# Data disapears in days Please Help!!



## ar_wildflower (Jan 2, 2010)

We got new internet service with Excede in January. The 1st month was great. We loved the speed. We only used like 3 of our available 10 gigs of data. Then in Febuary in like 4 days the data was all gone. We called they said well we can give you 5 gigs one time forgiveness. They were gone in a day. We didn't change any usage habits and the computer is locked by a password so the kids weren't using it up late at night or anything. We called Excede which said that we proably had a virus that was robbing our data. We have no wifi or wireless router, its the satelite-to cable- to the motem- to the computer. So #1 is that possible, can hackers steal data from a satelite connection with no wireless router? #2 could it be that 50 plus updates that blessed microsoft auto updates on our computers? #3 Can I uninstall those updates with out hurting anything. Please help, I am so frustrated!!


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

You didn't say, but I assume you are running Windows. Windows does not come with the native ability to monitor network traffic on a per-application basis. If you are using Linux then you could run top, but there is no Windows equivalent to top.

You have a few options.

1) You could watch the light on your computer that flickers when there is network traffic. You should also have the Task Manager open at the same time looking at the Processes tab. End applications one at a time while monitoring the network activity light, starting with the most probable culprits first.

2) Consider downloading and installing Fiddler, which is a freeware application that monitors network activity by application. It provides a text output for you to analyze. You can use that data alone, or to do step 1 more effectively.

3) Consider a graphical application like NetBalancer, which is a commercial application similar in function to Fiddler but with an easier to analyze graphical output. It costs about $30.

4) Take your computer to a professional. With the data plan you have and your current data usage, a computer repair bill will pay for itself pretty quickly.

You might also take the advice of your ISP provider and scan for viruses, but I suspect this is more likely some kind of malware. I suggest scanning with Spybot Search & Destroy, which is free. Be sure to run Spybot as administrator, don't forget to immunize, and if it offers to run it again on the next boot I recommend that you do it.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I also have Exede. Yes, the automatic updates can be a huge bandwidth hog. I turn them off when possible. My primary computers sit next to the modem, and when the second light from the top is flashing, there had better be something I am doing to use the bandwidth.

As Nevada suggests, Fiddler can help find issues within the browser. I also use "Look At Net" but that is too complex for you.

One of the best things you can do is change your hosts file to one that excludes the known advertising hogs and malware sites. The next two things to do are to use Firefox and install the No-scripts and Ad-block-plus add ons. I have five days left in my period and have only used 25% of the ten gig monthly allotment amount.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Harry Chickpea said:


> One of the best things you can do is change your hosts file to one that excludes the known advertising hogs and malware sites.


Spybot's immunization feature automates that.


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## Manny (Dec 26, 2003)

Here is a handy little program that I use.

http://www.shaplus.com/bandwidth-meter/


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## ar_wildflower (Jan 2, 2010)

Thank You, all, for the help. I am using a computer away from home for the weekend. I will put all your info to work Monday and give you a status report.


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Harry Chickpea said:


> I also have Exede. Yes, the automatic updates can be a huge bandwidth hog. I turn them off when possible. My primary computers sit next to the modem, and when the second light from the top is flashing, there had better be something I am doing to use the bandwidth.
> 
> As Nevada suggests, Fiddler can help find issues within the browser. I also use "Look At Net" but that is too complex for you.
> 
> One of the best things you can do is change your hosts file to one that excludes the known advertising hogs and malware sites. The next two things to do are to use Firefox and install the No-scripts and Ad-block-plus add ons. I have five days left in my period and have only used 25% of the ten gig monthly allotment amount.


How do you change the host files?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

haley1 said:


> How do you change the host files?


Spybot will do it for you when you immunize. But you can edit the hosts file manually with Notepad. Run Notepad as administrator, and don't fool with it unless you know what you are doing. It's located at:

c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Linux also has a hosts file, located at:

/etc/hosts


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

If you want to change hosts file, I strongly like this one:
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

Read the instructions with the # at the front of the line (you can leave them in, the # tells browsers not to read the line) Pay special attention to:
# *This file must be saved as a text file with no extension.* (This means that the file name should be exactly as below, without a ".txt" appended.)


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## ar_wildflower (Jan 2, 2010)

Well, I tried opening task manager and exiting each program as i watched the usage lights flicker. I could only guess what the programs were based on the abbreviated names. I closed several with no change then i closed something important cause the whole thing shut down.:smack So i went and changed my updates to ask first and we have been back up for about 3 days with light usage and we haven't used any data yet. I hope this is the end of it. Again I thank you all for the help.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Harry Chickpea said:


> Pay special attention to:
> # *This file must be saved as a text file with no extension.* (This means that the file name should be exactly as below, without a ".txt" appended.)


Selecting text file as the file type will force the .txt file extension. Don't save the hosts file as a text file, save it as "All files" for the file type.


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## rockrdude (Jul 18, 2012)

I use Exede, and for the last 2 months, my bandwidth has been sucked away when I used little to none. Two months ago it happened when I was up late at night, so I decided to take advantage of the unmetered "Late Night Free Zone". But, all of the bandwidth I used that night counted against my monthly allotment even though it was not supposed to. I gave them hell, and I finally got them to give me my bandwidth back. (This has also happened to many other users.)

Then, this past month, I had an internet outage for a few hours. When my internet service came back online, I was missing 9 of my 10 gigs of bandwidth. I had checked my usage shortly before the outage. I gave them hell again, and they gave me all of my missing bandwidth back.

Their online forums and Facebook feeds are loaded with people having similar issues. The problem is NOT you nor your computer. Users that used maybe 3 gigs a month are now blowing through their 10-15 gigs in a few days, even when their usage is light.

Their bandwidth usage meters simply do NOT accurately reflect the data you are using!

Oh, and a few days ago, the 9 gigs of bandwidth they replaced somehow got added to my account again so they gave me 18 gigs. It matters not, since now the bandwidth meter shows me having not used any days for over a week now. (I informed them of this issue as well, and received no response.)

Exede is great... when it works. But their bandwidth limits stink, and they cannot properly track the actual usage of their customers.

When your bandwidth goes missing, go onto their Facebook page and make a big stink of it publicly, but be firm and polite. It is the fastest way to get a proper response and a quick resolution.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I agree that the Exede usage monitors have problems. I've been three days and not seen an increase in use over my last report, even though I've done a couple of videos, some Pandora, and so on.

I also had an issue with the late night free zone not working when I first signed up. Gave them the info they wanted, they gave credit, and fixed that. The focus of the parent company is on military, and I tend to give them a little slack as long as they aren't too out of line.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

We have Hughesnet (satellite service).

Disable everything that likes to "update", especially the data hog Windows update.

NEVER EVER even think about using Google Chrome... been on sat for ten years or more and have slaughtered most of the data beasts I've come across. Better half started eating the bandwidth, and found it was Google Chrome sucking us dry.

Does Excede have native monitoring tools? I have two separate desktop icons in my 'tray' that monitor usage, one graphic, one numeric. Also keep "Down2Home" running... I can see if I'm downloading/uploading data at a glance. IF there's activity, and I didn't authorize it, I start figuring out who's the culprit, and kill that program.

One of the reasons I chose Hughesnet over Excede or Wild Blue, is the 24 hour FAP penalty, instead of the rest of the month like the other services. It's bad enough going into bandwidth purgatory (worse than dialup) for a day... can't imagine a month. Also get a 'get out of trouble' token free each month. Or you can buy one cheaply, get out of purgatory and start surfing again.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Exede has a bandwidth monitor, and I have a router that also tracks usage, so I'm pretty covered.


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