About billmiller43

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled Not so...Smart Browsing. Lately it seems we always use up all our Anytime Data despite efforts to make it last the month.  We are supposed to be able to Smart Browse but we really can't.  If lucky, a web page loads or, like today, get up early just to browse the web on Bonus time.  I have wasted so much time "chatting" about this with Hughesnet agents.  They claim we are Smart Browsing but my Hughes Net Status Meter does not say so as does the poor network perform. ... View more

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 ... View more

Hi marpolo, The difference between all other forms of customer service is that we are at the corporate level. With enough data we can escalate your case to our engineers, who'll make changes to your site directly. However, with no recent information there is not much we can do. Looking forward to your reply. Thanks, Chris ... View more

No issues with mine even after the update.  ... View more

Bill, The reason you get the responses is due to often (not lately) suggesting that a Mac and an Airport Extreme router is the fix to just about any data usage problem.  It's not that you have a Mac.  Lot's of people have Macs.  My neighbor has one and it's a nice computer.  I thought about buying one.  I'm sure a lot of people do.  No one on here is against Macs, at least not that I know of.  ... View more

A decent speed.  ... View more

Good morning kieferr111, Welcome and thanks for posting. Gabe is correct, you can also use the System Control Center to check the status of your data allowance.  We don't have information regarding what used your data, past or present, so 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 If you're a Mac user, I'll defer to the other Mac users here in the community. As far as I know, GlassWire for Mac is still in a beta stage. Thanks, Liz ... View more

Forget XP, most software is abandoning Vista and Server 2008...  Was not a joyous moment when I found out a few packages I used on 2k8 stopped working because they consider it "outdated" -.- ... View more

OleSmokey, The question has been answered on the thread you created.  ... View more

Penny, As Gabe stated "pulling the plug" isolates ALL of your equipment from the Hughes Modem. The Modem can still connect to the Gateway but if no data is being used then the evidence indicates that the usage is occurring somewhere within your net work. Lets look at a "Networked System" that consists of: #1: A Hughes Modem #2: A Router with both wired and wireless capability plus its "internals" #3: Up to four wired devices ... be they Computers, wired printers, range extenders and so on. #4: Wireless devices Here is a graphic depicting that "Network System", and it is a system in the respect that it contains multiple devices and multiple connection paths. When you disconnect the LAN cable from the rear of the Modem you are isolating ALL of your connected equipment. We need now to look a little closer at a Router, what it is and what it does. Here is a functional diagram of a typical home Router. They really are wonderful devices ..... but ..... they complicate things because the are .... multipliers. They multiply the number of WIRED devices that can share your connection They add and multiply the number of Wireless devices that can share your connection. They also add their own "internal connectivity" in the form of the "firmware" chip that is the real brains of the Router and it also does connect in various ways that also share your connection. . So there are three  areas of concern: The "guts"  (firmware), the "Wired" and the "wireless" A router consists of three potential traffic areas: #1: Its firmware/hardware: This would include automatic update checks, Remote Access accounts/vulnerabilities, WPS settings/vulnerabilities and "front end" username/password setup to name a few. #2: Wired LAN connections and the types of devices connected as well as their settings. Specifically end users not understanding the differences between "hard off", "sleep" and "hibernate" as well as other system settings such as Wake On LAN, Wake On Ring and even extending to "scheduled tasks". We need not even go into the details of forced updates and data "sharing" inherent to Win10 and being back ported to Win7/8/8.1 #3: We come to the most difficult to control ... Wireless activity We can start with what encryption level, if any, has been set up. We also need to consider the username and password that limits access to the routers front end so that unauthorized users can add themselves to the wireless users list. It needs to be changed from the default values. We also have the multitude of settings of the many types of devices that can connect wirelessly be they computers, notebooks, tablets, cell phones or even thermostats. It is often not apparent when all apps on all devices have had their update ability turned off. Very frequently an update will cause other settings to change to their default values. Considering the number of "connection avenues" provided by a router it is mandatory that it be included in any troubleshooting steps ... THERE SIMPLY IS NO WAY THAT A DATA LOSS ISSUE CAN BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT REMOVING THE ROUTER FROM THE NETWORK  as a first step in deterring where the data is going. There simply is too much complexity, too many possible avenues of connection with the Router connected at the start of the troubleshooting process. You have to simplify the Network  by connecting a singe computer directly to the Modem .... so that your network looks like (for troubleshooting purposes) this:   Even the above is more complex than what it appears. Each computer will have 65,536 "comm ports". Each of those is capable of establishing a connection and using data ... data from your allowance. The activity on some of those "comm ports" you can see as the result of having a PROGRAM  open such as a web browser .... that uses Port 80. You may also open a web client email program such as Outlook or Thunderbird among many, that you can also see as the PROGRAM  is open on your desktop ... and it uses two more "ports", one for incoming mail and another for outgoing. That is THREE out of 65,536  and that brings us to PROCESSES. Processes run unseen in the background. They will run and use data and you WILL NOT SEE THEM but you will see there effect on your monthly allotment. Each computer needs to be connected directly to the Modem and have its data usage monitored for a period of time to see if it is "clean" for lack of a better term because after all, the Data Has To Be Going Somewhere  so now it becomes a WHO DONE IT. This is the time that Glasswire needs to installed on the SINGLE COMPUTER, the ONLY machine that CAN connect .... and see not only what PROGRAMS  are running and how much data they are using but also the unseen BACKGROUND PROCESSES. One computer at a time, rebuild the "network". one device at a time: 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 minimu 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. ... View more

