HomeFusion Ghost Data Explosion

[Adnott]

We have had HomeFusion installed now for not quite 2 full weeks and while the signal and speed are a huge improvement over the Mifi that I was using, the data being falsely logged against my allowance is insane!

In the first 4 days I received the message that 50% of my 10GB was used... previously with a 4510 MiFi I was using approximately 5GB total per month.  That was even with keeping the  MiFi on continuously.  Obviously data on the HomeFusion is counted differently (possibly with a multiplier as high as 3x) as my usage pattern has not changed. The fact is that my data usage should have gone down in the last week since the the home laptop that I use had a HDD failure and has not been operational.  I have also started unplugging the HF cantenna so it is not making connection with the tower and only have the HF on for 7 hours in a day.  Previosuly the MiFi was never turned off unless it was busy resetting itself or searching for a signal.  Since turning off the system for the majority of a day,  the data usage seems to have dropped some but I was greeted this morning with a message that 90% of the monthly data allowance has been used.  There is no way that I should be anywhere near that...

While the connection and speed is nice, the false data reporting needs to be fixed whether this is a deliberate flaw or an issue with the system Verizon needs to get it together.

[MIZZOU]

If you believe your laptop is your only device on the network you should confirm that by logging into the routers admin console at http://192.168.1.254 and look at the My Network section.  It should list your laptop device and possibly the original installers laptop when it was first configured (which should show as offline).

If those are the only devices and your laptop is showing online, then I would start looking at the Networking Tab of Task Manager (assuming you have a Windows operating system) to see if a large amount of traffic is shown.

If there are additional devices appearing on the admin console, you will have to locate it or them and perform the same review.

If you use Netflix from a WII or an Xbox this could use quite a bit of data.

[Adnott]

Checking in the My Network, I see 2 devices that are not mine and the installer used my laptop that was listed for setup so as far as I'm concerned those listed devices (not active) should be removed.  Is there a way to remove unknown devices from that list.

Since my laptop has been dead for a week (hard disk drive failure) I have not used that beyond checking email since replacing the hard drive.  The amount of traffic on that device is low since it has been completely rebuilt.

I wish I was streaming netflix or a gaming console then I could point to a source for the data explosion. 

In the Advanced/traffic monitoring tab I can see the data sent/received by the router via 'Coax' connection to the cantenna.  Shouldn't that correspond with the overall traffic Verizon is saying I used?

[wwaldo7956]

Friends of mine just got HF (10GB) about a month ago. They are having the same problem. They have 1 laptop and 1 Ipod Touch that connect to their network and yet the first week, they were at 90% of usage. I suggested that their son was watching YouTube videos on the Ipod but he swears he wasn't. I checked their history on the notebook and nothing can account for the usage. I checked their usage on the MyVerizon site and it shows it pretty much spread out and a lot is when the son is at school so I'm sure he's telling the truth. As far as laptop usage, they check email (not a lot) and some light web surfing, mostly shopping pages (Amazon, JCP, etc.).

I changed their network password so we'll see. Unless Verizon Wireless is sending a lot of updates (which should not count towards the allotment), I'm at a loss.

If anyone figures this out, please post the answer.

At least theirs works, my HF has been down for 10 days and counting with no resolution in sight...

[franz2244]

I just returned my Home Fusion system today for the same problem. First day it was turned on we used nearly 5gb of data! My son played some online game with his laptop and watched about 30 min of youtube but there is no way we went through that much data in a day. The other problem we had was data usage when the modem was not even plugged into the wall! Verizon Tech couldn't explain this either...some days we were charged 1gb of data for the day and it wasn't even powered. I signed up for the 20gb plan and needless to say we went past that in the first 12 days so I'm glad they have the 14 day return policy...However for $90 a month I had hoped for something we could use and not worry about going over our GB allowance in the first half of the billing cycle! I'm not sure if the problem is how VZW measures data usage or it is just a glitch in the system but my brother has Comcast and uses the internet daily along with video streaming and online gaming and rarely goes over 20GB a month. I would gladly pay even more if they offered a no limit plan but I don't see that happening anytime soon. I am very disappointed with the service and lack of explanation I received from VZW on this issue and I know I'm not the only one with these problems....I just wish VZW would fix it!!

