Posted on 01/16/2018 8:12:53 AM PST by Neoliberalnot
We have Exede satellite providing Internet service. For the last 2 months they say we have used up our 10GB data allowance in 3 days or less. This month we used it all up in less than 24 hours. We streamed a one hour serial show on low resolution on our LG smart tv, and used the Internet for email. I also spent an hour or two on FR. Exede claimed we had used the entire 10GB. We've had this service for 1.5 years and our online behavior has not changed. This location is a getaway home and we visit for 5-6 days a month. Exede claims the recent data drain is due to storage backup activity but cannot specify what that activity is. Since our behavior has not changed. Why are we running out of 10GB so quickly?
(Excerpt) Read more at N ...
Good point. We are paying $70 a month for that 10GB in a getaway cabin.
All devices have to be at least temporarily networked through some choke point that has measurement capabilities.
In my case at the moment that is a Desktop running Linux. The desktop is equipped with both an ethernet connection and a wireless card.
I set the wireless card to be a hotspot and make sure all wireless devices are connected to that. Then the vnstat program/command/service on the desktop collects total house useage. Then if everybody is behaving, we go back to a Wild West Wireless.
My parents had a problem with their Android devices using a lot of data updating over their cell connection instead of their home network. But when it comes to data usage for updates... Windows 10 has made all others seem like pikers recently. That is because they had a recent major update and then a bunch of updates for the update.
We ditched cable TV and use Fire and Apple TV boxes to watch all of our favorite shows. On several occasions we have had to physically turn off all of our Windows 10 devices because they were using almost all of our data and making the TV shows freeze. They take updates while they are sleeping and looking completely innocent.
Most likely problem on your side is a rogue app or malware.
If you really don’t think you are knowingly or even unknowingly using your data, ask them to start logging your data transfer and send you reports with the data rates, as well as the top 10 resources that you connect to in terms of data used.
You can and should setup your Windows 10 computers not to update when they are on a “metered connection”. It is easy to do. A simple internet search will give you all the details you need to set this up in a few minutes. It is one redeeming feature that Microsoft included in this bane to computer OS’s.
When people have this problem, after they get reports back, they usually end up finding out one of their children was secretly connecting to their hotspot and watching youtube all day long. Best to get your carrier to provide a report. It will either put them on the spot, or it will show you where you have a problem.
And most “updates” are not updates, but sales trash.
Keep offline & online computers.
Offline are permanent. Online are browser trashable computers.
Do you have WiFi calling enabled? Voice uses about 1mb a min, video/facetime about 7mbs a min..
Change the password on your WiFi.
You might have malware on your puter, acting as a zombie. These programs send and receive massive data in the background.
Download and install antimalwarebytes first. The free version. Let it update. Run a complete (deep) scan. See what it says.
Also ask your provider how much upload data you went through. Should be tiny. If not, Zombie computer.
I’ll remember that about win 10. Good advice.
Microsoft just had a GIANT update recently....your laptop/PC might of been draining your usage without you even knowing it.
If you have access to the router you should be able to reset the byte counters for the outbound interface to zero.
Then periodically check your actual usage.
All you need is the make/model...then look up the manual on the internet to discover how to do this.
You could also call it in as a trouble and insist the provider “fix it”.
If the system is wireless, you MUST set a difficult wireless password and not broadcast the SSID. Somebody may be stealing your bits.
I live in the middle of nowhere.
A mile down a dirt road, and they put in fiber!
I get about 25mbps up and down.
Could go faster but this seems to be OK.
It’s a bit pricey but I get all my TV for free and free long-distance phone so it all works out fine.
10GB!?
I go through that much just booting this mess up.
What does your modem/router show as data loss.
We had a similar problem with our cable provider (little mom and pop shop that no longer exists). But it was because he was a dimwit. He was looking at bytes and thinking we were using over a terabyte of data... when in fact, we were under 500 gb, well within our allowed usage.
Proximity is one parameter.
If someone hacked your uname/pwd, they would not have to be located anywhere near you.
That’s what we get for 70 bucks a month, 10GB. Link at post 4 tells our same story a hundred times, apparently I’ve been suckered, again. It isn’t like I haven’t been conned more than once. Thank you all for the help.
Put the router where you can see the lights and when they’re flashing for no reason open task manager and see what’s doing it.
For me it always turns out to be a Windows update.
Yep, I have century link in the Ozarks of Missouri and it has worked great. It comes with a cheap phone line that allows only incoming calls. We have cell phones, but service is scanty down in the Ozark hills. I often have to go outside and walk up a hill a 100 yards to get decent reception. How did we ever populate the planet with 5 billion humans without these services?
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