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ncseamonkey59
Sophomore

High Data Usage

This is my second post on this subject.  I have had HughesNet for 11+ years.  I have 30 GB of plan data.  In the 11+ years, I have never run out of data until this past August.  Since August, I have run out every month and I am now down to 12.8 GB of my November Plan Data and 88% of my Bonus Data.  I usually have 75% to 80% of my plan data left and around 95% of the bonus data.  I have only my computer hooked up to the wireless.  I have no phone, TV, table, etc.  Only one computer hooked up to the wireless - no other devices.  In the past, I have had one computer, my phone and my husband's phone (when he is not at work) hooked up to WIFI and never ran out of data.

 

I have spoken to HughesNet multiple times.  They have replaced the modem and did a data depletion test, which showed nothing.  I will say that since I got the new modem, I am disconnected a lot from the internet.  It reconnects within seconds, but have never had that problem before.  I purchased a Home Tech Support package.  They spend several hours on 2 different occasions in my computer and did a tune up, but found nothing.  Nothing changed after this.  I then called and purchased a package from Geek Squad.  They were in my computer over the weekend on 2 different occasions - 2 different people - for about 4 hours.  Again, they found nothing and there is still no change.  I can literally sit and watch the number on the Data meter drop.  Today, when I turned on my computer at 7:31 AM, I had 47% (14.2 GB) & 88% (43.9 GB) of my data.  I just checked now, 4:04 PM, and my data is at 43% (12.8 GB) & 88% (43.8). 

 

I do not watch videos.  I do not watch TV programs or movies.  I check emails, look at Facebook, and do some GOOGLE searches.  The rest of the stuff I do on the computer is on WORD.  

 

Does anybody have any suggestion of where I go from here?  I do have one thing that I was wondering about - I have my computer hardwired into the modem.  Since my computer is about 15 feet away from my computer, I went to Office Max and bought a CAT 5 wire.  Could this possibly be bad?  I bought it a little over a year ago.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

41 REPLIES 41
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

It's assured that the problem lies with the computer and not HughesNet.  Over 200MB in just an hour's time suggests that.  That's upwards of 2GB or more per day, at least at that same rate.

 

Why both Google and sync-worker.exe are using so much data I can't say.  If you want to try to figure it out...

 

1.  Change Glasswire's options to External as instructed so you're only looking at internet data.

2.  Switch the viewing page from "All" to "Apps" on the upper left.

3.  Spread the left and right sliders out on the bottom so it's including data for the whole day.

4.  Click on Google to highlight in order to show its info.

5.  Take a snapshot of the Glasswire screen and post it, like you did earlier.

 

Then do the same thing again, but in step 4 click on sync-worker.exe to highlight it and show its info instead of Google's. 

 

Those two screens will help to pinpoint both what processes within those apps are using the data and where the data is coming from or going to.  This is precisely what Glasswire is good at doing.

Hi Gabe - 

 

I followed your instructions.  I will post the 3 screen shots of Glasswire that I just took to see if that gives you any indication of anything.  I have also sent SYNC an email and asked about why the high usage just very recently.  Thanks !!

 

APPS - 11-17-2021 - 12.23 PM.pngGOOGLE CHROME - 11-17-2021 - 12.24 PM.pngSYNC - 11-17-2021 - 12.24 PM.png

 

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

"Your Phone" is an app that's built into Windows 10/11, and it's not the type that can be uninstalled, unfortunately, so it's kind of like bloatware if you don't need it.  It's for connecting Android phones to Windows 10/11, though I don't know how or exactly what it does.  

 

Regarding your Glasswire screens, it's showing that the vast majority of your data is from syncing.  Looking up "sync.com" shows that it's a service used for small and medium sized businesses.  

 

Is that Sync program still installed on your system?  The one you mentioned you use for work?  If so, it's very likely that this is what's using the majority of your data.

HI Gabe - 

 

Yes, SYNC is still installed on my computer.  I have no option here - it is what I have to use for work.  I have used it for 6 years, though, without a problem.  I have not heard back from them regarding the email I sent asking if there was an "upgrade" or something that now causes it to use more data. 

