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DISAPPEARING DATA for over 2 yrs! HUGE PROBLEM!

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erinnystrom
New Member

DISAPPEARING DATA for over 2 yrs! HUGE PROBLEM!

Had HughesNet hooked up11/26/12. The dish was placed on our new roof. We had the smallest pkg 10gb, 1 desk top,3 -4 smart phones. Internet worked great for first year, never even would use up all 10gb. Then as soon as the first yr went by our data started disappearing and problems with connecting and staying connected. Even when we had data still available we had slow connection speed and disconnecting problems off and on. When we would run out of data I would have problems getting my email to load and if could get connected to the internet on a site we couldn't go to another page or link. (beyond throttled). I also had drop box, and even though I would put things in drop box they wouldn't load. I would get up in morning and check downloads and they would say download interrupted, I would have to resume, restart, or just give up. We weren't doing anything different than before. Our phones were all set so no auto updating could happen and the background app refresh shut off. The computer was set to do any updating in middle of night. I called several times and explained we weren't doing anything different. We DO NOT do gaming, streaming movies, Pandora, and our tv isn't even hooked to internet. I have continuously had to up my data plan to the largest they have 50gb daytime, 50gb bonus between 2am-8am. Yes comes with a HUGE price tag. I kept getting told maybe it was my wifi router, I believe I'm on my 6th different router, now repeating brands because I was told a different recommendation of brand every time. I was also told maybe someone is stealing my data. Well not only is my wifi password protected, I live out in the boonies. My closest groc. store is 27 miles away. Then I was told it had to be my computer so they finally talked me into signing up with their partner Home Tech support for a year, however they said there is nothing wrong with the computer and they couldn't find any reason for data depletion. I've been on the phone with them prob. hundreds of times at this point, the average call is 20min. and I've literally been on the phone with them for over 2 hrs at a time several times doing every kind of testing they can do. The only problem that was ever admitted was that I had occasional slow speed. Last July 2015 a tech had told me the problem had to be the dish connecting with the satellite(no trees or anything blocking it). He explained it to me like this- the dish is having a hard time connecting to satellite so its using more data, like if a car was going down a smooth road you would have normal gas mileage, and if you go down rough terrain you're going to use more gas. Made sense to me, now I thought well if whatever is causing the rough terrain between the dish and satellite can be fixed that would end the problem, they finally sent a guy out and was supposed to replace the radio receiver on the dish. The guy said the original installers never bolted the dish down tight on the roof, so he tightened it down and realigned it. I was trying to think positive and hoped that it was fixed even though I would have felt better if the transmitter would have been replaced. Unfortunately it didn't change a darn thing. In Dec. I broke down and bought a new computer just incase Home Tech support was missing a problem with the other one. I write down the data remaining every time I go on the computer. I started taking online classes last summer, I am so afraid of using data that I try and stay up and do them during the middle of the night which is kind of defeating the purpose of the healing classes when I should be sleeping. I recently did a little data test with a 60mb audio download from my class, It used up 2gb to download. This month, only 10 days into new data refresh, I hadn't used my computer for a couple of days so I checked my data remaining and it had dropped 31.7gb. My kids have moved out and only come to visit and my husband has been working out of town and only home on weekends. Since I was the only one home, where did the data go? All of my data ended up disappearing. A few days ago I had a token applied and later I had checked my email and since I had data I was going to listen to a short audio that was linked from my email for a class, well even though I had data it wouldn't load, I shut everything down two times and it still wouldn't load. I called HughesNet and told him what was going on and while I had him on the phone it still wouldn't load. He finally said he would send out a tech. The tech came today, he did say the cable was a little loose on the radio receiver but everything tested fine so his boss said he couldn't replace receiver , although I would have been happier if he would have since he was here. So do you think after over 2 yrs with a connection problem that a loose cable will be the cause of hundreds of dollars spent needlessly, not including the frustration and stress and hours and hours on the phone and doing all of the testing. Did the tech that came in July miss the loose connection? I'm always told I have patience of a saint, but I can guarantee you the patience have ran out. I really pray it is fixed, but am so disgusted with what it has cost me. If It's not fixed this time I will be changing providers, I did hear that there is another option now available. If the loose connection is the cause I think HughesNet should give me over 2 yrs of free internet service.
189 REPLIES 189
Liz
Moderator
Moderator

Hi erinnystrom,

I just ran remote diagnostics on your site just to be sure there wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and your site diagnostics are all clear. If you're losing connectivity, please note the time and dates of these occurrences, as well as the state code you see at the time. This will better help us investigate.

