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Things that use data in the night !

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Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

Things that use data in the night !

One common complaint that we see here in the community is that of missing data and there are a LOT of ways that data can go "POOF".

Besides a computer connected directly to the modem many users use a router to allow multiple connections with other devices.

One often overlooked "consumer" of data is the router itself. Recently I upgraded my router to a Asus RT-AC3100:

https://community.myhughesnet.com/hughesnet/topics/birddog-wish-me-luck


All routers come out of the box with a number of default values set in a confusing number of setting options. In many cases the router manufacturer assumes a true broadband connection and bases its settings more on convenience than the realities of a data capped service where every byte counts.

There were three areas available:


I enabled Network Protection and DNS filtering.

Within a short period those two services used about 1/2 GB in a short period of time.

I thought that was a lot of data for someone on a capped service so I trimmed it down to DNS filtering only. How much could that use? It sounds innocent enough right ?


The router can list usage per "client" including itself (192.168.1.0 in this case):


The DNS filtering function used 476.28 MB in only three days.


There are so many places that data can be consumed that are not readily apparent........ and we have yet to look at the connected devices themselves.

 

17 REPLIES 17
billmiller43
New Member

This is why I stick with my Apple Airport Extreme. My 5/50 plan usually lasts all month. It is truly "Plug and Play", plug it in, start iMac, and in 60 seconds I'm connected! OSX handles all settings.
Reggie
Teaching Assistant

Bill,

You like your Apple products so much are willing to help someone learn how to use theirs?
El Dorado Netwo
Advanced Tutor

Great post, Greg!

More than ever, I'm becoming convinced routers are at the heart of most performance/data use problems. 
El Dorado Networks |Diamond Springs, CA | eldoradonetworks.com
BirdDog
Assistant Professor

Plenty of people with Mac problems also. Nothing is perfect.
dwalker262
New Member

I use Hughes's own router, which they installed. Does that have the same issues? How can I check? Are they in league with the Russians?
maratsade
Distinguished Professor IV

"Things that use data in the night!"  Huh.  I would've said zombies and vampires, for sure.
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

 "Does that have the same issues"

Its not so much of an "issue" as it is an option. If on a limitless service ... not an issue. If on a data capped service users have to have a better understanding of all of the devices that comprise their Networks.

Everything has to be carefully reviewed so as to plug undesired sources of data use.

You should be able to review your routers settings by entering this address into your browser:


http://dlinkrouter

Hopefully your installer changed the default username and password and supplied that information to you.

I would not recommend that you make changes to any settings without obtaining advice.


mahartzler
New Member

Good post, sir! I'm about to change my sleeping habits so I can turn wifi off on my devices (phone & tablet) and reconnect them at 2am, THEN let them update/sync. I've also considered using my smartphone as a "hot spot" to save on anytime data. Has anyone ever tried to use their phone this way? And did it work?
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

"Has anyone ever tried to use their phone this way? And did it work?"

I can't say from personal experience because I live in cellular dead zone. I have to go outside stand on one foot with a moistened forefinger pointed skyward and maybe I can get a broken signal.

Much is going to depend on your cellular data plan and if it allows being used as a hotspot to begin with. Then there are the costs to consider.

With a capped service like Hughes a user wants to be very stingy with what devices are allowed to access the Hughes connection and Cell phones and Directv/Dish receivers are at the top of that list.

Cell Phones just LOVE to do their heavy duty updates when they smell a wifi connection.

It is essential that a user review all the routers settings and delete all Guest Accounts and enable encryption on all wireless frequencies to prevent "drive-by" connections by unintended devices.

We had one user recently that discovered that her husbands laptop (after being booted from the list of authorized users) did an end-around and connected thru the wireless network printer that was also acting as a wireless access point.

  

dwalker262
New Member

Thank you--especially for the cautionary note. It says "you have not yet activated your d-link account," so I will try to do that and set the password, keeping the caution in mind. One thing I've wondered is whether data I use during the 3am-9am "bonus" window will be taken first off my anytime quota. 
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

I would wait on enabling the Dlink account. I only have the quick setup guide for that router but I THINK that what it is referring too is setting up a Remote Access account and I would avoid that.

