It’s September 17 and according to this really cool hotspot I’ve been using for the past two weeks…
…I’ve somehow used up 3 gigs of my 4-gig monthly bandwidth limit.
I don’t really see how that can be, since the download limit on that Wildblue account I suffered under was 750 MEG and somehow I got through most – though certainly not all – months without offending the Wildblue Nannies. I haven’t suddenly started downloading movies in the past two weeks, nor indeed have I done anything out of the ordinary but every day I see my usage according to this chart right here soar upward.
So to keep from finding out what happens when you hit the top of the thermometer, I’ve got to back off the stick. Which, I emphasize, I wasn’t really leaning on to begin with.
That sounds pretty suspicious to me. 3 gigs is a LOT of data. I don’t know if you can do this, but why not rig something there that will record your actual use… then compare it to what the provider is claiming? I don’t know why there’s any “limit” to start with, however. I’ve had a good number of different internet providers and have never had any sort of limit. At least none I was ever aware of. I don’t download much of anything but an occasional pdf file… but still. 3 gigs?
Lotsa pictures and embedded youtube videos?
Our ISP advertises unlimited usage; they recently said we exceeded our limit. Huh?
Part of the issue may be in measurement. They measure mobile rates differently, and I believe you are using a computer (not mobile language) to post. Much larger bit rate than the phones use, ie larger data usage. I have been posting oodles of pics, but doing so through my phone and a WordPress app, and my usage is still under two gigs for the month. (And that includes my surfing)
Hope that sheds some light, even if it’s not what you want to hear.
Have you checked on what LB and Ghost are doing when you’re not in the Fortress of Chickentude?
}:-]
For example, does your browser show you’ve been hitting a lot of doggie porn sites when you’re out chopping wood?
}:-]
Any chance you’re downloading updates and/or have some background programs running on your O/S? Visiting sites that auto-refresh ads constantly?
If not, another possibility: Verizon logs every bit of data that is pumped through the MiFi (even though you are not sending data to the internet). If you copy information to a tablet that you have connected to the MiFi, that data is also logged. So if you are using the MiFi as a router and a local area network, all data that goes through the MiFi router portion is logged as data on your total usage.
You might also try powering it down physically when it’s not in use to see if that works. One forum thread I saw mentioned that a person’s device was using data constantly when it was on, even if he wasn’t using his computer/tablet at the time. The device itself was eating data, syncing with Verizon.
Once the first statement is available, you can look at the times of the data usage. If it shows usage during times when you couldn’t be using it (e.g. 1AM) that may point in the right direction.
I had so hoped internet woes were over!
With a bit of Goggling, I found others with exactly the same complaints with the Verison Jetpack hotspot. (I won’t make any friends here by suggesting this but…) Try recording your data usage, and then shut down your hotspot for 24 hours to see if bandwidth is being used in your absence. There were some issues with sim cards. Also be sure that your account can’t accrue overage charges. I saw one reference to a $2000 monthly bill!
There were some reference to computer malware, and installed apps causing the problem. Malware should be rare with your operating system, but not impossible.
Your pad can look very innocent, but you can have strange bandwidth-robbing apps running in the background, plus huge software “upgrades” automatically loading for your apps and operating system. (I got a surprise $45 data charge that way once). Most of that is controllable by you, but you must pay attention to what is happening.
Joel I’m not sure about how your setup works these days, however I had a similar situation a while ago. It turned out the issue was the router going south. I found out what was happening by going totally go dark for 24 hours then I checked the usage. Turned out with all the electronics including the cell phones not connected to WIFI we used almost a gig in that 24 hours. One thing to remember, electronic equipment has been known to fail right out of the box. Good luck, I’m pulling for ya.
Porn……don’t lie.
When we had to suffer through WildBlue—- without fail, even when we had everything off (except e-mail check-ins) our usage would climb through the roof on Thanksgiving week-end.
I was never so happy when we were able to get a landline.
That said, when we got the farm, we didn’t have that bad of service from HugesNet.
And even then, they didn’t throttle down like the b@stards at WildBlue
There’s an article on MSN this morning about data usage and Verizon. It’s about phones, not the WiFi hotspot, but it sounds quite similar to your situation, Joel.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/verizon-facing-fcc-questions-on-data-metering-after-dollar9100-phone-bill/ar-BBwhs3h?li=BBnbfcN
I humbly offer to cut, paste, and post any written paper document (or thumbdrive or whatnot) that is mailed to me. If you’ve got a printer, a stamp, and absolutely no regard for OPSEC, my bandwidth is yours to command.
Do you leave the thing plugged in? A relative of mine had similar issues with Sprint, and they claimed data usage for every second it was powered, even when he was sleeping.
Yup – the landlady hit it, something you own that is wireless has just updated itself or several apps within.
I left it on at first. Lately not, and I’m monitoring to see how much difference that makes. Yesterday and today I’ve had it mostly off, and things have definitely slowed down.
I did connect my tablet with it briefly a couple of times. There are a bunch of apps on that thing from the likes of Google, and it’s possible something nefarious went on. I have its wi-fi disabled now.
AC at 11:12 9/18 sez “absolutely no regard for OPSEC” That’s funny.
Joel: take AC up on his offer! Although usually, his “free” things cost a six-pack and a $500 handling charge. Don’t ask how I know… 🙂
The tablet makes since. Mine is constantly updating every damn time I turn on it’s wifi. Not really an issue I have a lot, and I do mean a lot of gigs I can use.