download limits

[Baz]

are the charges for exceeding download limits just based on the peak times.
Can you not ' borrow ' some allowance from your off peak time 


what does any one use for downloading in the off peak times, like a manager or similar so you can set it to utilise that time.

[Steve]

I get up early 

[Baz]

I get up early 

   I dont 

[Rik]

They're based on when you use them, Baz, and you can't offset peak against offpeak. The allowances reflect the load on the network. To give you more bandwidth during peak hours would cost more. It can be done, but prices would have to rise.

[wecpcs]

are the charges for exceeding download limits just based on the peak times.
Can you not ' borrow ' some allowance from your off peak time 


what does any one use for downloading in the off peak times, like a manager or similar so you can set it to utilise that time.

I use Windows Taskmanager to wake up my hibernated PC at midnight which is then set to run Getright (download manager) and then put the PC back into hibernation when downloads and MS updates are complete. It all works perfectly.

Colin

[JB]

what does any one use for downloading in the off peak times, like a manager or similar so you can set it to utilise that time.

I use sabnzbd running on a linux system to start any usenet downloads in the middle of the night. It is also available for Windows and Mac. If it is any other kind of download I normally call a bash script from cron at the appropriate time.

I use Getright if I am leaving a Windows computer on overnight. (Not often).

[Rik]

I just tell Sue to sit up late and click the button after the witching hour.

[Moley]

I'm having difficulty re: download limit.  Every month I get charged - yet I do nothing different to what I was doing before the "new improved" rates arrived in Feb.  I rang support today and they said to upgrade to ASDL+2 pro - which I agreed to - only to find that my exchange isn't ready for it.  I'm stuffed   I can't afford to keep paying extra every month, yet there is no alternative package for me.  Any ideas?  I don't want to leave Idnet but right now it seems my only option.

FYI I don't download movies or anything, I play WOW, and use Itunes for music - that's it.  Can't understand why I use so much bandwidth.  Have checked my security, I have no viruses - I just don't get it

[Rik]

Hi Chris

Do you take the daily RSS usage feed from IDNet, or check it manually on the customer portal? That would give you an idea when your bandwidth is being used, and how much. Similarly, you could install a metering program on your machine(s) to check usage, though that will include LAN traffic generally. Are you connecting wirelessly?

[Glenn]

You say you have no viruses, have you also checked for spyware/malware?

[Rik]

Hi Chris

I've just spoken to support, you downloaded 4.4GB yesterday, 2GB of which was between 15:15 and 18:45. You also uploaded 270MB.

Unless you're getting a lot of stuff from the Apple store, this screams unsecured wireless network to me, but perhaps you recognise something in that time frame which you were doing?

[zappaDPJ]

It screams Warcraft background download to me Rik Every few months Blizzard deliver a few gigabytes of new content, the latest being 4.45 GB.

That said playing Warcraft and using iTunes shouldn't take you anywhere near your limits. As said above you need to start investigating things.

[Rik]

Thanks for that Zap.

[Moley]

Hi all,
My network is secured and I have a password that's changed weekly.  Only my son connects wirelessly.  And yes I check regularly for spyware/malware and run a good anti-virus (Norton 360).  I'm really at a loss to know what else I can do - all I know is, a few months ago I never came anywhere near my limit and now I'm over it nearly every bill!  Need to get to the bottom of it.  There is a background WOW download atm - but it nowhere near accounts for the current usage.

[Rik]

Your afternoon usage fits almost exactly with the WoW update that Zap mentions, though, Chris. Do you know what your son uses his machine for?

[Moley]

I'll try the RSS feed at least I can see when its peaking then maybe

[Rik]

You'll just get daily figures, peak and off peak, but you can at least see how the month is progressing and what your projected usage might be. What level of encryption are you using on the router?

[Bill]

Need to get to the bottom of it.

At the very least, sign up for the RSS updates of your usage ("Bandwidth Usage" on your account page) and install something like tbbmeter that can separate LAN and WAN traffic.

[Glenn]

Is there a bandwidth monitor available for your router?

[Steve]

Bill can you not use your influence so get a Mac version off tbbmeter as well.

[Bill]

Bill can you not use your influence so get a Mac version off tbbmeter as well.

I've tried... MrSaffron's reply was "Given 6 months of no other work then its do-able for Mac."

[Moley]

My son is at Uni mostly - he's been home for the summer, but most of the time he's not even on his laptop.  He plays XBox stuff, but he does all his updates and downloads on his father's connection at weekends (good scam huh).  He also runs the same virus/anti-mal/spy stuff as me.  My daughter also connects and she's the typical teen - facebook etc - but she swears she's not uploading/downloading - I thought I'd cracked it when she mentioned she rents the odd movie on iTunes but I put a stop to that - and still no difference.

If someone is indeed hacking into my allowance, how on earth do I find out?  I've looked at all my router settings (Linksys fyi) and all looks fine (WPA Personal security mode).  Ordinarily I work during the daytime, just happen to be off this week, and determined to get to the bottom of this before I'm bankrupt

[Rik]

I've tried... MrSaffron's reply was "Given 6 months of no other work then its do-able for Mac."

Can we get him sacked?

[Baz]

Hi Chris

I've just spoken to support, you downloaded 4.4GB yesterday, 2GB of which was between 15:15 and 18:45. You also uploaded 270MB.

Unless you're getting a lot of stuff from the Apple store, this screams unsecured wireless network to me, but perhaps you recognise something in that time frame which you were doing?

just a quick question on this Rik, I thought uploads don't count to usage

[Rik]

My son is at Uni mostly - he's been home for the summer, but most of the time he's not even on his laptop.  He plays XBox stuff, but he does all his updates and downloads on his father's connection at weekends (good scam huh).  He also runs the same virus/anti-mal/spy stuff as me.  My daughter also connects and she's the typical teen - facebook etc - but she swears she's not uploading/downloading - I thought I'd cracked it when she mentioned she rents the odd movie on iTunes but I put a stop to that - and still no difference.

Well, installing the TBB meter which Bill refers to on each machine will give you a very clear idea of where the bandwidth is going.

If someone is indeed hacking into my allowance, how on earth do I find out?  I've looked at all my router settings (Linksys fyi) and all looks fine (WPA Personal security mode).  Ordinarily I work during the daytime, just happen to be off this week, and determined to get to the bottom of this before I'm bankrupt

It's highly unlikely if you're on WPA and changing passwords frequently. Given that we only knew of your usage initially, it seemed an obvious candidate, but now we know that yesterday's use can be accounted for, the best way forward is the RSS feed and the TBB meter.

Does your router list connected devices? If so, that would show you an interloper if you look at the right time.