Data Usage levels

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Data Usage levels

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#138206 24-Dec-2013 18:48

Since going over to VSDL on the 20th our data usage has skyrocketed. 10 GB in 2 days says Orcon. But in no way
can be reconcile that with what we feel we've used.

I've always thought Orcon was a pretty good ISP and would hate to suggest they're wrong.... but it seems like they're
charging us about twice as much as we use.

Has anyone else noticed this ?

And, more importantly, is there any software available where we can monitor our usage at home, and compare to the Orcon count?

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351 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

2degrees

#957058 24-Dec-2013 19:05

We don't sell VDSL yet.
But I would suggest, if you use P2P, check that you aren't seeding.
Cheers!

Comms chap

2degrees

RunningMan

8963 posts

Uber Geek

#957063 24-Dec-2013 19:16

This seems to be a very regular complaint of new VDSL users. It is generally something that is utilising the far greater upload speed than was previously available - Apple iCloud or anything else syncing to a cloud based server is a likely culprit.

garbonzai

315 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957067 24-Dec-2013 19:32

Netlimter3 will monitor each PC's data usages and tell you what programs are using it, but you will have to install on each PC which is a pain.

As said, a P2P seeding or downloading, backup or sync program to the clould for PC or IOS in a loop.

Change your wifi password in case someone has recently acquired it that shouldn't.

But from experience, the main culprit is usually the ever elusive teenager or pre-teen, "no it's not me" with a p2p program running in the back ground or cloud sync program.

Remember with VDSL, your upload speed is a lot faster (P2P will suck that up)

Good luck.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957068 24-Dec-2013 19:32

OK, we're not seeding and even if transfer speeds have changed, the data count would still be consistent. 10GB traffic should = 10GB i/o, shouldn't it ?

Internet habits haven't changed at all, yet in 5 days have reached 17 GB whereas the average 88Gb/month (that was last years 1000 GB package) was never exceeded. Estimated so far this month is 170 GB!

Usage shows more than double what we guestimate it should be. Unless something is secretly sending all the time in the background, but nothing is running according to task manager.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957070 24-Dec-2013 19:41

Thanks garbonzai, I will certainly install Netlimiter and compare to the Orcon count. If they're right I have no grizzle.. as for uploading, this seems to discount that...

Day Up Down Total

2013-12-20 69.59 MB 1436.87 MB 1506.47 MB
2013-12-21 136.79 MB 3354.19 MB 3490.99 MB
2013-12-22 114 MB 2530.29 MB 2644.29 MB
2013-12-23 63.53 MB 2293.11 MB 2356.64 MB
2013-12-24 171.17 MB 7897.3 MB 8068.47 MB

If all that data had come in, wouldn't I be able to reconcile it somehow ?

garbonzai

315 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957073 24-Dec-2013 19:56

Ok, so it's not uploading much.

Some routers tell you the total data from last reboot, but not from individual clients.

My advice is change wifi password and or turn off wifi and use a cable to connect your favorite PC to the router directly and see if it changes.

You need to rule out if someone has access to your network that shouldn't, and/or which PC/phone/tablet is the culprit using the data.

Unless it's your ISP data counter that's faulty, but most likely not.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957088 24-Dec-2013 21:17

Garbonzai, AFAIK the wifi has never been set up and isn't working.

I've just installed Netlimiter 3 and its showing about 11 lines under Title and various columns to the right of that. One of them (called DL Speed) occasionally shows numbers between (so far) 9 and 147.

That computer isn't doing anything on the Net.

Then I opened Firefox and went to Google and it showed up there with a number over 1000... guess that's all how it should be.

But when I can't find yet is a count of data i/o. Any idea where that is ?

Thanks.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

garbonzai

315 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957090 24-Dec-2013 21:38

In the left panel in NL under "Layouts", click on "Full", then right click on (you PC name at the top) or the individual programs "show stats" and this will tell how much data is being used.

Just have a play with it and check your data usage via your ISP login after a day or so and if it's gone high again, you will just have to look through NL to find the program that's done it.

The Dl and UL speed just limits the speeds of the PC or individual programs, so don't tick box and put in a # or play around with it, if you stuff anything up with it, just uninstall it.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957092 24-Dec-2013 21:53

Done that... ta. (I never find these things instinctive!).