[LeeRN]

Pardon me, ...why would you or anyone subscribe to a service that meters your home Internet usage...???  That's for cell phones...only since last year.  It's a total no-brainer that people use their home Internet far & away MUCH more online than their cell phones.

Verizon knows/knew this prior to setting these plans up.  Hellooooo...!!!!

[gavin1066]

Because the FCC is completely and utterly spineless and has failed rural and semi rural America.

The majority of the people on HomeFusion would prefer to have either Cable, DSL or Fibre.

Unfortunately, their internet options are limited to a combination of Dialup, Satellite, Wireless or moving...

Dialup is rapidly becoming a nonviable option.

Websites and software patches are increasing in size and online gaming bandwidth requirements have grown too.

For a >56kbits/sec internet connect, it's bloody expensive due to the phone line (free local calls) and ISP costs.

Most wireless companies no longer provide unlimited data on new plans.

Plus, it depends on what wireless services are available in your location.

Data quotas cost about the same rate on both Satellite and Wireless 3G/4G.

However, assuming you get a good signal, wireless has the advantage of much lower pings.

Low pings means VOIP and competitive online gaming.

Currently, I would not recommend HomeFusion because of a disconnection issue being experienced by many users.

Hopefully, Verizon claims they will resolve this issue in the next few weeks...

Finally, moving is flipping expensive and I really do not want to deal with neighbours!

[LeeRN]

Unbelievable!!!  Umm, then, a dumb question, please:  Are you saying you & people in the "country"/rural area don't have cable?

...Well, pardon , ...maybe I've been in the city too long...  Are you saying you don't have DSL, either?  There're C/O (Central Office) installations in proximities?

[#9]

Yes it's true. I have a friend that lives less than 5 miles away. No cable no DSL. His only choices are satellite or HomeFusion or dial-up.

[gjk8]

I have only had HomeFusion for 3 days.  I looked at my data usage right before the installer left and it showed I had used 1.5GB!  After watching one standard streaming movie, it showed I had used 4.5GB!  I watched one more Netflix movie and now it shows I have used 7.5GB!  I called afer one day and still have not heard from Verizon.  I don't know how they are measuring the data.  It can't be correct.  I have a daughter that has ComCast and streams movies, plays games, etc. all the time because she doesn't have cable or Direct TV and she usually uses around 20GB/month.  At the rate I'm going, I maybe could watch 3 Netflix standard stream movies (Not HD) and would already use 10GB or possibly more.  I'm going to have to cancel the HomeFusion because of the data problems.  It's not worth the money.  It really is ashame they can't have a cap of around 200GB like ComCast.  They would get a lot more customers.  Also, I put in the data reminders to be texted and emailed when I reached 50%, 75%, etc. and I haven't received any texts or emails and I have gone over 50% and have reached 75%.  It works great with my phone.  I'm not sure what's going on with Verizon but I am one unhappy customer!

[jmb37]

This has happened to me as well! I have called several times and talked to techinical support,but they could not give me an answer. They were going to check into it and call me back when I kept questioning. Needless to say, I have never heard back from them and they will not give me a direct number to call them back. They definitely don't have a problem charging me the $10/gb overage. I just can't comprehend how one can go from 5-6 GB/month to 13-18 GB/month and never change how the system is used. I am even charged large amounts when no one is even home to use the service and all wireless devices are off. I use my cell phone service much more than home service and the data usage is no where close to the home fusion! I just want someone to give me answers!!!!

[anonymouslurker]

gjk8 wrote:

I have only had HomeFusion for 3 days.  I looked at my data usage right before the installer left and it showed I had used 1.5GB!  After watching one standard streaming movie, it showed I had used 4.5GB!  I watched one more Netflix movie and now it shows I have used 7.5GB!

That sounds about right. Netflix can use up to 2.3 GB per HOUR. I'm not sure why people think streaming movies use so little data. Even music streaming can use a lot of data. Streaming something like Pandora for just 3 hours a day would use 5 GB in a month. Sorry but even on the 30 GB plan HomeFusion is only good for maybe a few streaming movies a month.

