trying to find reason for data use increase

[lfba65]

I have been keeping watch on my data use thru my ISP's website since I have a data limit. Sometime in Dec my data use went way up.
My ISP changed data plans,
I updated firmware on NetGear router.
I got a new non smart tv.

I am pretty sure noone is using my data. I have a strong password and security set to WPA2-PKS [AES]. Have router set to Block All New Devices From COnnecting. When I leave modem and router on but unplug other devices data goes back down.

My ISP updates the monthly use each morning. So, it takes a full day to see the effect of making one change.

A couples of times it has appeared that watching several hours on my new TV caused the data to go way up, but I do not see how that could be possible.
The tv is a Sceptre X505BV-FSR (not a smart tv) The cable connection from the wall plugs into the cableone box. Then an HDMI cable runs from the cable box to the tv (no streaming devices attached for testing purposes). Is there any way possible this set up could be using data?

 

[captaincharisma]

do you have any computers running windows 10 on your network?

 

[jsmithepa]

If ur TV doesn't have an Internet connection then it doesn't use data. However an attached Roku, AppleTV, Chromstick etc will.

I suggest configure all Windows boxes to Auto Update OFF. Do same to browsers.
iPhones u have no choice, they push the updates to you whether u like it or not, and the only way to stop it is OFF your home WIFI from the iPhone, which is a pain in the u know where.
Android phones, I dunno if they do auto updates.

These days, everything u install want Internet access, so if u have a metered plan, Oy.

 

[captaincharisma]

If ur TV doesn't have an Internet connection then it doesn't use data. However an attached Roku, AppleTV, Chromstick etc will.

I suggest configure all Windows boxes to Auto Update OFF. Do same to browsers.
iPhones u have no choice, they push the updates to you whether u like it or not, and the only way to stop it is OFF your home WIFI from the iPhone, which is a pain in the u know where.
Android phones, I dunno if they do auto updates.

the play store on android phones does have an option to turn auto updates off but depending on the apps you have on your phone they may try to use data in the background. of course that would be the same as iphones too

 

[rgd1101]

When I leave modem and router on but unplug other devices data goes back down.

Can you list the other devices?

 

[lfba65]

My desktop uses win 7 attached to router with Ethernet, it does not have wifi..
I do have an ipad mini that I have been using as usual.
I turned wifi off on my android phone and off my kindle.
I have a couple of ROKU's but uplugged them for testing. Before I did that, one of them did seem to show increase data use when I watched 2 episodes of a series on amazon prime. I had been watching 2 episodes for a total of 90 minutes for quite some time. But then the usalge seem to spike. So P unplugged the ROKU but still getting high data use at times..

The desktop and the IPAD are the same things that show up as attached on my router. I can not tell my by the router log what they are doing, but they both do seem to hit the router quite often. But the times I did not have the tv on the usage was normal. Turn on the tv and the usage goes up. I know it sounds crazy and I thimk it much be a coincidence, but it is very strange. (I am not watching that tv today just to see what happens)
I have a win10 laptop that I have not used in a long time. But usually keep it plugged it, went ahead and unplugged it today. It has not show up on my router as an attached device.

Hope I answered all the question.

(I have CableOne so my tv and internet come over the same cable). I have multiple connextions but only one is conected to a modem. It is in a different room than the one on the TV that appearance of causing the data to spike. Having to wait a full day to see results of any change makes it hard, then the first day I will only see what partial day of change results)

 

[captaincharisma]

do you know if the windows 7 computer is set to automatically install updates? for the windows 10 laptop you can turn on a setting called "metered connections"

 

[lfba65]

do you know if the windows 7 computer is set to automatically install updates? for the windows 10 laptop you can turn on a setting called "metered connections"

Yes my win 7 computer was set to apply updates automatically, I just now went and set it to never check (will change it back after thru testing).

The win 10 computer is turned off and it does not show up in the device listed on my router, It shows connected devices, approved devices not connected and banned devices, it is not on any of those lists.

 

[rgd1101]

"Turn on the tv and the usage goes up."
contact CableOne, that shouldn't happened.

 

[captaincharisma]

"Turn on the tv and the usage goes up."
contact CableOne, that shouldn't happened.

that would be best, but if your TV is streamed over your internet connection and you have a tv package with them then any streaming from the tv package should be exempt from your data usage but if the cable box you use has apps in it you use like music apps or netflix then those apps will count toward your data

 

[lfba65]

"Turn on the tv and the usage goes up."
contact CableOne, that shouldn't happened.

I want to try to get as much information as I can before I do that. I have a hard time believing it could happen. Tend to think that eventhough it appears to be happening, that it is really something else. I need to have enough tests so that I myself believe it is happening before I call them. I hate to have to turn off off my computer and ipad and be without them for a couplesof days to really verify, I would be climbing the walls LOL
If it is possible i was hoping that someone else would have encountered, or if not, a better way of verifying before I call them. I have dealt with them before, some are very good, some not so good. And I am a sr citizen and tend to be on the cranky side

 

[jsmithepa]

The only way to verify this is if your firewall/NAT box runs some sort of analysis data collection. Why this box? because that is where ALL Internet traffic go through. Probably not helping you now, but in the future consider upgrading from a boring home router to a hardware firewall/Internet Appliance box. I keep hearing about DD-WRT but I personally have no experience.

 

[lfba65]

The only way to verify this is if your firewall/NAT box runs some sort of analysis data collection. Why this box? because that is where ALL Internet traffic go through. Probably not helping you now, but in the future consider upgrading from a boring home router to a hardware firewall/Internet Appliance box. I keep hearing about DD-WRT but I personally have no experience.

I do not think mine has that ability.

 

[captaincharisma]

The only way to verify this is if your firewall/NAT box runs some sort of analysis data collection. Why this box? because that is where ALL Internet traffic go through. Probably not helping you now, but in the future consider upgrading from a boring home router to a hardware firewall/Internet Appliance box. I keep hearing about DD-WRT but I personally have no experience.

I do not think mine has that ability.

well it would be best to contact your provider at this point. just because you see a high data rate on your router does not mean you are going to be responsible for the full amount of data that is being used.

like i said in my previous post, if you have a cable package with them too then any data that your cable package consumes will already be covered under your cable plan and should not go toward the data cap on your internet plan

 

[lfba65]

The only way to verify this is if your firewall/NAT box runs some sort of analysis data collection. Why this box? because that is where ALL Internet traffic go through. Probably not helping you now, but in the future consider upgrading from a boring home router to a hardware firewall/Internet Appliance box. I keep hearing about DD-WRT but I personally have no experience.

I do not think mine has that ability.

well it would be best to contact your provider at this point. just because you see a high data rate on your router does not mean you are going to be responsible for the full amount of data that is being used.

like i said in my previous post, if you have a cable package with them too then any data that your cable package consumes will already be covered under your cable plan and should not go toward the data cap on your internet plan

The data use I am looking at is from CableOnes website where they provide a chart/graph that shows daily data use, is usually update around 7 in the morning, but I do not know what the cut of time is for what is included in the day.
I have been looking at t he router to see if I could see any thing that explained it - any un authorized connections etc. I do not see anything.

Looks like I will have to call them ,but am not convinced I will get much help. I am going to try a couple more test first. I hate to have to leave my pc and/ or ipad off for a couple of days , but I might have to do that.

Thanks