@Gwalk900 wrote: We see many posts here in the Community related to data useage/data loss. This post is intended to provide some insight in understanding how data is used and reported and what tools you have in measuring that usage. We need to start by understanding that a satellite connection is more complex than a ground based connection. Lets look at one of the major differences: The Hughes Loop: Every bit and byte of usage has to run through the modem. This useage is in three forms ...... >Data used by the modem itself in the form of "Command & Control" otherwise known as Overhead< >Data used in the re-transmission of your data due to failing equipment< >Data used by YOUR devices connected to the Modems LAN port< There are procedures and processes and tools to assess and address each of these. It is important to note that the Modem must remain powered up for the Hughes Loop to remain intact, that all internal Modem logs are retained so the forum Mods are able to use the data to support your issue and that all useage and history meters are updated as of the last modem "sync cycle" with the Gateway. Taking them one by one: >Data used by the modem itself in the form of "Command & Control" otherwise known as Overhead< If you believe you are losing data the first step is a Modem Isolation Test: The steps are straight forward: #1: Take a sceenshot of the Status Meter #2: Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the rear of the Modem NOTE: If you have a HT2000w Wifi Modem the wireless "radios" must be disabled. This is done to insure that all connection paths are severed and the the Modem is truely isolated from everything except the Gateway #3: Note the exact time of disconnect #4: Wait a period of time. Perhaps overnight #5: Reconnect the Ethernet cable (and re-enable radios is using a HT2000w wifi modem #6: Take another screenshot of the Status Meter #7: Note the exact time of reconnection #8: Assess the results: If more than a minor amount of data was used, start a new topic here in the Community and post your disconnect/reconnect screenshots along with times of each. Leave your Modem powered up to preserve the modem logs and the forum Mods will address your issue. This will address any "rogue" modem issues, the first of three items listed at the begining of this post Next we have: >Data used in the re-transmission of your data due to failing equipment< For this we need to start a topic and tag one of the Mods and ask that they run remote diagnostics on your system. It is possible for data that you have sent or requested to have to be retransmitted thereby using excess data. This can be due to failing modem/transmitter or poor aim among other things. Finally the last and most difficult: >Data used by YOUR devices connected to the Modems LAN port< We have to understand "connection paths". These are going to be ALL of the potential ways that devices can access your Hughes Modem and thereby gain access to your data. In the past (prior to the HT2000w wifi modem) things were pretty simple. Nothing connected to the Modems single Eternet port ... equals no connection paths and no data usage: Simple Network: This what we used to have ... one "connection path" to the Modem .. It is more complex than it appears however. That single computer has 65,536 com ports that can connect. That computer has software installed and both Programs that we can see are running and Processes running in the background are going to send data along that single connection path. The modem in turn sends and receives data to the Gateway along with "Command & Control" signals. Command & Control is NOT counted against your data allowance but normal send and receive data is as well as any data that needs to be retransmitted. It can be tough to measure that data because Hughes does compress data where possible and users will benefit from tha compression. Lets go over the tools that Hughes makes available ... there are several. Three "Usage" meters and two "History" meters and each has their own strengths and weaknesses. Usage Meters: None of the Usage Meters are exactly "real-time", there is some delay but not much ... as long as the modem is powered up and connected to the Gateway. If the "Hughes Loop" is broken for any reason then the reported data will not be accurate until the next "sync cycle". The SCC (System Control Center) meter is internal to the Modem and found at 192.168.0.1 Hughes users have three Data Buckets from which to draw data In the case of Gen4 and Gen5 users with monthly plans these Data Buckets are: Anytime Bytes: 8am to 2am local time Bonus Bytes: 2am to 8am local time Token Bytes: If available, used when Anytime Bytes are depleted during the 8am to 2am period All three Data Buckets are shown in the SCC meter The "resolution" of the SCC meter is .1 GB (100 MB) so it subject to "rounding errors" so it will display to the nearest 50 MB. That is OK for general use but lacks detail if trying to track an issue. The second usage meter Hughes has made available is the Download Status Meter: For a number of reasons I haven't upgraded to the latest and greatest but main functions are there. Remaining data in all three Data Buckets, Anytime, Bonus and Token. The Download Status Meter is available for download from the Hughesnet MyAccount page: http://my.hughesnet.com/myaccount It is a utility that installs on your computers systray and may be opened/closed as needed. It too, once at the 1 GB usage level, suffers from rounding errors due to its .1 GB resolution The third and most accurate of the useage meters is the MyAccount meter: This meter can be found after logging in here: http://my.hughesnet.com/myaccount?_udreq=1&tab=Usage This is the most accurate of the three usage meters allowing you to read down to a single MB but you do have to connect to the Hughes MyAccount page to access it. In addition to the Useage meters we also have two History Displays. One is on the History tab of the Download Status Meter: This an older version but the essential points are made ... data per day. The thing is, with three data buckets we have to define "Day" if we are to verifiy and track data usage. The last History display is found on the Hughes MyAccount page after logging in: This last version is step backwards from what we used to have as it lacks the ability to see hour-by-hour usage for the last 24 hour period. This really is essential for those trying to pin down just when something happened. For that as well as to who or what used the data we have to employ other means. Hughes is an ISP, contracted to provide a set amount of data per month. As such they really don't track where a user goes and what they do short of having a court order or suspected illegal activity. They only track usage to the extent needed to meet the usage contract. If a user disagrees then they need to provide a counter argument. Lets look at our single connection path Network: Hughes has their measurment point, Point A and the best place to make our counter argument is at the other end of the connection path ... Point B For that we need to install software such as Glasswire to measure what passes Point B and then compare it to the Hughes Point A value: That brings us to GlassWire, The free version is fine for our purpose. www.glasswire.com Glasswire interface and suggested setup: There is learning curve to Glasswire but here are some tips on how to define and display a period: So we now have a counter argument for usage ... if we have only a single connection path Most user networks involve multiple connection paths ... and data can be used by any of them. While Hughes still has their Point A we now have many Point B's one for each wired device) and even worse we have introduced a Point C ... (router setup and vulnerabilites) and a Point D ... namely every wireless frequency. Now our Network has evolved into something like this: We could and should install a copy of Glasswire on all Windows based computers both wired and wireless but that leaves many many connection paths unmonitored. There have been so many changes lately, changes in OS's, video card drivers that "call home", multiple vulnerabilities in several brands of Routers ... Linksys and Netgear to name a couple. Beyond Ads and auto-start videos we now have HTML5 pre-fetch that is using a lot of data if not blocked with the proper browser extentions .... The questions then become ... Who, What, When and Where? Who? ... what device among all our devices? What? .. what program, process or firmware? When? ... when was the data used? Where? ... where did this devices go on the'net? To be continued ...... I found out by using internet explorer my tokens is eaten up like wildfire. I had a severe loss until I quit using internet explorer.
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