Can I self-throttle my JetPack to reduce data overages?

[TiltingWindmills]

Well, it looks like I am not alone in wondering how the heck my data usages has multiplied in recent months.

Recent changes in my setup: my old MiFi unit died, so finally had to upgrade to a JetPack, and got herded into Verizon's "new plan" as part of that process. I had an old grandfathered Unlimited Plan on the previous MiFi, but almost never used more than 5GB/month. Got the new JetPack, and am suddenly blazing pretty deep into two-digit bandwidth usage (18GB now, with a few days left in the cycle). Baffling.

I ended up using Glassdoor (PC software app) to figure out the first hoodlum: Windows Update. Because the MiFi unit spends most of its days at a remote location where it substitutes for landline broadband, Windows was casually pulling down mult-gigabyte updates on two machines there. (Side note: why doesn't Windows show you the size of their update patches anymore with Windows 10?). The only way I've found to get Windows Update caged and not so insistent that you no longer have any control when it updates, is to completely disable it as a service, and enable it only when you're on a landline. That seems to be working, but it's annoying I have to do that just to get control of my own machines. Microsoft is to blame for that though, not Verizon.

Still, the abnormal usage continued... so digging further...

Second culprit was Remote Desktop. I'm traveling some this week, and using RDP more as a result. I dialed back the "Experience" settings of it yesterday, in hopes of getting it to not use such a high-bandwidth connection. Jury is still out on whether that helps or not.

Last thing for me is usually first for most folks: video and music. We're watching some this week while traveling, and I listen to streaming music at that previously-mentioned remote location once or twice a week for 5-8 hours at a time. I know video and music use a lot of bandwidth, but I used to watch video when traveling, at about this same rate, and same for music at that remote location, and I never came anywhere NEAR the bandwidth devouring rates we're getting today and yesterday.

That got me wondering: my old MiFi was 3G -- a slower unit that the JetPack.

I don't need HD video all the time. I rarely need the speed the JetPack provides, and yet bandwidth-consuming apps and updates happily devour it to optimize their own performance. I suspect the music streaming apps (Pandora and Amazon mostly) are doing this as well.

It's irritating I'm having to spend this much time and effort on usage, and I don't trust Verizon particularly, so it's also very suspect (they''re run afoul of FCC regulations more than once, and a quick scan of this board seems to indicate that I'm not alone in this "my usage is exploding" problem right now).

Two practical questions related to all this:

1) I've currently got my line on "Safety Mode". How slow does that make one's connection? (Verizon should tell you that on their site when you select it.)

2) How do I variably throttle my own connection on the JetPack? i.e. 2MB-8MB is plenty of speed for most of what I do. Video (Netflix, etc all) can dial back to sub-HD settings and I'd be just fine. Same for music bitrate. I'm not seeing how to throttle anywhere in the JetPack's webadmin. Is it possible to do? (Should be!)

[Ann154 · Accepted solution]

In the Safety Mode FAQs Safety Mode FAQs | Verizon Wireless , the speed restriction is listed as 128 kbps and kicks in after you have used your high speed allotment. You have more bandwidth and speed with 4G compared to 3G. You can tell the Windows 10 to treat the Jetpack connection as a metered connection. The Windows update can be restricted to download only on unmetered connection. Whatever video application you use should have the settings changed to use the lowest resolution you can tolerate for videos or download the video to the computer on an unmetered connection.

[TiltingWindmills]

@Ann154 Thanks for the infor re: 128kbps - that helps.

Typo in my earlier post (can't seem to edit it now): meant to say 2MB-3MB is plenty for me, not 2MB-8MB.

Noted re: Windows and setting up the connection as a metered connection -- thanks.

I'm inferring though, that just manually throttling at the JetPack itself isn't possible? It sure seems like it ought to be.

[Weth]

Also look at Windows 10 to set the wifi connection to the mifi as a "metered connection"

That will prevent WIndows from downloading lots of background stuff, including updates.

From Microsoft Help:

Metered connections in Windows 10

• A metered connection is an Internet connection that has a data limit associated with it. Cellular data connections are set as metered by default. Wi-Fi network connections can be set to metered but aren't by default. Some apps and features in Windows will behave differently on a metered connection to help reduce your data usage.
• To set a Wi-Fi network connection as metered:
  1. Select  Start  >  Settings  >  Network & Internet >  Wi-Fi >  Manage known networks.
  2. Select the Wi-Fi network >  Properties  > turn on  Set as metered connection.

[TiltingWindmills]

Hey VZW, how about chiming in here?

I want to throttle my own bandwidth, because it's clear that if it's not throttled and one does anything potentially "somewhat high-bandwidth" (video, music, RDP, etc.) it magically becomes "insanely-high-bandwidth", much to Verizon's data-extortion "new plan" profit-extracting benefit. It's very clear just reading posts here I'm not alone in this become a seriously problem recently.

Please answer these two questions:

1)  I'm running in "Safety Mode" now, and though it's slower than I'd like, it beats the data-devouring, expensive insanity that is apparently your normal mode now. Can this mode be turned on ONLY when I'm out of data for the month, or can I just leave it on as default?

2) Please answer my "throttle at the device" question. Throttling at the JetPack itself is obviously the best solution here. Is that an option, and if not, WHEN WILL IT BE?

Honest feedback: as a customer, this forced shift (due to hardware failure of old device) to "New Plan'" followed immediately by crazy unexplained bandwidth usage in spite of no significant change in usage patterns *feels* like a racket to me. Irritating that it's sucking up both my time and my money.

[Ann154]

This is a primary a peer to peer community forum. It usually takes a few days before one of reps responds to the thread in order to give the community members a chance to assist the other members.

[Ann154]

Once you enable the Safety Mode, it stays on all the time until you disable it. However it doesn't kick in until you use all your monthly high speed data allowance.

[Weth]

Verizon won't throttle for you. You can limit the resolution on video streaming services. Another thing to see if you can switch your Jetpack to 3G only, that will self throttle your service also.

[vzw_customer_support]

Data usage is a concern for all of us. TiltingWindmills and we want to be sure your concerns are addressed. We do not have a way for you to throttle your own bandwith. As long as you have Safety Mode turned on, it will automatically kick in when you are out of data, that is the beauty of it. Here is a link with more details about Safety Mode: http://vz.to/29O9RVh

RosanneM_VZW
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[DCHIRA]

Tweak Wifi setting and select b only.  n and g allows 54 mpbs and higher versus b allows for up to 4 or 5 mpbs.