i purchased 4 16gb sessions this month alone.  modem is 1 month old.  what a waste of money and time.  ... View more

Thanks Gabe!! ... View more

We can only suggest the switch to port 587, since using port 25 will certainly fail because we blocked it. If that doesn't work, we would normally direct you to Netscape support, but considering it's an obsolete program for which official support ended almost a decade ago, you may not find any current info to help.  -Liz ... View more

The Hughesnet modem should have an on/off switch To what end ? You can disconnect by simply unplugging the Ethernet cable from the modems LAN port. Whenever the modem is powered off it will dump most of the stored diagnostic data that can be very helpful when troubleshooting performance or service issues. ... View more

Your "line" IS exclusive to you, however, your beam is not.  With that said, your neighbors' usage will barely affect yours.  The numerous people on your beam (and gateway (and the entire system)), in addition to your neighbors, on the other hand, will.  Your installer could have explained it a little more thoroughly.  ... View more

That RT-AC5300 is one heck of a router.  Sheesh!  It looks like something from Star Trek.  LOL.  ... View more

Glad to hear it farmerhugh! Feel free to drop on by if you need additional assistance. Thanks, Liz ... View more

We're forking your reply to better assist you! Thanks - Amanda Please reference the new conversation here: i have been trying to terminate my service for a year! ... View more

Thanks everybody!  I'm going to check out Thunderbird.  It looks like it might be something that would work for me, and there's nothing wrong with trying it.  I appreciate all of the help and input.  ... View more

 and "gathering information". Should I be nervous?  LOL.  ... View more

The only change IMO that would be needed, is the ability to set a "metered" time period on WIRED connections for when the OS decides to become very chatty and update... ... View more

BirdDog,  Yes, that is the webpage I am recommending for long-term. There is only one issue on that website I know of and it is that if you are looking at the current day, you might see the hours of 12-4AM or something come up in the middle of the day, its just an API issue and doesn't mean anything. By the end of the day it fixes itself. Besides that, everything else should match the Support Center EXCEPT that the Support Center is in local time and the old website is not. The customer care site is the answer to this user's problem. Amanda ... View more

When you are signed in under "Community Workload", does that mean you are really, Really, REALLY busy, as opposed to your normal "Liz" sign on? Haha in this case, yes!  -Liz ... View more

Free version ... 7 minutes ... View more

It is nothing but desert over there coyotes and tumbleweeds.  For the most part flat land and not much rain until thunderstorm season.  Not to mention the worlds largest Beef Steak if you can eat it all it is free. ... View more

Hi Nora Mae Thank you for the update. Please let us know if you see a loss in email service again so that we can help! Thanks Amanda ... View more

Glasswire will only show you data usage on the computer it's installed on, so I would start with one computer/laptop first and observing what connects from that device. As far as checking usage on cellphones, you could download a data usage monitoring app. I haven't seen any that's similar to GlassWire, which identifies specific apps and tells you how much data they use. The only apps I've noticed tell you total data amounts your phone uses, at the very least you'll know how much each phone is downloading. -Liz ... View more

This calculator is good to give some idea what uses data and how much for those who have no idea. Note the toll HD streaming takes, even SD can be costly if doing a lot of it. http://www.cableone.net/Docs/datacalculator.html ... View more