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New service already used all of my data

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elkeyfamily
New Member

New service already used all of my data

Just got my data allowance on the 2nd and it's gone. A family of four that shares data on our phones of 10G and we seem to have enough for the whole month. But now with satallite cable and we go through our 10GB of anytime and 6 GB of our bonus in one day. They gave us every reason they could think of for the usage but it doesn't make sense. Then we unhook our stuff and reconnect one at a time and still haven't hooked up direct tv and it's gone-WTH. This internet is for the birds. I wish I had another option instead of the reccomended upgrading to over $100 a month. Never paid that much and don't want to start. We have tried it all now I think our only option is to cancel and go with someone else!!!!!!!
18 REPLIES 18
doughgirl45
New Member

I wish I had another choice too. I have been with them since 2007 because where I live I have no choice. I have upgraded all the way to the top for $140 a month for 50gb day/50gb night and still use all my data before the end of month and it is no faster than the lowest option of speed!
Liz
Moderator
Moderator

Hi elkeyfamily,

Welcome to the community and thank you for your post, we want to address your concerns.

You may want to look into using a third-party data monitoring program to help you pinpoint the programs on your PC that use the most data. Community members have suggested and used GlassWire, so feel free to ask them for tips on using it: https://www.glasswire.com

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.

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deepdiver1
Sophomore

PS: You cannot use a video streaming service, such as Netflix, Hulu, etc. for long unless in SD mode.Watch your Status meter. 
Rich1
New Poster

I have a similar issue.  For the years I have had Hughes net I rarely exceeded my usage GB.  Just pretty much used the web. I have a computer for web browsing with maybe streaming a couple hours of video a month. I also have an iPad, but rarely used it.   I had two family members visit and within a day my GB usage for the  month was gone.  They both had Iphones but neither did any video watching or heaviy bandwidth usage.
I'll look at glasswire but I think Hughes would be proactive if they tested popular devices such as Iphones and Ipads to see if there is any negative impact on their customers.   Hughes does recommend various routers to use, I would like to see the company go further in useability type issues.  
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

From the posts I've seen here lately it appears an iPhone set to use WiFi internet calling when available can use very large amounts of data. Hopefully those with the devices can chime in.
deepdiver1
Sophomore

I agree. Just had four guests with iPhones for the weekend and they were advised not to use video. However my usage went from 150 Mb/day to 1 Gb/day.Do not think they made any calls via iPhone though.
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

Really not up to the ISP to research how much data different devices use, way too many variables. Don't know of any ISP or cell providers that give customers any kind of information on data use by device. Another reason Hughes provides three different meter locations to monitor usage.
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

elkeyfamily,

Regarding one aspect of your post, you had mentioned that you haven't hooked up your DirecTV.  That's good.  Don't.  Of all of your devices, this is the one thing that will end up chewing through your data in no time.  Even if not watching anything on demand (streaming) it will still use all kinds of data with updating titles, apps, software, etc.  Connecting your DirecTV receiver to Hughesnet is a REALLY bad ideas.  If you have done so, I recommend disconnecting/disassociating it.  Again, it will use data like crazy, even when it's off, as it's really only in standby and will still use data.   

Rich1
New Poster

Birddog, I think a "metered" ISP like Hughes has responsibility to investigate customer claims of bandwidth being used in a day when no decernible activity is reported by the customer other than having an iphone turned on in the home?   Hughes relies on customer troubleshooting shared issues and on their own dime.  That's ok to a point but not as complaints mount and frustration grows,  particularly with the premuim price being paid for the service by their customers.  I can understand it if the customer is using oddball browsers or apps and it is unique to a customer.   As you mention, there are a huge number of variables, but there are also a set of internet protocols and standards ISP's have to stick to if they want to grow as a service.   Something seems to be going on compatibility wise with Iphones and Hughes.   Like the elkeyfamily, my bandwidth is gone in a week. When I purchased additional tokens, it disappeared in a day.  I can't afford this at this rate.   The other option I have is going to DISH.  I would expect them to have a similar business model and possibly technical issues being a satellite provider but Dish technical support may have more knowledge on these things.    
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

But the test rules out data leaks.  If the test rules a data leak out, it must be coming from the device(s).  The reps and others can try to help to determine what device is using it and how to lessen that usage, but sometimes that's impossible.  If the particular device is discovered, but the cause isn't, it then becomes the responsibility of the consumer, or possibly even the manufacturer, to figure out what it is on that device that is using the data.  If the data leak test proves a data leak, that is definitely on Hughesnet to fix.

