Going through a lot of data, whats wrong ?

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3puttssuck

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Ultimate Geek

#59152 28-Mar-2010 20:06

In October I moved house and changed ISP from Xnet to Telecom. With Xnet I was using around 5 gigs a month. Now with Telecom I'm churning through the data at an alarming rate. I was on a 10 gig plan and went over last month so upped it to 20 gig and have used 16.5 gigs since March 8th.

We use the internet no more often now, than when we were with Xnet. According to the Telecom Usage Meter I'm doing about 500 mbs of both uploading & download a day !! I don't upload anything to the web what so ever.

I have a wireless router with a very strong password. ALL auto updates are turned off.

Yesterday I unplugged the router from my PC and turned off all wireless and used a Vodem. According to the data usage for the Vodem, I used less than 150 mbs in a 24 hr period. Yes I was connected for the whole 24hrs.

I have called Telecom and got Manilla ( I think ) and the guy gave me a case number and said he would have sombody call me at 12pm on Monday ?

Anybody got any thoughts ?

Thanks.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#312169 28-Mar-2010 20:12

You should go through the usual testing:

1.Run an antivirus and an antispware full scan. Even if you have one installed go to http://free.antivirus.com, click Cleanup Tools and run the HouseCall antivirus there.

2.Turn everything off for a full day. If there's no traffic registered then it is certainly something on your PC.

3.Have you installed *ANY* software in the last few weeks? Are you sure there isn't anything running on startup that would go using data - something like a Freenet client, etc?

quandum

204 posts

Master Geek

#312171 28-Mar-2010 20:13

Depending on what sort of router you have, you may be able to do some LAN / Wireless Lan bandwidth and data analysis to see who is using what.

Also, recommend turning off the windows update service temporarily on any windows PC's.

Does your phone use wifi for audio / video.

What about devices like PS3, Xbox 360?

I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code

#BOFH

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#312183 28-Mar-2010 20:46

freitasm: You should go through the usual testing:

1.Run an antivirus and an antispware full scan. Even if you have one installed go to http://free.antivirus.com, click Cleanup Tools and run the HouseCall antivirus there.

2.Turn everything off for a full day. If there's no traffic registered then it is certainly something on your PC.

3.Have you installed *ANY* software in the last few weeks? Are you sure there isn't anything running on startup that would go using data - something like a Freenet client, etc?

Thanks for the link, will run it on the 3 laptop's to see if it shows anything. I use adaware by Lavasoft normally.

1st pc was clean.

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#312184 28-Mar-2010 20:48

quandum: Depending on what sort of router you have, you may be able to do some LAN / Wireless Lan bandwidth and data analysis to see who is using what.

Also, recommend turning off the windows update service temporarily on any windows PC's.

Does your phone use wifi for audio / video.

What about devices like PS3, Xbox 360?

Windows updates are already turn off.

No to phone useing wifi.

No extra toys like PS3 or xbox.

I wouldn't know where to start with looking at the data analysis on router.

Thanks.

freitasm

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#312191 28-Mar-2010 21:02

Start by turning the router off for 24 hours. Then check the usage meter. If it shows activity you know it's something on the ISP side. If there's no activity then you know it's something on your PCs.

Is this a wireless router? Do you have it configured with WPA encryption to make sure no one else is using it? Look at the DHCP client list, does it list more than your PCs?

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#312192 28-Mar-2010 21:06

freitasm: Start by turning the router off for 24 hours. Then check the usage meter. If it shows activity you know it's something on the ISP side. If there's no activity then you know it's something on your PCs.

Is this a wireless router? Do you have it configured with WPA encryption to make sure no one else is using it? Look at the DHCP client list, does it list more than your PCs?

I have scanned all 3 PC's and they are clean. I used both Adaware and the link you posted above.

It is a wireless router with WPA configured. How do I look at the DHCP client list ?

freitasm

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#312194 28-Mar-2010 21:07

Somewhere in the router you will see a link to Status - each router is different so hard to say.

Perhaps change the WPA key now?

Quic Broadband

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3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#312195 28-Mar-2010 21:13

freitasm: Somewhere in the router you will see a link to Status - each router is different so hard to say.

Perhaps change the WPA key now?

To get into router is...198.162.???? or something, isn't it ??

freitasm

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#312197 28-Mar-2010 21:14

On your PC run a command prompt run IPCONFIG and look for the "Default Gateway". That's your router.

wazzageek

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#312199 28-Mar-2010 21:18

Do you use Skype? That can chew through data quickly.

freitasm

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#312201 28-Mar-2010 21:19

True... If you have Skype and it becomes a supernode - but usually it won't if you are using NAT, which sounds like since you have three PCs.

3puttssuck

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Ultimate Geek

#312205 28-Mar-2010 21:36

freitasm: True... If you have Skype and it becomes a supernode - but usually it won't if you are using NAT, which sounds like since you have three PCs.

No Skype. Uninstalled a couple of months ago. No body else has logged into router, just my 3 pc's.

johnr

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#312216 28-Mar-2010 21:55

limewire?

3puttssuck

744 posts

Ultimate Geek

#312218 28-Mar-2010 21:57

johnr: limewire?

no way. lol.

dasimpsonsrule

147 posts

Master Geek

#312224 28-Mar-2010 22:09

Use some sort of program on all computers to monitor the bandwidth, also try turning off the wireless part of your router for 24 hours and see if your usage is less

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