topic Re: Broadband Usage in Plusnet Feedback

Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 13:27:17 GMT

I joined Plusnet on Friday 9 November. My previous provider was TalkTalk.I have looked at my broadband usage and it seems that I am using twice as much as I used with TalkTalk (I took screenshot of my last 3 months usage with TalkTalk before I left them). I wondered how this can be as I have been doing same things or even less than with TalkTalk ????

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Just another point. When I used talkTalk my internet light stayed steady when I was not browsing etc.. On the plusnet router, the internet light is flashing even when I have no programmes running and not doing any browsing. Does this mean something is downloading from plusnet all the time ?

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 18:51:29 GMT

I have just made a check. I have not done any browsing etc for 3 hours. My broadband usage has gone from 124.85 to 136.40. Maybe it`s Plusnet assist which is doing the downloading ?. It looks as if i`ll have to shut down my PC every time I leave it or I will use up my allowance without using it. I would like an explanation from Plusnet.

Re: Broadband Usage

spraxyt — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:00:52 GMT

What units are those measurements in (KB, MB or GB)? Plusnet Assist does keep checking Internet connectivity, which would make the Internet light flash, but the amount used should be very small. Usage on Plusnet includes both uploads and downloads.
Does the Internet light still flash when your PC is turned off?

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:12:42 GMT

Sorry, the figures are Mb. The internet light does not flash when PC is turned off. The amounts I used with TalkTalk are :-
August 4.22 Gb download 0.93 Gb upload
September 4.39 Gb download 0.86 Gb upload
October 4.84 Gb download 1.24 Gb upload
Maybe the October figures are higher as I spent lots of time on Plusnet Site talking to Advisers before I moved from TalkTalk. Also, I downloaded Plusnet Assist before I changed over.
I think nearly 12Mb usage when not using any programmes or doing any browsing is ridiculous !!.

Re: Broadband Usage

drj — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:17:56 GMT

You can turn Plusnet Assist off.

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:35:59 GMT

I have removed the programme !!!

Re: Broadband Usage

Anotherone — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 07:49:47 GMT

Very wise.

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:08:50 GMT

Since Friday, when I joined Plusnet, I have reduced my usage from 273.91Mb to 199.83 Mb yesterday. As I said, I have removed Plusnet Assist. I close down all programmes when I`m away from PC, including my E-mail (which I never had to do with TalkTalk) and I have reduced my time spent on PC. If I had carried on as I was on Friday, bearing in mind that I did not get connected until about 2:30 pm, I would be using a third more than I ever did with TalkTalk !!. I now have to watch everything I do on PC. Also, why does it show usage for broadband phone as I don`t have one, or anything else connected to my PC ?.

Re: Broadband Usage

spraxyt — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:04:57 GMT

To provide your own check on the Plusnet usage data you could install Softperfect's Networx application on your own computer. In my case the daily Networx measurements agree well with the Plusnet figures.
If you install this make sure the settings use the Kilo (1000) multiplier rather than Kibi (1024). I also have it set to ignore traffic within my LAN.

Re: Broadband Usage

Anotherone — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:52:24 GMT

If you have traffic showing as Broadband Phones calls (VoIP), this should/would include Skype traffic if you use it, otherwise it's mis-classification of some of your traffic, which does happen from time to time. However as such traffic is classified as Titanium, the highest priority, that is actually working in your favour, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Does your Plusnet product have a lower usage allowance than the one you had with TT?

Re: Broadband Usage

Pagmalupitan — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:00:10 GMT

I'm seeing something similar to OP, was previously using a payg 3G dongle for broadband, was buying 3GB credit a month and more often than not wouldn't use it all in a month.
Strangely with plusnet i've used over 8GB in my first 3.5 weeks with no changes to surfing habits etc.
I've made a few large-ish downloads but made sure it's after midnight.
Seems a but strange, will see how it goes for few months...

Re: Broadband Usage

Anotherone — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:16:41 GMT

A couple of things to remember, the GB here is 1000kbytes and Upload traffic is counted as well, don't know if that was the case with your 3G service. Are you perhaps visiting more graphic intensive pages whereas on 3G you perhaps got fewer such pages? Are you Streaming video now in HD which would have been in SD before? Watch out for assorted Automatic Updates as well (nothing Plusnet related).

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:19:47 GMT

Reply about usage allowance. My allowance with TalkTalk was 40 Gb per month but the most I ever used with uploads included was about 7Gb. That was for lots of browsing, youtube etc. and leaving programmes running. On Plusnet I have to shut down all running programmes while I am away from PC.

Re: Broadband Usage

Pagmalupitan — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:43:41 GMT

@Anotherone, no we're talking no video at all, let alone HD
I'm talking just normal web browsing just a few news sites, ebay etc. stuff like that.
Also I've long been using adblocker plugin for firefox which gets rid of all those annoying flash adverts that nearly all sites seem to be stuffed full of these days.
I've been using the 3g payg for over two years so i'm completely in the habit of avoiding anything remotely bandwidth intensive, have automatic updates off etc.etc.

Re: Broadband Usage

drj — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:04:51 GMT

I struggle to get up anywhere close to my 10GB cap here - last month I think was the most at around 4.5GB (excluding free usage) - that's including extensive web browsing most evenings but very little video.

Re: Broadband Usage

Anotherone — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:21:26 GMT

Similar to drj for me.
Ha, lot's of graphics on eBay and you have to keep typing stuff in as well
Ok, being slightly more serious, there's no particular reason why you should see any more traffic on your PN connection, but just worth checking have you used any P2P clients at all? If you are not using stuff like that, or make sure it is fully disabled if you had, but no longer wish to so.
You could check and set the following -
Turn on Safe Surf here
Set the Plusnet Broadband Firewall to Low if you don't use those ports. As you can see, there are other options, depending on your needs. Low is perfectly good enough for normal usage, not given me any issues that I know of.
Both of those are within Connection settings in My Account so login is required.
HTH.

Re: Broadband Usage

WWWombat — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:53:54 GMT

Quote from: ossettbob
I think nearly 12Mb usage when not using any programmes or doing any browsing is ridiculous !!.

Remember that the usage figures can be up to 2 hours behind, so you should expect *some* usage to appear a while after you finish.
Networx (as linked previously) really is very useful - it will give you an hour-by-hour display of usage, or daily, weekly & monthly summaries. It will also co-ordinate between copies running on different machines, and track different users independently. That will allow you to not only confirm PN's total, but also perform better hour-by-hour tracking.
What is your package allowance?

Re: Broadband Usage

ossettbob — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:10:57 GMT

My package allowance is 10Gb per month. As I never went over 7 Gb per month with Talktalk I thought this would be plenty. I might try browsing etc. as I did with TalkTalk and see what happens to my usage.

Re: Broadband Usage

WWWombat — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:45:11 GMT

I recall some people being stung on usage by a toolbar added to their browser. You don't have anything like that, do you?