[gooseking]

Well, we never stream movies and the service still adds "Ghost" GBs.

I don't stream movies because Verizon will use that as an excuse to explain why my usage is so high.

Last night I forgot to unplug the cantenna. I'm not looking forward to seeing what was accumulated over night.

To all you new users, I read at the bottom of the HomeFusion Page it states:

New customers to the service will receive 50% more data allowance for their first 2 full billing cycles. Requires new 2-year activation. Overage is billed at $10 for each additional 1GB. 50% more data not available on Share Everything plan.

I'm going to inquire about this.

[anonymouslurker]

gooseking wrote:

I don't stream movies because Verizon will use that as an excuse to explain why my usage is so high.

It's not an "excuse" if it's the truth. If one streams 1 hour of Netflix per day on average one will use up to 70 GB in a month with Netflix alone. That's just factual. We have cable internet through Charter and we usually go through 100-150 GB a month and I wouldn't say were extreme video watchers either.

[gooseking]

I think you are missing the point. I don't stream and like many others I am being charged regardless of what activity or inactivity. For me what appears to be working is unplugging the cantenna and turning off the router.

[LeeRN]

Pardon me, ...I just received the flyer in the mail today, advertising this 4G - LTE HomeFusion.  ...ummm, I (seriously) mean this in the best possible way, but, ...what are you doing!!!???  Mannn, ...They are metering your Internet data usage in your home!!!!!  Ya know???, like they do on cell phones only since last year!!!!

What would possess you or anyone here to sign-up for such a rip!!???  Helloooooo...!!!  Internet has NEVER been metered!!!

They only put this out here for morons who think it's "normal" to have their home Internet usage f'g metered.  cha-ching, ...cha-ching.  

I read that flyer and about dropped my mouth when I saw, "the first 10GB of data is free"...   Like, WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!!?????

>Post edited to removed profanity and name calling of other users<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

[#17]

LeeRN wrote:

Pardon me, ...I just received the flyer in the mail today, advertising this 4G - LTE HomeFusion.  ...ummm, I (seriously) mean this in the best possible way, but, ...what are you doing!!!???  Mannn, ...They are metering your Internet data usage in your home!!!!!  Ya know???, like they do on cell phones only since last year!!!!

What would possess you or anyone here to sign-up for such a rip!!???  Helloooooo...!!!  Internet has NEVER been metered!!!

Really? Most ISPs do actually have caps.

I have Charter they have a 250 GB cap, Comcast has 300 GB cap. Cox 250 GB cap. At&t U-verse 250 GB cap $10 for additional 50 GB overage. At&t DSL 150 GB cap $10 for additional $50 overage. Yes these caps are higher but they are caps none the less. Satellite internet has caps. Low caps too. And HomeFusion caps are right along the lines of satellite which are the same customers Verizon would be fighting over. Obviously anyone that can get cable or DSL internet would. HomeFusion could not support unlimited data. If they did have unlimited data you would be complaining that you 4G LTE connection was connecting at dial-up speeds.

[scott21]

Actually they could handle unlimited Its called traffic shaping, but we wont see unlimted for a very long time if ever. But i do see them raising HF caps soon. and there not just going after sat. In some places HF smokes cable and dsl. I said some places not all.

Like where i live HF i get 33 to 51 down yes i got that today 51 down. but i avg 25-33 down and 15 up hell cable  in some places can;t get that.

[scott21]

Most home isp as well are using meters there just bigger caps.

[tony_davis]

>Post deleted. Keep your posts polite<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator ><

[cyclonewoody]

Just got HF installed 5 days ago and already used 2.5GB of data which is ridiculous. No gaming, no streaming, nothing like that, basic web browsing only. Something fishy is definetly going on. Found another thread where the same sort of things are happening with the jetpacks. https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/918903#918903. VZW rep said shut the device off when not in use as we may be getting auto updates but CPU isn't set up for that so I don't buy it. Regardless we'll be shutting the device off when not in use and see what happens. I'm not sure if we'll be keeping the device if data usage piles up this fast!