Massive Data Loss in just a few days

[LadyoftheLake]

January 1-6. I used 30 GB (all) my data. I've used another 48 GB of Bonus Data in the same 5 day period. Last month I used all my data too plus 3GB in tokens. The previous months I averaged 20GB / mo. I just had to upgrade my plan to 50 GB. Since switching to HughesNet in June I've had to go from a 20GB to a 30GB and now a 50GB plan in 6 months. There are only 2 people in my household. 2 cellphones, 1 desktop windows 7 computer, 1 surface pro that's used maybe once a month and DIRECTV 's newest tower system that I suspect is the culprit. Tech support couldn't help me after 1.5hrs so they're sending someone out on Thursday. We can't disconnect the internet from the system (it's plugged in by ether network) or the TV won't work. There was a DIRECTV software upgrade on 1/4. We were gone all day and managed to use 10GB of data. This is crazy. I wish HughesNet provided a monitor to show where the data was going.December

[LadyoftheLake]

The tech support I'm referring to is DIRECTV. 

[Cjnshaw]

I too have had massive data loss. My husband and I are retired and only use the internet to check mail and search the web. We don’t do gaming or stream videos. Our 20g data cycle starts at 17g-18g(?) and we exhaust all our data halfway through the month.

Interestingly enough we were on vacation for a week and a half and still exhausted our data with 12 days left in the cycle. And for 1 and 1/2 days had no internet at all because of a storm after we returned. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE.

[GabeU]

@LadyoftheLake

Though any device can increase its data usage without us knowing, I'd be willing to bet that it's the DirecTV receiver.  It is advised against connecting a DirecTV receiver to HughesNet as there is no way to control its data usage.  It can, and often does, use data for things other than On Demand viewing, including guide updates, program descriptions, searches and the database for such.  I also suspect, though I'm not sure, that the receiver downloads those instant watch movies you sometimes see in the guide and that are normally downloaded through DirecTV's own dish.  

Again, I would almost put money on this being the cause of your high data usage.  Because of this, I would disconnect your DirecTV receiver from HughesNet.  As far as I know high speed internet, though recommended, isn't required for DirecTV service.  

[GabeU]

@Cjnshaw

If you'd like to troubleshoot where your data may be going, please create a new topic.  If you have a satellite TV receiver connected to the service please see my reply to the OP.  

[LadyoftheLake]

A DIRECTV Service representative came to check out my equipment today. After a recent software update any show/program that you were recording multiple episodes of on one channel now records across all channels including the "on demand" channels which are downloaded not recorded. This includes episodes that you may have previously viewed but now have just become available on demand. This is absolutely ridiculous and since they upgraded me 2 months ago with their brand new tower style receiver I've had to upgrade my HughesNet data package to 50GB which looks like it still won't be enough. The DIRECTV techs had no idea that this was happening either and as of now there is no fix except to pull the ethernet plug from my modem and disconnect DIRECTV from the internet. I feel like I'm going backwards, I finally have the speed to download and watch movies/TV shows without buffering problems but can't because I'll use up all my bandwidth. I live in a rural area with no other option for internet service.

[GabeU]

@LadyoftheLake

I figured this could be what was going on, and it appears, from your post, that it could hit people even more often, and worse, than previously.  

Unfortunately, HughesNet just isn't made for the type of internet that DirecTV receivers need.     It would be nice if DirecTV would take this into consideration and not act like everyone out there has unlimited high speed internet.  After all, the lack of that is one of the reasons some people get satellite TV.    

Maybe one silver lining is that it was figured out fairly timely instead of causing you month after month of headaches.  In addition, your post may help others to avoid the same thing.