I know you responded to BirdDog by name, but I thought maybe you were open to me, too, being that you responded directly to my post.

Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

Dish, depending on your location, is a reseller of either Hughesnet or Exede.

An ISP's responsibility ends at the modems LAN port.

A Modem Isolation Test is performed to see if the modem itself is causing data usage beyond "heartbeat" levels.

It isn't reasonable or feasible for Hughes to directly support and troubleshoot every device, program and app since the dawn of computerdom.


The following is a repost of one of my replies but I think it will serve as a guide:


There can be many reasons for losing data. In the end though it can only be either on the Hughes end or on the users end,

You should run a modem isolation test to see if it is on the Hughes end,

Here is the official graphic:



Follow the steps above and post screenshots of the before/after usage meter and the disconnect/connect times.

If you find that no usage occurs with all of your networked equipment disconnected we have to conclude that the usage is caused by something within your network.


While the following is a repost I think the steps apply to your situation as well:


In the event that no data was used during that period we can only conclude that "something" "somewhere" within your network is using data. It then becomes a "whodunit" and there are methods to determine that.

Divide and Conquer is the name of the game ... and it is essential.

A typical "home network" looks like this:


It is much too complicated to determine the "leak"

The Modem has access ... but we already performed an isolation test

The Router "guts" have access

Anything and everything with wireless range .. both authorize AND unauthorized devices COULD have access

Finally all wired computers have access.


During the troubleshooting phase the "network" MUST be reduced to the minimum number of variables.

It needs to have the router removed from the equation so as to look like this:

The number of variables has been brought down to a manageable level.


It now is time to download and install some software to track usage and identify what program and what process is or has been running and using data.

For this we need Glasswire:

https://www.glasswire.com/ help/

An important point here .....

GlassWire will only monitor the single computer upon which it is installed.

Later as the router is reintroduced, GlassWire will have to be installed on every Windows computer that is connected to the router


Another point to be made here is that if Windows IS the root of the issue ... it uploads/downloads sporadically .. it may take time to "catch it in the act".

So as to not "torque" the amount of usage displayed by GlassWire we need to change a couple of settings ... we don't need to count (later on when more devices are connected) "local" traffic.

Here are my suggested settings:

(click on picture for larger image)


Understanding the results:


Each computer, one by one needs to go through this process.

Once all wired computers have been "cleared" we can add the router back in to the mix with one major exception .... we have to disable the "radio" ...

We then want to test the "network" consisting of all "cleared" wired devices and the router "guts" to ensure they work well together as a whole.

Now comes the stickey part the re-introduction of the routers wireless function.

Its tough because I know of no software that will load on the variety of devices that CAN connect ... cell phone, tablet and so forth.

On laptop computers you can od course load GlassWire but that still leaves many potential avenues open.

The "Poor Mans" method requires great discipline. ALL devices other than a single one have to be and remain in a "hard off" state and that is not easy to do.

Run that single device over time and monitor usage carefully while still running Glasswire and the "difference" is ... the amount used by THAT device.

Of the devices ... Apple stuff is probably the worst ... VERY large updates on a random basis and the updates are very prone to "break" during download causing them to restart from the beginning ... massive data loss there.

It is essential that the router be properly set up !

Guest access MUST be disabled in the routers internal GUI

No "open network" :  

WPA-PSK [TKIP] encryption at the very minimum m !

Clear all devices one by one with the understanding that the usage may be sporadic.

There are higher end routers that WILL track usage by individual device but these may be out of reach (about $200) for the casual user. That is the only way to be SURE of what is going through a network.




Rich1
New Poster

I wasn't suggesting testing every device since computerdom.   I was asking about iPhones.  I agree Apple updates randomly and without concern about the users bandwidth. Testing compatibility with popular devices  is not a unreasonable expectation is my view.  Particular if the ISP is providing a metered service.  

I understand the Hughes support ends at the modem.  Most issues I have seen recently are either bandwidth usage or speed, common with Hughes but probably rare issues with other ISP's like comcast or DSL.  I'm not suggesting Hughes is in that league, but when you state "ISP's" responsibility ends at the modem, you're implicitly including ISP's (comcast and dsl)  that don't have metered service and the issues that go with that.   I don't compare Hughes with Comcast or DSL   I would compare with Dish Satellite.   Know anyone with DISH satellite andd if there are similar issues.     