It's telling me I've downloaded 10 MB and uploaded .67MB. Although only Firefox is opened to Google so I guess that's handshaking or somesuch.

What I can't see is the program that did that?? The graphs are showing Hour, then Day. Looks quite good once I figure more out....

garbonzai

315 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957093 24-Dec-2013 22:06

You can have it open and look at the DL/UL # besides the program or just check later and go through the lot individually.

Reading your above post correctly, you say wifi never setup and off,(because when I got a new router the wifi was on and open when first turned on) are you sure it is off and not on with a open signal, log in to router and check its off and turn a wifi device (smart phone, laptop) on close to router, if it picks up 5 bars and open, it's yours, either turn off or password it. I know you said it's off, but this would be the easiest fix. If it is on and open, a neighbors family member staying over Xmas may have stumbled onto it.

Have a nice Xmas anyway.

rhy7s

625 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957101 24-Dec-2013 23:01

I had gigs of usage which ended up being NoScript in Firefox, would peg the connection to some Google address. Try running without addons and see if that has an effect on your usage.

FireEngine

1223 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#957137 25-Dec-2013 01:41

ADKM: Since going over to VSDL on the 20th our data usage has skyrocketed. 10 GB in 2 days says Orcon. But in no way
can be reconcile that with what we feel we've used.

I've always thought Orcon was a pretty good ISP and would hate to suggest they're wrong.... but it seems like they're
charging us about twice as much as we use.

Has anyone else noticed this ?

And, more importantly, is there any software available where we can monitor our usage at home, and compare to the Orcon count?

Hi ADKM,
Highly unlikely anyone else will have noticed this as you are on a pre-production VDSL trial, as Quentin says, Orcon isn't selling our residential VDSL product yet. Please feedback any comments or concerns to the Orcon Customer Care team who arranged the trial. If you don't have their details please PM me.

Obviously pre-production means just that and you can expect pre-production issues, that is the purpose of trials however the Customer Care team are there to feedback direct to the engineering teams to resolve such issues before the full production launch.

Regards FireEngine

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957245 25-Dec-2013 12:50

Hi FireEngine,

If it's teething troubles or something wrong causing this then fair enough, but 'Predicted use at current rate" suggests I'll be charged an extra $180 this month, and the current bill
does include last months overage. I did pass on concerns to one of your customer care managers but there was no mention of anything untoward. Just a suggestion to turn off wireless, try unplugging all ethernet cables and reconnecting one at a time looking for a spike; and not use high definition on YouTube. So indications were the traffic readings are valid. I don't mean to criticise Orcon (I'm a happy customer!

) and whatever this is must be fixable, or one would go unlimited. The installer chap mentioned he was flat out with VDSL installations so I assumed there's be lots more seeing (or not) these high readings.

Regards, ADKM

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#957246 25-Dec-2013 13:04

Hi garbonzai,

Merry Christmas and thanks again for your help with Netlimiter. It's already indicating a discrepancy for
today - download about 700MB and Orcon showing 1.7GB. But to be fair, see FireEngine message... maybe there's something genuinely wrong. I'm going to ensure wifi is Off.. although I'm told you can only connect for the few second it's flashing after pressing the WPS button. Tried with the cellphone and got 'wifi available' but no further, unlike the previous D-Link router. Wifi use would also appear on Netlimiter, I assume? Nearly had kittens about 2am this morning when it showed 3GB uploaded.... but then realised that was LAN activity in the house with DLNA. Can you exclude that with some kind of Rule, do you know?

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#968574 17-Jan-2014 02:10

I didn't really want to add anymore to this as (1) Orcon ppl are reading and (2) perhaps I was wrong about data usage readings. In any case I have moved to unlimited.

However it's now 2am and usage for today already shows .9GB. Since midnight there has been one test download of 245MB and no other internet usage in or out. Even if you double that for 'unknowns' it's well short of 1GB.

The problem with NetLimiter here was distinguishing what was on the LAN against internet I/O.
Is there any way (or software) to monitor internet usage only?

OK, it doesn't matter to me, but I do think something is wrong and its unfair to those not on unlimited. I also say again the change from ADSL to VDSL caused this. Prior to that data usage was consistent and reconcilable, and for the entire 12 months previous. Its one hell of a coincidence.

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