"Now I'm really worried that the loose radio cable wasn't causing the problems." Are you saying your coaxial cable, the one connecting the modem to the dish, is connected loosely to your modem? If so, please make sure it's secured.

Thanks,
Liz
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erinnystrom
New Member

Hi Liz, I see the post I thought I posted here last night  is not here. The repair man that came to my home on 1/22/16 said there was a loose cable connection on the radio receiver on the dish and he tightened it. He said there is nothing wrong with anything on my end of the system and it has to be on hughes end. I was hoping that the loose cable would have been the cause because then the problem would have been fixed. But I continue to have problems with staying connected and when I try to download my class materials, my downloads keep getting interrupted, I'm guessing that is being caused from being disconnected also. So far I haven't had any data loss since my renewal on the 26th. It happens randomly so I have no clue when Its going to disappear. I will try to find time tomorrow to fill you in on more details.
erinnystrom
New Member

Hello, I'm going to give another update. I have tried to resolve some problems by calling hughes, yet again, nothing resolved. Last night I was walking past my computer and noticed the lights on my hughes modem going crazy. At this point I have learned that when that is going on then data is being used. The funny thing is, I was the only one home, I had wifi shut off on my phone, and I wasn't on the computer, and I do not leave anything on, so nothing should be using any data. I have everything set on my computer and phone so it can't update anything or do app refresh or run in background. I have known to have all of this done for over 2 yrs since we started having the problems.(I will get back to this in a bit). The First year worked great, and wouldn't even go through our 10gb package. After the first year things suddenly changed. I have worked my way up to the biggest pkg. available- 50daytime/50bonus since the data started disappearing, also would have problems connecting, or staying connected, slow speeds, download interrupts. I was told it had to be a wifi router problem and always recommended to replace the router, I believe I am on my 6th wifi router now. Currently have Netgear again, also have had linkseys and a couple of belkins. My wifi has always been password protected and I live out in the boonies so it is not possible for someone to steal my data. I was told it had to then be my computer, I was then talked into signing a year contract with home tech support, home tech support said there was nothing wrong with my computer and could not find any reason to explain my data loss. I had  the hughes modem replaced, and in Dec. I bought a new computer. I had repair man at my house 2 times, once in July and the most recent 1/22/16. I was told that there is nothing wrong with my side of things. The repair man 1/22/16 did tighten a loose cable on the radio receiver on the dish but unfortunately that has not changed a thing. It seems that most of the data loss goes to uploading. The surprising part of that is I don't upload, I check my emails, and occasionally look something up on internet, and started taking online classes last June. I do not have to send or upload anything for my classes, I have the option to download video, audio, pdf. On one of the classes it says how big the download is. I downloaded a 60mb audio, 2 gb disappeared. Many downloads are Interrupted, which now I think I've narrowed that down to loosing connection in download process. I have called hughes hundreds of times over the past 2yrs since the problems started. 20 min. is usually the minimal call time and I have been on the phone with them for 2 hrs at a time doing every test that's available. I have spent a lot of time and money to try and figure out what is causing the problem. Way more than I should have. Not including the frustration of it all. I will give some examples of the recent problems but keep in mind this has literally been going on for over 2 yrs.
My data refresh date is the 26th. On 1/3/16 8:58pm data remaining- 38.7gb daytime/48gb bonus, When I got back to my computer on 1/6/16 1;06am data remaining- 7.1gb daytime/ 35.6gb bonus. So in 2 days, I lost 31.6gb daytime and 12.4gb bonus for a total of 44gb total loss. All due to uploading that I didn't even get to use myself. It happened when I was the only one home, and I have everything shut off so no updating can occur. This is just one example of an unexplained large data loss over the 2 yr problem.
On 1/19/16 I was trying to listen to an audio, it would not play, I closed everything a couple of times to start from scratch, still wouldn't play, I noticed there was a ?mark above the audio box, I clicked on it and it was to test the system to diagnose the problem. Everything passed with flying colors EXCEPT the Speed of internet connection FAILED which it gave me the speed at 230kbps,another test 140kbps and I still had token data available. I called hughes so they could test the problem as it was happening. The tech guy could not figure out why it would not play. As I had tried several things as he was on the phone. He said he would send a complimentary dispatch repair man, the one that came on 1/22/16.
I can not figure out why all of the testing that is done always shows everything is running fine when clearly it is not.
Last night I noticed the lights blinking like crazy on the hughes modem and no internet was being used by me and I was only one home, I called hughes to do testing as the problem was happening. Yet again it was going to uploading even though nothing was uploading. So back to more testing. Unplug LAN at 8pm Data remaining per tech 43.5gb daytime remaining.(I wish I would have gotten the more precise number off the dashboard). I call back, LAN plugged back in 10:44pm 43.5gb daytime data remaining. So it looks like I didn't catch any data loss this time. Well did I or didn't I? When I went on dashboard I noticed there was small amounts of data used while the LAN was unplugged. I Immediately called back and the tech guy agreed that I shouldn't of had any usage with the line disconnected. So he said we need to do another type of test and leave it unplugged over night. This time I made him wait until I get the more precise dashboard number I pull the plug. I wrote down and screen shot, system status-43.3gb daytime remain/47.1gb bonus remain, status meter 87% 6.7gb used daytime/94% 2.9gb used bonus, dashboard 86% daytime remaining 43300mb used/ 94% bonus remaining 47147 used.11:25 pm LAN unplugged, he confirmed my data is the same as his prior to him setting the modem test.  I call back again today, prior to me plugging my LAN back in. He gave me the data usage number- daytime 43143 used/bonus 47147 used. So that tells me daytime157mb disappeared while LAN was disconnected. I then plugged LAN in at 10;04am and immediately checked my readings as he's still on the phone, my dashboard reading is daytime 43142mb/bonus 47147. So per my reading I lost 158mb daytime data. The guy said I will lose a mb just for turning it on. But what about the other 157mb the disappeared before I even plugged the LAN back in. Then he proceeded to argue with me that I had no data loss when it's very clear I did. And the whole time while my LAN was unplugged the dashboard hourly graph clearly shows data was being used.