 

So, am I correct that in looking at the screenshot below of Glasswire, that between Chrome and SYNC - they have used 759 MB and 1000 MB equals 1 GB?  Is that correct (I am very un-tech savvy).   Add "windows services" of 225.6 MB and the total is 984.7 MB - so that is right at 1 GB of data used.  Is that correct?  Just trying to make sure I understand.  

 

Again - thanks for your time & help.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

No, the total usage from Sync and Google in those pictures is 428.4MB.  The full total of all Apps is 438MB.  If the main page is showing 225.6MB for Windows Services, that's 663.6MB for that and all Apps together.  For the full internet data usage on the computer, and that means everything, click All on the upper left and look at the Total circle graph.  

 

When it comes to what's shown in the pictures from today, in which it looks like there was usage from 7 somthing AM to 12 something PM, Sync is the major data user.  If it's using more than it used to, I have no clue as to why.

Hi Gabe - 

 

I forgot to put the screenshots up.  The numbers I listed above are correct?

 

Glasswire - 11-17-2021 - Windows Services - 4.33 PM.pngGlasswire 11-17-2021 - CHROME - 4.32 PM.pngGlasswire 11-17-2021 - SYNC -  4.31 PM.png

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

WOW.  That Sync is uploading a ton of data.  Nearly 400MB uploaded so far according to those snapshots.  Combine that with the download and that's nearly a half GB just from Sync.  If that's any indication of a typical day, that's upwards of 15GB of more per month just from Sync.  

 

The Host Processes might be a little high.  For the most part it looks like it's related to Windows Update.  I'd check other days for comparison.  This way you'll know if today is typical for Host Processes.  You can click on the date in the top middle to change it.  

 

Google's actually pretty decent.  

 

All in all, Sync is what's hitting your data the most, and by quite a bit.  

 

Edit:  Yes, your numbers from above are correct.  That's nearly 1GB from those three things alone.  Add the rest in and it's likely a little over 1GB.

AND...I had SYNC turned off most of the day - I only turned it on when I absolutely had to.  I have an email to them asking if they have an explanation as to why it is using so much data.  I sure wish I had something to compare what it used before August. 

 

Regarding the HOst Processes - what exactly is that?  I did a comparison and on Monday it was 1.1 MB, Tuesday 60 MB, and yesterday 227.9 MB.  Quite a variance.  But I don't know what that is, so not sure what I am looking at?  

 

Is there possibly another browser that I should use that might not use so much data?  

 

Thanks again - I really do appreciate your patience and help !

Sync does have a browser version, so I am going to uninstall the app and try the browser version and see what happens.  It will not be as convenient or easy to use, but it might solve the data usage issue.  I will let you know.  THANKS !

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

Do you have any Windows Updates that are pending?  I would also check in the Windows Update history to see if there are any recent updates, and even more important, if there are any instances of updates continually trying to install, but failing.  

 

I'd also again check to make sure that Delivery Optimization in Windows Updates is disabled.

I keep my network settings on 'metered connection' and donot connect automatically. That way windows can't update until I let it.

Do you use the metered connection on a desktop or a phone?  

Geek Squad put my Windows Updates on "Pause for 7 days," so there should not be any updates, but I did check and there are none.  The last update was 10/20/2021.  On the Delivery Optimization - is that where it says "allow downloads from other PCs?"  If so, I turned that to "OFF."   

 

I checked GlassWire for yesterday and Chrome used 535.8 MB and Host Processes used 202.9.  I uninstalled SYNC and am using the desktop version, so it is not using anything now.  

 

I have 30 GB in my Data Plan.  If I used to have 75% to 80% left at the end of the month, about how many GBs would you say I was using per day?  

 

Anything else you can think of?   I so appreciate your help. 

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV


@ncseamonkey59 wrote:

On the Delivery Optimization - is that where it says "allow downloads from other PCs?"  If so, I turned that to "OFF."   


That's it.  And if it was on and you then turned it off, this may help.  

