cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Checking my usage

qwentyman
Grafter
Posts: 34
Registered: ‎23-02-2008

Checking my usage

As a new (and generally satisfied) convert from dial-up, I am carefully checking my usage figures until I have some idea of what uses what.  I have had some (temporary) shocks.  On Wed 26 Mar my Free Usage showed as 359 MB (O.K, why should I care) but I know it was only a few MB.  Later, this high figure "disappeared".  Today, my a.m paid-for showed as 29.45 MB, when it should have been neglible.  Checked at 1500 it has dropped to 2.4 MB (negative use, clever, eh?)
I suppose that the adjusted figures probaly are more or less O.K, but if my electicity meter read like this I should be VERY uneasy.
(Note to PN, I have the screenshots, don't no how to paste them in here!)
Anyone else noticed strange metering?
11 REPLIES 11
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Checking my usage

to paste the images at the bottom is an Addtional Options click and then go down further to add up to 9 images
qwentyman
Grafter
Posts: 34
Registered: ‎23-02-2008

Re: Checking my usage

Thanks, Pierre_Pierre. I did not know that.
Végre nem butulok tovább  (Finally I am becoming stupider no more    Smiley )
[Moderator's note by Peter (PJ): Please do not quote the last post in full, see link:rules]
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Checking my usage

Ok, but a forum rule is no full quote from the previous post, it ok for further back than that Cool
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Checking my usage

Quote
Végre nem butulok tovább  (Finally I am becoming stupider no more

had to google that one, I dont speak Hungarian, but my tanslation is "I've finally stopped getting dumber."
You can put that as your fixed signature in your Profile
qwentyman
Grafter
Posts: 34
Registered: ‎23-02-2008

Re: Checking my usage

Still getting wrong figures appearing.  On 4 Apr, 181 free usage given, for period when all switched off.  Later, 88Mb paid-for given, for period when also switched off.  Today, at 0730, 63.9Mb free, when switched off overnight.
(I have left wired router on, nothing else connected, PC off.)
These numbers change later on, but do not inspired confidence.  I am not very paranoid about this, and I know that even an extra Gb would only be  a £ or two, but as a pedantic mathematician I like it to be accurate.
Cliff_Jordan
Grafter
Posts: 228
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Checking my usage

This might be stating the obvious, but you are aware that low usage is given in KB not MB, as below...
Cliff
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Checking my usage

Even when switched off if the router is on, PN ping the line to keep the connection, only a small amount, could also be any one of numerous web crawlers trying to find an open connection, but also generally small
Smiley
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Checking my usage

Err.. no, PN do not ping the line to keep it active, ADSL remains active on its own.
What you will see is the rest of the internet may do and this is referred to as 'internet noise', but generally amounts to KBytes of data i.e. very small amounts.
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Checking my usage

About a year ago when I was on Holiday, I noticed this as I had left my router on, the answer I got from my ticket then was that PN do something to keep the line open, may be not ping
Support Wizard Journey]
[View My Broadband Usage]
[Additional Information]
I was on Holiday from 3rd - 11th August and checked my broadband connection just after I came back, I noticed that each day i had approx 40 kb every day on peak and off peak, I had not made any remote access. is this normal or should I start digging.
My computer was switched off and unplugged.
Copied To: postmaster@xxxxxx.uk
xxxxxxx CSC Analyst 8:30am, Tuesday 14th August 2007
Dear Mr xxxxxx,
Do you use a router, and was it on when you were away?
The reason I ask it that if you do, and it was, the traffic would be the 'keep alive' signal between the router and ourselves.
Regards,
xxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxx CSC Analyst 8:33am, Tuesday 14th August 2007
Dear Mr xxxxxxx
If you have a router this would indeed be normal, a small amount of data is passed between the router and our network to indicate as to whether or not the connection is alive.
I can see you have had a persistent connection over the last month and this overhead would have likely caused the reported 40kb a day transfer.
Should you require any further help or assistance, please do not hesitate to view the help and support section of our website or if this don't quell your thirst for information, drop us a quick line and we will endeavour to assist.
grahamt
Rising Star
Posts: 599
Thanks: 37
Registered: ‎05-04-2008

Re: Checking my usage

The original question is reassuring, in a way. I've just joined PlusNet and have also found odd things in the usage graphs.
There's a discrepancy between the summary and this week's details. In the summary, most of my usage appears to be in the free zone, whereas in the week's details it appears (correctly) as in the paid-for zone. In the Internet activities section, 30% of my usage appears as 'gaming' whereas in fact my gaming usage is zero.
I'll wait to see if everything settles down.
qwentyman
Grafter
Posts: 34
Registered: ‎23-02-2008

Re: Checking my usage

My bad for not noticing that some usage was given in Kb.  Sad 
I know I was told that with the router running there is a small overhead, which makes no nevermind, and this probably settles the matter for me, provided I read carefully in future.