Lets wait on that one until Monday when Amanda (Hughes employee) pops in or Alan from El Dorado Networks stops by.

Also .... for Gen4 HT1100 modem ... your Bonus Bytes period is 2am to 8am local

(click on picture for larger image)

Your THREE data buckets are as follows:

El Dorado Netwo
Advanced Tutor

We've installed dozens of those D-Link 619L routers for our customers. They work very well - No complaints. Far better than every other router we've used.

Each 619L comes from the factory with it's own unique wireless password, which you can find on the label underneath. The installer may have changed it, but normally should ask you to supply your own password before doing this.

Your MyDlink account password is something completely different from your wireless password. A MyDlink account is supposed to give you remote access to your router settings, and to any attached My-Dlink cameras. However, I have not yet been able to connect remotely through the MyDlink account I set up to the 619L router in our office so this function may not work with Dlink routers connected through a HughesNet connection.

I hope to do more testing to see if I can connect to D-Link cameras remotely once I get one in the office. 
El Dorado Networks |Diamond Springs, CA | eldoradonetworks.com
El Dorado Netwo
Advanced Tutor

Has anyone ever tried to use their phone this way? And did it work?
Yes, if you have a decent cell phone signal, it works. However, Byte Per Byte, cell phone data tends to be more expensive that HughesNet data.

Also, many cell phone service providers will automatically start charging big bucks for data overages without notifying you. At least with the HughesNet system, it simply slows down when you use all your data, and then allows you to buy more data or wait for your refill, but that's at your option.
El Dorado Networks |Diamond Springs, CA | eldoradonetworks.com
Gwalk900
Honorary Alumnus

Speaking of data usage ....

I wish I had a dime for every time I have read a user stating that a given piece of software was set up to only allow updates or access at a certain time.

You just can't trust software to do as its told.

Case in point this morning .. My Garmin GPS updating software.

It have been set not to start automatically but only if the GPS is plugged into my laptop.

It has be set to limit it update time to between 2am and 8am .... Bonus Byte time.

The laptop was "hard off" until just after 9am.

I pull up GlassWire and what do I see ? Garmin updater had ran in the background, despite settings to the contrary and used 47.3 MB.

Its not so much the data used as it is that according to all the settings it shouldn't have happened at all.


GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

Nice post and GREAT info.  Anything that helps to stop that often constant trickling of data is most definitely a good find. 
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

dwalker262,

That mydlink account is nothing more than a cloud based application for remote access for things like security cameras and the router itself.  It's a waste of time.  I have the exact same router (DIR-619L).  Setting up the mydlink account is wholly unnecessary and can actually use and waste data for something that most of us don't use, and for something (remote access and the cameras) that sometimes doesn't even work well with satellite based internet due to not having a static IP (or so I've read).   

Amanda
Moderator

Great post Gwalk! Really shows these little things we commonly overlook now a days. Similar to the "host process" data guzzling that Windows does, combined with the constant Android/Apple app and game updates then add in normal customer usage...well.. Let's just say someone should really work on inventing an easy to use software program that lets you manage data traffic in your home network. 

I'd like to see a program or "thermostat" type device that connects to your router and allows you to see every device on your network. The parent program or device would connect over-the-air to child apps/software on each network device. Each device's installed app, software, program, etc would be restrictable remotely and locally with parental controls and network-wide options. 

Think of using a program called DataNanny (or something) that you can open on your personal computer and view your son Timmy's iPad - what he uses, hourly data usage, charts, graphs and then be able to remotely lock Timmy from using x-amount of data on his YouTube App, what he does that uses the most data, completely restrict whole apps/websites or even set cutoff times for the Wi-Fi connection. 

This is currently somewhat achievable locally on the device, meaning you'd have to pry that iPad out of Timmy's sticky little fingers to make these changes. What I like about my "DataNanny" concept is you'd be able to do it for Timmy, his sister and any connected device in the house at anytime, anywhere, all at once or one at a time.  

Okay, time to take a breath 🙂

Amanda