 

If you had 75% of your 30GB remaining at the end of the month, that averages 250MB used per day.  

 

You can certainly try setting it to metered and see what happens over the next couple of days.  It may very well help, as it reduces data usage for some processes.  

Hi Gabe - 

 

I will try the metered connection and see how that goes.  I do have one last question.  What is an average/normal number for Host Process for Windows Services?  It seems like one day it is not a lot and other days it is a lot.  Right now it is at 148.3 (11/21/2021 at 10:16 AM).  See below for examples:

11/20 - 41.6

11/19 - 3.0

11/18 - 202.9

11/17 - 227.9

11/16 - 60

11/15 - 1.1

This is very confusing and I am not sure what it even is.  Is there a way to lower the numbers when they are really high?  

 

Again - Thanks, Gabe.  I really appreciate your time & help.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

It's tied to numerous Windows processes.  Updates, diagnostics reporting, etc.  It's going to vary from day to day.

 

Check to see what your diagnostics reporting is set at.  Go to "Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback" and make sure it's set to Basic. 

I checked this and did not see anything that said "basic."  What is checked is "Required diagnostic data:  Send only info about your device, its settings and capabilities, and whether it is performing properly."  Is this correct?  

 

The Host Processes for Windows is using 332.6 MB right now.  Add that to Chrome using 200.9 MB, that is half a GB right there.  I have never used this amount of data before.  I just am really struggling to understand how I went from having both our phones connected to WIFI and my computer and used less than 25% of my monthly data plan of 30 GB for 11 years and now running out of data every month with only 1 computer using HughesNet (both phones are disconnected from the WIFI).  Right now, I have only 3.9 GB remaining.  Having had the computer turned on for not quite 2-1/2 hours today and already used already 0.6 GB, I will run out this month again.

 

Is there anything else I can do to find out what is eating my data?

 

Thanks !

 

 

 

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

They've changed the telemetry descriptions, but yes, that's correct.  "Required" is the setting you want, so you can leave it there.

 

It's still possible that you've got some kind of malware or even a virus on your computer, though it could also be something else, whether running legitimately or not, that's using that much data for the host processes.  Unfortunately, it's a "deeper" issue that I imagined, meaning it's too difficult to diagnose and correct remotely like this.  

 

At this point I see two options...

 

1.  Take it back to Geek Squad and see if they can figure out why host processes is using so much data, or do the same with another computer service.

 

2.  Restore it to factory settings or perform a clean install of Windows, though there's no guarantee that the problem wouldn't reappear, as it may still be something legitimate within the system that's using that much data.

Thanks Gabe.  I was not sure about the terminolgy used, so I thought I better ask. 

 

I orginally bought a package with the service affiliated with HughesNet, "Hughes Home Tech Support."  They had 3 people go through my machine and found nothing.  Geek Squad has gone through it twice without finding anything. 

 

Funnily enough, take a look at this screen shot.  The first shot was earlier this morning, which prompted my earlier post.  I have been moving the slider just to see what was happening.  Take at look at the 2nd screen shot.  I have done absolutely nothing to my computer, so what could this be?  It significantly dropped at 9 AM, but as I continue to move the slider it continued to drop further and further.  As of now, this is the screenshot of GlassWire at 4:55 PM.  ANy idea?

 

Screen shot from 6 AM

first screen shot at around 6 AM 11-26-2021.png

 

2nd shot taken just now, at 4:55 PM

screen shot at 4.55 PM on 11-26-2021.pngI

 

I have no idea what to make of this - doyou?

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@ncseamonkey59 

 

The first snapshot has the sliders set at 5:59AM to 11:59PM, so it's including all data that had been used during that time, up until the point you took the snapshot, which was at 4:53PM.  The second snapshot has the sliders moved to show data used between 4:52PM and 11:59PM, and you took the snapshot at 4:55PM, so it's only including three minutes of data usage.

Hi Gabe -


Regarding the suggestion to make it a metered connection.  I have a data limit set and it appears that I have to remove that in order to change the connection to metered.  What would you suggest?

 

Thanks !