As you see in the graph above there is an X in the uplink box which was at the time when I noticed the flashing lights on my hughes modem using upload data when nothing was being uploaded. I have pictures of this happening at several different times, and I also have several state codes listed.
On some of these charts you will have to look at the date and time on my computer screen because as you will see, the time does not all match my time.
The one at the bottom of the list, date 2/4/16 20.2.1 stands for- a management problem has occurred.
date 2/4/16 The 13.1.1 stands for- LAN cable not attached.
date 2/1/16 11.3.1 stands for- a problem receiving data has occurred.
date 2/1/16 12.1.9 stands for- a transmit problem has occurred.
date 2/1/16 12.3.1 stands for- a transmit problem has occurred.
I have pictures of other codes that even disappeared of the list, for example : date 2/2/16 20.2.1 -a management problem has occurred, also on that date there in an X in the uplink box in the hourly hx diagnostics.
What really amazes me that I know these codes and charts clearly show there is a problem and I know there is a problem when I have trouble connecting, staying connected, downloading, and data disappearing, and all the tests that are being done never seem to show a problem per hughes. I feel like I've been accused of lying for over 2 yrs. If it wasn't for it working great the first year, and the problem of not many internet options I would have switched a long time ago. I can't believe I have wasted so much time and money thinking this was going to be resolved. I heard I now have other internet options so I will be looking into them. I've done and given more than what I should have without being benefitted in any way. I should not have to feel as I'm pulling teeth to get a flippin token when I know I'm not the cause of my data all disappearing.
Something better get rectified real quick or you will be seeing another customer disappear.
deepdiver1
Sophomore

I'm sorry for your problems understanding whats happening. However "flashing lights on my hughes modem using upload data when nothing was being uploaded. I have pictures of this happening at several different times," can be uploading to cloud sites without you being at the computer. Maybe you've already worked/stopped this possibility. A few Mb heartbeat data (2-4 Mb/s) between the modem and terminal might be normal. What should be most concerning is multi MB data being transferred with no explanation. Does "everything shut off" include PC, router, and modem?Turn off your computer and Lan when you are not there. 
You have certainly been a soldier working this.
Your state codes indicate intermittent Tx/Rx terminal problems Can be weather/rain/snow related. What does your sat signal strength show?
Good luck.
erinnystrom
New Member

HI Larry, I'm wondering If the post I made today Is the same evidence that you have turned in?
erinnystrom
New Member

