Can anyone recommend a broadband download monitor?

maxi_isa

I'm in the process of switching to BT with a 10 gig/month limit and would like to monitor my downloads to avoid extra charges.

I'd appreciate any recommendations for a free download monitor.

Quentin

See stickie:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/285557

scheming_gypsy

your account on your ISP website will more than likely have a usage monitor on it.

parallax_20

I'd be wary of using an applications to monitor your network usage simply because it only monitors the traffic on the PC it is installed on. If you have other devices such as phones/tablets/TV's/PC's/Laptops hooked up to the net, then you won't get the combined total. Also they may monitor general network data usage rather than DSL specific traffic, so differentiating something like that through a router is going to be tough via a desktop app.

As suggested you'll need to checked BT's online account facilities to see if they show your usage there, or get the readings from your DSL modem/router directly.

dogmaryxx

If you exceed your monthly usage allowance your service won't stop working; advisory emails will be sent to your BT primary email address if you reach 80 per cent of your usage allowance each month and further notification if you then exceed your allowance in a particular month.
If you exceed your usage allowance, you'll be charged for additional usage in units of five gigabytes (GB), at £5 per 5GB. Charges will apply from the second month you exceed your allowance and will be shown on your BT bill.
To help you keep track of your usage we provide a usage monitor which shows how much of your allowance you have used and how much is remaining, each day. You can access the usage monitor through your online account by clicking the 'View my broadband usage' link in the broadband services section. If you haven't set-up an online account then you can register at www.bt.com/mybt

Dave_C_2

I'm on BT and BT have just this year introduced a download monitor, updated every day at midnight. Not quite real time but near enough.

I also use iTraffic monitor, because it can be set-up to ignore network traffic between PCs on the home network. Be warned that the set-up is a bit fiddly for the novice.

Dave

maxi_isa

Many thanks to all for your help and apologies for not spotting the stickie first.

I've downloaded NetWorx which looks very useful.

I also called BT about their online monitor to be told that it was being discontinued because "it was being abused" but I could call them anytime to check download consumption and I'd be emailed at the 80% point.

Anyone know what the "abuse" is all about?
It's disappointing if a useful online monitor has been removed.

ChiefGrasscutter

Plus Net has a very good online usage monitor.
It totalises up on a per day basis and I think it updates multiple times per day.
So you can look at your historical usage for the current month on a daily basis and as I recall look at previous months on a simple total for the month.
It also shows free usage (during the night basically) as well as paid for usage.
It also will show categories of usage (ie Web, streaming,email, etc)

All the above will depend I suppose on what sort of package you are on with them - I'm just reporting how it works for me

Dave_C_2

maxi_isa wrote: »

Many thanks to all for your help and apologies for not spotting the stickie first.

I've downloaded NetWorx which looks very useful.

I also called BT about their online monitor to be told that it was being discontinued because "it was being abused" but I could call them anytime to check download consumption and I'd be emailed at the 80% point.

Anyone know what the "abuse" is all about?
It's disappointing if a useful online monitor has been removed.

Mine is still working!

How on earth can you "abuse" this monitor?
You log in and it tells you how much bandwidth you have used - that's it, there is no interaction.

On the BT forums there was a big fuss a while back about them not providing a monitor until they eventually provided it. I imagine a similar fuss if they remove it. Nothing on this subject to date, but you may be the first with this news.

Worth keeping an eye on this situation.

Dave

Chorlie

My sister has an issue with her new BT Broadband, she gets 10GB a month, last month (first month she had it) she used 12GB, but BT waived the extra £5 charge, this month she already is upto 7.5GB and only half way through the month.

She used to use a Dongle which had a 5GB a month allowance which she never went over, she was getting close so moved to BT. She has an old Laptop and her son has a Netbook, plus her daughter has a DSi which can connect to the Internet. She need to know why they are using so much data, her BT Hub should be protected (aren't all BT Hubs as standard?) so shouldn't be being hacked, her Laptop broke a week or more ago so I have it at my house to fix (try), so it can only be the Netbook but is there an easy way to find out what is using all the data and get a day by day breakdown?

DCFC79

Chorlie wrote: »

My sister has an issue with her new BT Broadband, she gets 10GB a month, last month (first month she had it) she used 12GB, but BT waived the extra £5 charge, this month she already is upto 7.5GB and only half way through the month.

She used to use a Dongle which had a 5GB a month allowance which she never went over, she was getting close so moved to BT. She has an old Laptop and her son has a Netbook, plus her daughter has a DSi which can connect to the Internet. She need to know why they are using so much data, her BT Hub should be protected (aren't all BT Hubs as standard?) so shouldn't be being hacked, her Laptop broke a week or more ago so I have it at my house to fix (try), so it can only be the Netbook but is there an easy way to find out what is using all the data and get a day by day breakdown?

use the bt download monitor mentioned in an earlier post, something is using up the bandwidth, yes i believe the hubs(im not a BT user so cant say for sure) come as standard but if its like other routers you change the passphrase for the wifi from its default option eg password to a stronger 1 so sometihng like %Gh45*Po0AqqGHJHHh52!£$%ddflmzxrts