Broadband usage increased, don't know why

Bogof_Babe

For the five years I've been on BT Option 1 with 10GB monthly allowance, I've only gone over 1GB a couple of times. (This isn't my main BB provider, I also have a Huawei mobile wifi contract that I use most of the time, so I'm only on the BT one for a couple of hours a few days a week). I don't download TV or films, or play games. The most I do is watch the occasional YouTube clip, maybe a couple a week.

In the last few days my BT usage on the meter has been going up by about 0.5GB a DAY :eek:, even though I'm not using it any more than usual. I don't think anyone else is connecting to it (even though this is in a converted block of six flats) as the 'Wireless' light on my router is only on when I'm online myself, and I always switch my computer off overnight, which turns the Wireless light on the router off too. When I'm not in residence I turn the router off at the mains.

However... I did subscribe to iCloud recently, and now have the little cloud icon on my task bar, so even though I don't use it or access it regularly (not at all most days), could this be the reason for the excessive BB usage? Does it run something in the background that eats up data?

I expected to see increased usage when I used iTunes to put quite a lot of CDs onto my iPod and iPhone a couple of months ago, but even then it wasn't as high as it is now.

If it is due to iCloud, how can I stop this, other than uninstalling iCloud? At the present rate, next month and in future months I will possibly go over my allowance, which would be silly as I'm not getting any benefit from it.

closed

turning off a pc, doesn't stop a routers wireless working (and the wireless light stays on normally regardless), the only sure way to stop anyone else using it, is to encrypt the signal, or turn it off. It may be encrypted already

These 10GB plans are there to get into cheap internet tables, and sucker people in, thinking they're getting a good price, when if fact, 10GB is severely limiting, and the fines OTT, you could probably get an unlimited plan for less elsewhere and never have to worry about it again.

As for how, youtube, any form of video, will use a fair amount, and lots of things use bandwidth without your knowledge, including cloud software, if you don't want it to, don't use it

http://live.sysinternals.com/Tcpview.exe

http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/

bod1467

It's also not unheard-of for the BT usage meter to be "economical with the truth", especially for people on the 10GB plan.

WTFH

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

However... I did subscribe to iCloud recently, and now have the little cloud icon on my task bar, so even though I don't use it or access it regularly (not at all most days), could this be the reason for the excessive BB usage? Does it run something in the background that eats up data?
...

If it is due to iCloud, how can I stop this, other than uninstalling iCloud? At the present rate, next month and in future months I will possibly go over my allowance, which would be silly as I'm not getting any benefit from it.

Yes, it could be due to iCloud, depending on what you are syncronising.
You can go into the iCloud control panel on your computer and Sign Out of it (bottom left of the box), but you should also go through all your Apple devices and switch it off on them too.
Then you will need to go back to the old way of syncing/backing up your devices using the USB cable plugged in to your computer.

With iCloud switched on, if you have Mail on, then every email you send or receive will be transmitted to all your devices, equally, every photo you take on your iPhone/iPad will be sent to the other devices as well. So you go out and take 10 photos on your iPhone, that's 40MB (4MB x 10) of data being transmitted from your phone, and then 40MB being pulled down from iCloud to all the other devices that are using that account - iPods, iPads, computers, etc.

macman

It's not just 'downloading' that is measured, it's total data usage. Uploading, downloading, streaming YouTube-it all counts.
As above, almost certainly due to Cloud synching.

Oblivion

Just curious as I don't have BT for broadband but some of my neighbours do and as well as their own SSID I can see that they have BT-FON available for others to access.

Does use of the BT-FON count against their usage?

WTFH

No, others using their BT-FON does not count against their usage, it counts against the other person's usage.

Likewise, if your neighbour connects on to someone else's BT-FON hotspot, then it counts against your neighbour's usage.

Bogof_Babe

Thanks guys. Sorry for delay in coming back, been away for a couple of days and too busy dashing around to check MSE.

Interesting about iCloud, and confirming my initial fears. Especially when it comes to photos and emails (most of my emails are junk, will need to unsubscribe from various retailers newsletters ).

But... the next morning after I posted I was up early due to going away, and noticed that my Wireless light was in fact ON at 7.30 a.m. :eek: even though my netbook was switched off, and the light had been off when I left it the night before. So it's looking like a combination of things now - the iCloud plus some b****** in one of the other flats is helping themselves overnight to my wifi :mad:. There's new people in the basement flat so it's possibly them.

I will make sure I turn the router off at the mains every night now, and see if that makes a difference.

Interested to know what's the cheapest Unlimited package available (I know I should look it up) - I'm currently paying £10.65 a month, plus £120 per year line rental paid in advance, and this gives me the 10GB plus free evening and weekend calls, so I thought that would be pretty hard to beat, at least if I want to stay with BT (not sure why I would, other than the hassle factor of changing). I'm only in the flat about 15 days a month so my personal usage is never high, or wasn't before this recent problem .

closed

on most routers, wireless light being on means it's enabled, not in use. If it's been encrypted, which takes seconds to check, no-one can use it without the encryption key

if you use caller id, your bt price may be going up shortly, line rental in advance has already (£141)

lots of deals around, eg unlimited BB including line rental for 17.90, but no free calls.

https://sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/broadband/simplybb

bsms1147

Yes, iCloud sucks up data, and an unsecured router allowing others to use it will be another, possibly more likely cause, for the data leak. Set a password on it now.

closed wrote: »

if you use caller id, your bt price may be going up shortly, line rental in advance has already.

lots of deals around, eg unlimited BB including line rental for 17.90, but no free calls.

https://sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/broadband/simplybb

As above, £2.50/mo unlimited broadband
Combined with
http://sales.talktalk.co.uk/product/valuelinerental
With our new Value Line Rental service, you'll be able to pay your line rental for the whole year in one simple card payment of £126

Fair bit cheaper overall than you're paying for BT (£13/mo broadband only compared to your £21/mo, however no calls included)

Unlimited landline calls is an additional £5.50 a month
Total for unlimited broadband and unlimited UK landline calls: £18.50/mo

And don't forget £24/£20 cashback through Quidco or £52.50/£42 (ends in 4 days) through TopCashbackUK.

Alternatively for other suppliers;
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband