As suggested by others, I installed Glasswire on my Parallels version on Win7 running on my new Mac (High Sierra) so that I could have access to several programs that I want to use on Win7 rather than my new Mac for awhile. My data drain today is insane. Here's where I started 3 hours ago:
Here's where I am now, several hours later and the Glasswire information:
I
I did download software which I can see on the graph - what I am wondering is if, when open, the Parallels software is using data, anyone got an answer or can look at the graph and give me some idea what the heck I am doing wrong for this incredible data drain?
Unfortunately, Glasswire under that configuration is only going to measure the bandwidth used with Win7 in Parallels. It's not going to see what's going on outside of Parallels on your Mac, nor the other devices on your network (such as phones) that might be contributing to your data drain.
Obviously you have a Mac: for that I'd recommend you have all automatic updates turned off (except for antivirus or malware), as well as anything iCloud-related or Siri-related. And that's just a start.
Another place to look is for anything that uses cloud-based services like Google Docs. Keeping a browser open to anything like Google Drive, Sheets, or whatever will keep a live data stream that gets regularly updated.
Thanks @MarkJFine - but I need further help - I am DROWNING in data depletion - and there is nothing connected to the internet except 2 desktops (1 Mac, 1PC) and Dish. We are not streaming nor have we been except half a dozen times in the past 40 days, NONE in the past 7 days. Here is where I am since my last post:
Per your comments: "Obviously you have a Mac: for that I'd recommend you have all automatic updates turned off (except for antivirus or malware), as well as anything iCloud-related or Siri-related. And that's just a start.
Another place to look is for anything that uses cloud-based services like Google Docs. Keeping a browser open to anything like Google Drive, Sheets, or whatever will keep a live data stream that gets regularly updated."
None of the above applies to any of the connected devices - auto updates are turned off, there is NO antivirus or malware currently installed on the new Mac, I don't use Google Docs, Drive or Sheets - thank you but PLEASE HELP ME FURTHER - I can't used Glasswire on my Mac, purchased PeakHour4 a few minutes ago for network monitoring but it doesn't recognize the Hughes Modem.
@MarkJFine -- I may have found the culprit but can't find any answers online. My husband has the Dish DVR set to record a specific show series that is on every hour today - and has been running since this morning - is DISH DVR using the HughesNet bandwidth to record these shows? I read an article that said to disconnect the antenna on the Dish unit to force it to use the Dish bandwidth and I did so, the programs appear to continue to record - does this sound plausible or a possible reason for the drain? We have a number of shows set to record new and old issues on the DVR - is that the data drain, or possibly the data drain?
Short answer is that it depends.
If it's set to record off a specific channel in real time, then chances are it's using the Dish satellite TV feed, not the internet. If it's set to 'record' something that's 'on-demand' then it's actually downloading files from their media server. The first one shouldn't have an impact to your internet, but the second one certainly would.
I once used my phone to set my DVR to record a movie once, not realizing that I actually told it to pull-down an on-demand version (from HDNet Movies no less). I've disconnected my satellite TV receiver from the internet ever since.
You should be able to bring up a "to do" list on your DVR's recordings menu to see what it's actually doing. That way you can decide if you think you should cancel anything.
I have just been using the Internet to check a couple of bank accounts in the last hour after I disconnected the Dish antenna and NO, the Dish is using the satellite tv feed, not the internet. And my data keeps draining - checked every device in this house - nothing but the 2 desktops are connected now and the data continues to run WIDE OPEN - @Liz can you help me too? @MarkJFine is doing a terrific job but I can't seem to stop the data drain...
Are you using the Hopper with your Dish service?
I can tell you that if you are, in order to fully disconnect your Hopper from your wifi, you will need to change your 'wifi' password and network name as this is the ONLY way to completely disconnect and prevent your hopper from automatically re-connecting, which it will do each and every time is detects your network if the password and network name remains the same.
The shows your DVR/Hopper is scheduled to record are probably being recorded via OnDemand...and this will chew through your HughesNet data like crazy.
Unlike most other devices, with the Hopper, there are no options available via the Dish/Hopper remote control that you can choose from to prevent the Hopper from automatically connecting...and there are no options which allows you to disconnect manually either.
your welcome to verify this information via the Dish's very own Support community which can be found via the Dish website.
That totally stinks about the Hopper. It's ridiculous that people can't completely disconnect it when they want.
@happytexann, you should turn off your modem at this point -- every time you post a screen cap, you have lost so much data! That's crazy. You're going to eat up all your data and your token bytes.
Thanks @maratsade and @bare65 -- I have changed the name of the network and password. AND I disconnected the desktop from the ethernet cable and am connecting via w-fi as last month I found a significant change in data drain from being connected to the ethernet rather than wifi with Hughes HT2000W - anyone else noticed that? And thank you @maratsade I know the screenshots are eating the data but I had to find out if anyone had answers and only way I know to post what is happening. THANK YOU ALL - @Liz can you help me with some data tokens since I was legitimately trying to find the drain using screenshots and the community?
@happytexann, I totally get it that you had to keep draining the data just to show it was draining. It was just like, the drain was insane, and I kept wanting to yell Nooooooooooo, like in movies, to stop the data drain.
I'm tagging the mods below because your tag didn't stick.
@happytexann wrote:Thanks @maratsade and @bare65 -- I have changed the name of the network and password. AND I disconnected the desktop from the ethernet cable and am connecting via w-fi as last month I found a significant change in data drain from being connected to the ethernet rather than wifi with Hughes HT2000W - anyone else noticed that? And thank you @maratsade@ I know the screenshots are eating the data but I had to find out if anyone had answers and only way I know to post what is happening. THANK YOU ALL - @Liz can you help me with some data tokens since I was legitimately trying to find the drain using screenshots and the community?
your welcome...
With regards to the Hopper, I keep mine disconnected from my HughesNet at all time (I keep both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks hidden/SSDI Broadcasts disabled, as well as changed both the password and network name after the Hopper was initially installed)
Last month I missed the pilot episode of a new TV show so I decided to connect the Hopper to my internet via wifi so that I could download this missed episode...Connection wise, I had no problems...but the amount of data I burned through was MASSIVE.
Needless to say I quickly changed my password and network name (SSID) on my HT2000W.
Most folk just do not realize the tremendous amount of data that all of these different devices, as well as our home computers (desktop/laptops) use on a daily basis. As you are seeing...it all adds up very quickly.
Actually a cable should be better than wifi. Less chance of needing resends over a disrupted wifi channel and a lot more reliable.
Those satellite TV receivers can be bad news. I don't know about Dish, but DirecTV receiver chew through data even if you never watch anything on demand or record anything.
BTW, the screenshots probably didn't use more than 1MB, combined. Each pic is maybe 150KB.
Good morning happytexann,
Glad to see the community's helping you figure your high data usage sources. What Gabe said is correct, screenshots don't take up that much data, and I gave you more than enough data tokens last time. 🙂
Hi,
We reference set-top boxes in our unidentified data usage stickied thread. Anything that connects to the internet will use data, and there are countless things nowadays that can do that. My cousin has a smart *fridge* that connects online!