I have cloud disabled and everything else I possibly can. I  do not even have my wifi router hooked up anymore so they can't blame it on the router, which is a real pain in the rear. I close all pages I have open before I leave the computer, if I plan on going back to the computer I will leave it on, if I'm done for the day I shut it down. The codes are there almost on a daily basis. If the codes are indicating terminal problems then what is considered the terminal? Do the tests not test the terminal? Does the terminal need to be fixed? My satellite signal usually says it is good. I find it hard to believe its all weather related, And I know the weather can affect things even when I'm not having bad weather right at my house, but if weather is the cause of these problems as often as they are then it wouldn't make sense to keep satellite internet and then why didn't I have these problems for the whole first year of having hughes? And yes it's not the few mb disappearing data that upsets me, it's the big data losses that really tick me off, like the 44gb that disappeared last month in two days. and it's random, so unfortunately I haven't been lucky enough to catch the big data losses with proof yet. I am beginning to wonder if it will matter if I do catch a big data loss, since I've shown proof of small data loss and was told I didn't loose any data. And the same guy was going to tell me it's my router again when I don't even have it plugged in. It's time they stop telling me it's a router problem when I've replaced it several times. I simply don't know what else I can do other than give up on trying to find the reason for these problems and go with a different internet carrier.
Cust Care
New Member

There is no possible way that data allowance consume by itself it needs to be usage. The modem doesnt use any data unless you have it connected to any computer or any othere device
erinnystrom
New Member

Larry, I just got done looking at your post, I can't believe how similar your problems are to mine. I feel your frustration, and not to get off the subject here, but when you mentioned your wife, well I just want to say I am sorry to hear that, but it really makes me think why I'm wasting time trying to figure out this data loss, I really just want to be able to do my classes without having to worry about running out of data when I'm not using it all. I am 45, the classes I'm taking are healing classes and classes of the sort, and it's really upsetting when I'm in the middle of a guided meditation and I lose internet connection. I feel I need these classes as they are helping me through a difficult time. My spinal cord is dying at the neck level and there is nothing Dr.s can do anymore, and I'm actually ok with that, I prefer natural things anyways. My classes give me hope. I like to keep hope for the better of all things. Including hope this disappearing data stops. Thank you for putting all of your effort into trying to get this problem fixed and thanks for throwing in the occasional humor. Take care and I wish you the best!
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

Um, Bill this is his/her thread. A bunch of Larry's stuff has been inserted in here. It is a mess at this point.
erinnystrom
New Member

LOL! NO Bill, from what I have learned, do not go to the Dr , Its the meds that mess you up, take turmeric with blk pepper and coconut or fish oil.
Please bare with me, I'm new to posting, on anything, not just new to hughes,communiity.
My last reference # 52425389
erinnystrom
New Member

I am on Central time, from what I learned on Larry's thread, you need to know that. I am not willing to take the time that Larry has done to make the nice highlighted graphs. I have to many other things to do before I kick the bucket! LOl! I like things kept simple, and this disappearing data problem doesn't seem easy. I understand that some people could be thinking they are having disappearing data when they actually have something running or updating in the background. Since this problem started over two yrs ago, I have learned a lot and know everything needs to be shut off for updating ,ect... It is very strange though that Everything worked great for the first year and there wasn't any problems and that was when I had more people here with smart phones. It's kind of crazy to think that we can't even update our computer now because it will use to much data. I'm surprised my new computer turns on considering how much stuff is shut off. LOL!
erinnystrom
New Member

Hmmm, I've been told that, but I've discovered other wise, That's It! I'm going to have to kick the data sucking ghosts otta here! It's got to be the only reasonable thing left to do that makes sense since there couldn't possibly be anything wrong on hughes end of things. If hughes maybe would keep an open mind, instead saying there is no possible way anything could be wrong, then maybe the answer to this problem would come to them. I am trying to keep an open mind myself, I have tried to eliminate all causes on my end, and I hope if I'm missing something on my end, that I will discover what the cause is and be able to help a lot of people that are going through this. 
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

erinnystrom,

I have seen you post some concerns several times relating to your error codes and I would like to try and address that to some degree.

The Hughes modem is constantly recording data about itself and its connection to the Gateway .... and I do mean constantly.

Most of those "errors" are really more of a CONDITION REPORT than a true "error" and a closer inspection will reveal in most cases that the reported condition was very brief .... transitory in nature.

As an example here are mine from today:

Not every "error" is an error unto itself but is only a subcategory of another.

Not all of the "errors" (I prefer the word condition) are ...... fatal errors

Lets look at the one I highlighted ... 13.1.1

That error means that the Modem recorded a condition of not having anything plugged into the LAN port ... this has occurred 1 time, lasting for a total of 11 seconds and occurred between the specified dates.

