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un explained usage

scoobystig
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎06-12-2007

un explained usage

i am having usage show up, even though my laptop is switched off and so is my router
every night my router is switched off and laptopclosed down, but my usage graph shows that there is usage overnight
17 REPLIES 17
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: un explained usage

How much?

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

How much usage is showing? If you could post how much it will help us.
It is normal for there to be some 'background' usage even with the router turned off, I believe.
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

Hi Scoobystig,
I've had a quick look at your account and I'm definitely seeing periods where there has been no reported usage for periods of 24 hours.
Can you confirm what periods you are referring to and I'll cross reference it against BTs CBC logs and see if they are reporting traffic that we aren't and vice versa?
paneuro
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎26-08-2007

Re: un explained usage

I am also having a problem with this. I am not a big user and rarely use 1Gb a month. I have just returned from holiday and F9 have informed me I have used over 2Gb and have been billed accordingly. It also shows massive use for the previous month - I'm guessing the 50Mb + my own use per day.
This made me check my usage. During the period of my 2 week holiday it shows usage of 50mb a day. No one has access to my home, I have no kids......... but unfortunatley I left my wireless modem/router switched on (computer switched OFF). It is however WEP security enabled.
I raised a ticket with F9 asking for possible causes.
"When it comes to checking who has used your internet connection to a internal user level, it is quiet a hard thing for a ISP to do, as a surguestion I would say to change the WEP code to ensure that no one has figured out the code, also try restarting the router, and possible reset the router.
The figures are delivered to us directly from BT for useage as we are charged on useage also, so it is unlikely that the figures are currupt."
My WEP has been changed, I have 'reset' and I've got someone coming to doble check my setup.... Any comment from similar 'victims' would be appreciated. (I'm not a tecky so keep it simple please!)
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

50MB a day sounds perfectly reasonable for the background internet noise. One thing which might I think might cut it back a bit if you haven't already enabled it is the Plusnet firewall.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

Hi Paneuro,
Jelv's touched on this, but whenever you are connected to the internet, you are prone to background noise, with traffic like IP scans and probes (and in extreme cases DDOS attacks).
You can avoid this by unplugging your router when you are not using the internet, should you wish to do so.
Jelv's also raised a valid suggestion of turning on our Broadband Firewall.
Teds31
Grafter
Posts: 336
Registered: ‎06-08-2007

Re: un explained usage

it just happens that i have just got back from several days hols and i notice that i have only about 130kb/day on my useage.i would have been concerned if it had shown 50MB.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

@Teds31
Have you got the PN firewall enabled?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
paneuro
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎26-08-2007

Re: un explained usage

I've just checked (I didn't know about it before) it was already switched on and set to 'High'.
I'm learning some stuff here!
scoobystig
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎06-12-2007

Re: un explained usage

it does appear that mine must of been background noise, as for the last couple of days i have had my router switched off and my account show 0 usage
this is all new to me as before i was on unlimited and so didnt worry about it, but now as i have a limit was inclined to keep on top of it more
steve
paneuro
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎26-08-2007

Re: un explained usage

Nothin else whatsoever is attached.
Just to add to this - I've just had a guy out to check things over a) beciuase of this problem and b) because I believe I was having an intermintant problem with my router (Voyager 2500v). He thiunks the security I had enabled was probably satisfactory - but the router was playing up in that it kept dropping a connection and has now been replaced.
Something, somewhere has certainly gone wrong. Up until 2 months ago my usage was never more than 1Mb a month and now I am exceeding 2Mb.... and I've been away for two weeks!
Now I have changed the Router/passwords and other security I will be monitoring with interest.
Thanks for the comments.
paneuro
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: ‎26-08-2007

Re: un explained usage

Since my last posting I've had chance to examine the usage figures while I was away on holiday and compare them with the figures since I returned. I have raised a tciket with the following comments
".......................re the unexplained usage. I have had someone check my security and it was fine. I would appreciate your views of closer examination of the usage. While I was holiday the usage was incredibly regular. From 16th November to 28th EVERY day the free usage was 17Mb and the paid for usage was between 31 and 33 Mb. When I returned home this all changed and for example the free usage only averaged 250KB. This would suggest some systematic interference with my broadband. Use by someone infiltrating my connection could never produce such static figures.
I accept that there will always be an amount of 'background' use but surely 50Mb a day is excessive. I took the liberty of putting this issue on your forum and most seem to think this was excessive.
I don't understand how the broaband system works but it appears that 'something' has recognised a connection is not in use and loaded it with a set amount of usage. Why? How?
Your comments would be appreciated."
Views/Comments please? Now I'm using my connection again on most days the usage is substantially less than when I was on holiday!
Thanks
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

Hi Paneuro,
We have no way of telling exactly what happened at that time.  Only that usage from your connection was being recorded.
All I can tell you is that usage was there, either via someone probing your connection or just regular background traffic, I would have no way of telling.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: un explained usage

While you were away was your router turned off?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)