Internet data monitoring software for Windows

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Lizard1977

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#171437 18-Apr-2015 06:54

For the second month in a row we have reached/exceeded our data cap (100GB). This is unusual because we haven't changed our browsing/streaming habits in any noticeable way. What's more unusual is that after the first month I turned on Snap's AYCE Youtube addon, and despite using Youtube a lot we still reached our datacap, this time 3 days before the rollover.

If we have indeed used all this data then the solution is clear - move to an unlimited plan. However, before I do that I want to check whether there are any "data leaks" - an app that is running in the background constantly uploading or downloading or (god forbid) a problem with wifi security such that someone is piggybacking our connection. I seriously doubt the latter, but it is a (remote) possibility.

Can anyone suggest a good, free, data monitoring program for windows that will let me see what programs or websites are using the internet connection, and how much data they are using up (preferably up/downloaded)?

AHitman

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#1287039 18-Apr-2015 22:43

I used to use the back when we had a cap on our plan a few years ago:
https://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/

It seemed to be pretty accurate back then, although would be harder to use now with the rise of mobile devices using wifi..

youngs

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#1287041 18-Apr-2015 22:48

On your Snap account logon you are able to see your daily data usage and your free Youtube data usage.

michaelmurfy

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#1287047 18-Apr-2015 23:30

Capped plans are so last year - just go Unlimited ;)

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#1287077 19-Apr-2015 07:53

Lizard1977: For the second month in a row we have reached/exceeded our data cap (100GB). ...

What sort of connection do you have?
With a fast connection it is very easy to use data quickly.
I recently (unintentionally) went through 100GB in one day (on cable).
Go unlimited - it's not expensive, and your connection won't get slower.

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Lizard1977

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#1287384 19-Apr-2015 19:02

Thanks for the replies everyone. To those who suggested going unlimited - it's in the back of my mind, and I may end up doing that. But the fact of going through the data so fast is surprising, so I want to try and check for any suspicious data uses before I open the tap.

I'm on Snap UFB 30/10, but I've been on the plan for about the last 16 months. My data cap has been 100GB for all of that time, but it's only these last two months that we've exceeded our cap. Nothing has really changed (that we are aware of), and if anything our data use should have gone down since we added on the AYCE youtube addon after going over our cap last month.

I had a look at Networx but the key problem, I now realise, is that it will only monitor usage on that one device. I have three windows PCs in use (to varying degrees), plus one linux laptop, a Raspberry PI, plus several iDevices. I realise what I need is a router-level monitoring program, but I don't think that's possible with my FritzBox 7390.

Any suggestions? If there's no straightforward way to monitor things across the entire network, then I might just settle for changing my wifi password and moving to an unlimited plan. But I'd feel more comfortable if I was satisfied that no-one is leeching our connection...

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#1287390 19-Apr-2015 19:14

Lizard1977: ... I have three windows PCs in use (to varying degrees), plus one linux laptop, a Raspberry PI, plus several iDevices. ....

A monthly usage of over 100GB is exactly what you would expect on UFB with multiple PCs.

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Lizard1977

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#1287417 19-Apr-2015 20:10

That's probably a fair assumption. And if I had only just switched to UFB then I wouldn't be surprised. But for the first 14 months of UFB we barely used more than 60-70GB. Then last month we jumped up to 100GB even though we hadn't done anything different to what we did previously. So we added on the Youtube AYCE, because Youtube streaming makes up a big chunk of our internet usage. So I would expect that we would have used a lot less than 100GB this month, now that Youtube was taken out of the equation. But then we went over our cap again, earlier than last time. Which suggests that something not only replaced the Youtube usage (now covered by the AYCE addon), but went even further. And as I said, we haven't done anything different to what we did for the first 14 months of UFB. This is what makes me suspicious - not the total amount, but the sharp increase in data usage over a short period of time when nothing else significant had changed. If we had recently had someone moved in, or just started using Netflix, or added a bittorrent server or something like that, then I would understand it. But nothing has changed. If anything, we have been using the internet less, as my wife went back to work part-time after 6 months of parental leave.

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#1287433 19-Apr-2015 20:46

I shall presume that you've scanned your devices with an antivirus program and Malwarebytes, and that these scans were clear.
I also presume that you already have have a strong password on your WiFi.

I'm not with Snap, but presumably you can login to your account and see your daily usage, upstream and downstream.
Orcon even give you stats by the hour.

If you find a large unexplained increase in UPSTREAM usage, then you should worry.
If you find usage when you're asleep, then you should worry.
An increase in downstream usage is less significant.

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MaxLV

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#1287434 19-Apr-2015 20:47

Lizard1977: Thanks for the replies everyone. To those who suggested going unlimited - it's in the back of my mind, and I may end up doing that. But the fact of going through the data so fast is surprising, so I want to try and check for any suspicious data uses before I open the tap.

I'm on Snap UFB 30/10, but I've been on the plan for about the last 16 months. My data cap has been 100GB for all of that time, but it's only these last two months that we've exceeded our cap. Nothing has really changed (that we are aware of), and if anything our data use should have gone down since we added on the AYCE youtube addon after going over our cap last month.

I had a look at Networx but the key problem, I now realise, is that it will only monitor usage on that one device. I have three windows PCs in use (to varying degrees), plus one linux laptop, a Raspberry PI, plus several iDevices. I realise what I need is a router-level monitoring program, but I don't think that's possible with my FritzBox 7390.

Any suggestions? If there's no straightforward way to monitor things across the entire network, then I might just settle for changing my wifi password and moving to an unlimited plan. But I'd feel more comfortable if I was satisfied that no-one is leeching our connection...

I'm using Networx on all my computers, and it monitors all PC's connected to my home network (on each computer it's installed on).

In Settings select All Connections, tick the Ignore local traffic within the LAN (for Internet only monitoring), click the Networks button and on the Networks window, select the radio button for All networks I connect to.

To view usage of all PC's connected to the Internet, select Usage Report, and The At a glance tab/ On Peak section. This shows each computer's network/Internet usage.

But I use Traffic Usage Checker to monitor my Internet data usage. It connects to your ISP to get the usage stats, and tells you how much you've used, and forecasts what your remaining daily usage will or can be so you don't exceed your data cap.

Info here: http://www.tuc.co.nz/