Maybe folks who have Iphones turned on in their home and normal bandwidth usage can screen shot their settings and send those out.   

Thanks for the instructions on troubleshooting.  I'm asking visitor to keep their Iphones and Ipad off until I can figure this out. 
 
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

Enabling encryption of the wireless portion of your router will protect against "drive by" connections as well as disabling guest accounts, WPS and all router cloud services such as Remote Access.


GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

Rich,

I don't know why, as I don't own an iPhone, but I have noticed iPhones being mentioned quite often in posts about high data usage.  I have no clue as to what in an iPhone could be using so much data, but it does seem to be a recurring theme. 

There was a computer a while back that had Windows 7 on it and which I used to update for someone every few weeks (they had dialup).  Every time I would update it it would download additional things that I wasn't asking it to do.  It took me forever to figure out that the updates were coming through BITS, but I still never figured out just what it was that was updating.  Something having to do with Windows itself, but I have no clue as to what.  After all of the manual updates were finished, it would continue to update to the tune of 1GB or more, then would finally stop.  It was ludicrous.  I even did a clean install of Windows 7, reinstalled fresh, updated copies of the additional programs, but even after that, it continued to happen.  They now have windows 8.1 on it, and although I still update it for them, the BITS downloads stopped with the new OS.  It was very strange, for sure.  I didn't know about Glasswire at the time, though I don't know how well it would have pinpointed what it was.  It's too bad they don't make something like Glasswire for iPhones.      

Rich1
New Poster

Thank you Gabeu, It wouldn't surprise me if it was the IOS in the phones doing something behind the scenes that are pinging Apple websites for various updates  and check-ins.  I just haven't found an Iphone setting other than the off switch that stops it from wolfing down threw my allowance. At least I think it's the iphone, that is the new variable in my Hughes family of devices.  
I have a set number of users allowed via my encryption, there is not an opportunity for drive by use.    
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

Rich,

I think it might be that it's becoming more like Windows 10 with other devices and such, in that they want to force you to have to update things without any say so.  It's becoming more clear to me as time goes on that a lot of the manufacturers, and even web pages, think that everyone has unlimited bandwidth and/or just don't care that many of us don't.  I used to read a lot of articles on CNN, but now that almost all of them include a video that you can't turn off, I've given up with them, save for the headlines.  I can try to load the article and then quickly disconnect my LAN cable before the video starts playing, but that gets to be taxing after a few times.  And when using my laptop with the router, it's even worse.   

rdpgcv
New Member

Direct TV will eat all your data ,"PPV & on DEMAND" after unplugging all connections from Direct TV to my router it was still hooked to internet and still using all my data. I called Direct TV and come to find out, there is an internal transmitter connecting to your router all on it's own . I got a tech to walk me though turning it off and am not using all my data in the 1st few days of each cycle. IT now lasts all month , " 10 gig plan"  Hope this helps
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

rdpgvc,
Your post throws up a couple of red flags for me.

You are entirely correct in that hooking a DTV receiver to your Hughes system uses data at an alarming rate.

We do need to talk about routers however.

Routers are .... three part machines.

#1: The "guts" of the router itself can and will make a "connection" ... this connection can take a number of different forms:

Auto-firmware updates (or checking for same)

WPS (WiFi ((Wireless Protected Setup)) which has vulnerabilities and should be disabled)

Remotes Access (and any and all "cloud services") which opens a "back door" to the router.

The default username and password MUST be changed from the default values so as to protect the users customs settings and permissions.

#2: Wired connections .. via the routers wired LAN ports .... anything connected by wire has free rein to your connection.

#3: the wireless side of your router .. and perhaps the least understood.

In its default state, a router will allow any device within its wireless range to connect and use data from your Hughes connection .... this is known as an "open network".

Not a good thing .. if someone visits .. their phone, tablet or any other wireless device will connect to its "preferred" method of communication ... YOUR Internet connection via wifi. .... and you won't even know it until the damage is done ... to your data allowance.

Every user with a router needs to understand ... there are TWO password levels ... One for the routers GUI ... the "Guts" and a second that is the "encryption" that needs to be setup on the routers wireless channels.

Without having setup encryption, that generates a wireless passphrase or passkey that needs to be entered manually to restrict wireless connections to authorized devices only .. anything and everything can connect to your network if it gets within range.

Your Directv receiver should NOT have be able to gain wireless access to your internet connection without having be feed that passkey or passphrase.

Please ensure you are not running an "open network".