result and save #
Result shows the outcome in words, for example "The tunnel stops on Fri, 20 Nov 2026, 18:00 (UTC+1), in 3 days". Select Save.
When a tunnel already has a date, the buttons next to Extend add 7 days, 30 days or 1 year to it. To remove the date, turn the switch off and save. Saving does not restart the tunnel.
When a limit is reached #
The tunnel is stopped and stays stopped until you change the limit. The reason is recorded in the tunnel's Activity Log, and Start answers with a message that says what to change.
| Limit | Activity Log entry | Message on Start | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth limit | "Tunnel stopped because the tunnel bandwidth limit was reached." | "Update the bandwidth limit or clear the bandwidth usage." | Raise the limit or set it to No limit, or reset the counter with Bandwidth Usage › Clear. Then select Start. |
| Expiration date | "Tunnel stopped because its expiration date was reached." | "Update the expiration date." | Set a later date or turn the switch off. Then select Start. |
A speed limit never stops a tunnel. It only slows the traffic down.
Example: a demo that ends on Friday #
You show a customer a web app from your laptop and want the link to stop working after the meeting week. In the settings of the HTTP tunnel, open Expiration Date › Manage, turn on Stop this tunnel on a set date and pick Friday 18:00. To keep a large download from using your whole connection during the demo, open Speed Limits › Manage and select the preset 10 Mbps for upload and Same as upload for download.
The same settings through the API #
The limits are also available under /api/v2/tunnels/<TUNNEL_ID>/: rate-limit, bandwidth-limit, bandwidth-usage, bandwidth-usage/reset and expiration. See API.
Troubleshooting #
"Enter a whole number, or 0 for no limit."
The limit fields accept whole numbers only. For a value such as 1.5 GB, switch the unit to MB and enter 1536.
"The largest limit is 1024 GB."
A bandwidth limit cannot be higher than 1024 GB (or 1048576 MB). Use No limit if the tunnel should not have one.
"Pick a time in the future."
The expiration date has already passed in your account's time zone. Pick a later time.
"Check the device connection." when saving a speed limit
Saving a speed limit restarts a running tunnel, and the Localtonet app of its device is not connected. Start the app, or stop the tunnel and save again.
"The speed limit of this tunnel cannot be changed."
The speed limit of this tunnel is locked. Contact support if you need a different value.
My tunnel stopped but I did not set a limit
Open the tunnel's Activity Log to see the reason. Account limits, such as those of the Free plan, also stop tunnels. See Logs and inspection and Plans and Balance.
