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High Data Usage?

I had Sprint's Mobile Hotspot for years and never went over 2GB per month. I switched to Verizon and with the same usage I am going through 10-12GB per month!

I don't stream music or video or download big files. Basically, it is just web surfing (without video), and checking emails. I even turn dropbox off so it doesn't try syncing.

Comments

John_Getzke

What device are you using to access the internet? Mobile Hotspot, smart phone, USB modem, etc?

Chances are that your connection, now that you are on the VZW network, is not as stable as what you had with Sprint. This forces any applications or services on your computers to relentlsly download updates because they are not completing. Each time an update fails, chances are it is starting over again from scratch and racking up the bill.

If you have 3G only mode on your device then try switching to it until the updates can be completed. The old 3G only network is more stable, although slower and should give you a better chance and completing your background tasks.

Otherwise you are going to need to use some isolation and monitor your data usage very closely. Leave one device connected at a time and see if anything starts consuming large amounts. Once you find the device identified then take a closer look at the auto update features that are enabled and shut them down.

Figuring out what is consuming your data is a tricky game to play. Noone has the correct answer for you, you must discover it for yourself. VZW support does not have access to tell you when XYZ app on XYZ device consumed XYZ data. All anyone can ever show you is the generic data logs that clump all activity into sessions. That log is only helpful when you know you have one device connected to it at a time.

Technologic2

I use it for my laptop. Using 4G most of the time. I did find my cell phone connectiing to the MiFi, and monitored it. The phone was using about 100MB per day, so I cut it off. I have my computer set to ask me before downloading updates.

Is there a software for the computer that monitors where the data hog is?

John_Getzke

For PCs the best tool that I have seen so far is a freeware called Networx. The consumer version offers a feature that can actually display each application and its internet usage. Very simple and straight forward.

Networx:

http://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/

There is a small limtation regarding the use of VPNs with this software. Some bug that causes disconnection and makes it unusable for business machines. But for normal consumers or non VPN connections the product should work fine. It also can only be installed on one PC at a time right now. Management of several PCs is a little cumbersome. Its also not compatible with all network devices like smartphones, printers, smart TV's etc, only PCs.

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