Now that error in and of itself means nothing .... I didn't even notice it. It is a DATUM of sorts if the condition were to start occurring more frequently and for longer periods. It COULD be a sign of a bad LAN cable, a router (in my case) going bad or it could be the beginning of a Modem problem. But at this point it is nothing more than a report of a transitory condition.

For the everyday user there simply isn't a lot of use for the State Code Monitor unless the condition is persistent.

I wouldn't spend a lot of time and energy on that part.

There however a couple of pages of info that will benefit the average user.

Whenever a user encounters an issue with their connection the very first thing they should do is go to the modems main SCC page at 192.168.0.1

Just a quick peek at the color of the System Status icon will tell if the system is "up" or not.

Any color other than green is cause to look a little further.

FAP is pretty obvious as to cause...

Yellow or red we need to click on the System Status link and get more info:

Here we are interested in two things ...

Your signal strength and the location of your Gateway.

If your signal strength is low ... we need to find out why ....

It is possible for the sig to be right on the edge of "cut-off" where the connection will flicker on and off.

What are the weather conditions at the users location ? 

Is LOS being obstructed by trees ?, snow/ice build up on the dish ?

If things are OK at the users location then we have to consider weather conditions at the users assigned Gateway location.

That can be determined from the first three letter noted above. The "FLG" in mine indicates that my Gateway is in Flagstaff AZ. It is entirely possible for me to be having sunshine and blue sky's here in west Michigan but terrible weather at the Gateway location affecting the ability of the Gateway to communicate with the satellite.

One error condition that happens occasionally is a "yellow" on the Status icon and a 30.1.1 state code. Doing a MBX Reset will force a reconnection to the W/A server and clear the condition and restore full connectivity.

As to your data loss issues, you really can't at this point at least directly compare your issue with Larry's.

The best way to proceed is to simply post a screenshot of your remaining allowance along with the time of shutdown and LAN cable disconnect and another of your remaining balance and time of reconnect.

The Hughes Mods will then take it from there.

If there is usage during the time of disconnect it is on the Hughes end.

 

donsjgm
Junior

Hi erinnystrom,
Your's really has me perplexed.
It's time for one of the Reps. to get further involved.
I'm so sorry for your troubles.

Don  🙂
donsjgm
Junior

Question for Mods and Champions

Could a failing radio be sending uplink data like she's experiencing?
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

Bill,

Kind of long ?

Can't really express it in 20 words or less 😞


Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

Don, a failing radio would show as a high retransmission rate when remote diagnostics are ran, also it would show as a major change in the ratio of download/upload. I thing remote diags where run 4 days ago.

One thing I question is: With a loose coax, did the tech apply/reapply dialectic grease to prevent moisture penetration/condensation issues when he tightened it ?

  

donsjgm
Junior

Probably not but who knows.
I'm feeling sorry for them though, they have a real problem.
erinnystrom
New Member

LOL! I didn't realize there was such a thing as smart refrigerators, You might be glad to know that I do not have one of those. The only thing Smart around here is supposedly my phone although I question that often.
Yup, I got wifi password protected, always have on the many I've now had LOL!, and also computer protected.
I will admit that I can be very naïve to many things, especially when it comes to this tech stuff, it's hard for me to understand how these tech things work when I can't physically see how it's working. Yet sometimes I can see an energy field around some people, animals, trees, things that most people don't see. I guess we only see what we choose and allow ourselves to see. I'm choosing to leave the tech stuff to the tech people and pray that they find the answer to these tech problems. The solution is there it just hasn't been found yet. There is a positive or negative way to look at any situation, its how we choose to look at or perceive it. Even though I find these problems very frustrating, I can look at it as a learning experience and hope that the outcome is a positive one for all that is involved.
Liz
Moderator
Moderator

Hi Erin,

Thank you for your efforts, I will send you some tokens for compensation.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but you're concerned with this 7pm spike in upload data on Feb 3? I double checked your SCC logs , which by the way are in GMT, to see if your modem was isolated at that time, and I'm not seeing that it was. 


If we have screenshots of your status meter showing:
-before and after shots
-at least 4 hours of modem isolation
-data usage

I have no problem escalating your case to our engineers, as that certainly is not normal; there should be no significant activity while the modem is isolated.

As Gwalk has already pointed out, everyone's state code history will have a number of various state codes, this is normal. As long as you're currently seeing 0.0.0 and your system is online, then not to worry. 

As I've suggested before, Glasswire should show you every single process/program that connects to your internet if you have any question as to what has been using your data without your knowledge. We can see when the LAN cable is disconnected from the modem, but we can't see what is using your data.

Thanks,
Liz
If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!