# Please help me understand internet data usage



## catalekid (Jan 23, 2011)

I am getting ready to move to a place where it seems my only internet choices will be satellite or "hotspots". So I found an online data usage calculator to determine how much data I might need. I used 3 separate calculators that did not appear to be associated with any internet provider. I intentionally overestimated my data usage and all 3 calculators were very close ..... they all estimated my needs at under 5GB per month.

But when I check my ATT Uverse account is says I have used over 60GB and it's only the 13th of the month!! 

Can anybody help me understand this discrepancy?


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

If that is for your smart phone...?


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## catalekid (Jan 23, 2011)

No ..... my ATT U verse account is for my home computer although we sometimes hit it's WiFi with our phones .... out at the cabin I will likely use satellite internet hooked to my desk top computer .....................


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

What operating system do you have?
Do you shut down between use?
Any video watching?


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

mnn2501 said:


> What operating system do you have?
> Do you shut down between use?
> Any video watching?


That was my next question....
Streaming vid suck data like crazy....
Phone are running all time.


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## Hitch (Oct 19, 2016)

60gb is a lot of data usage. You may have someone(s) using your wifi router to access the Internet. Or are you downloading movies ,music, games, etc.?


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## catalekid (Jan 23, 2011)

I watch 12 hours of streaming video each month, use little to no emails and look up information when I need to, maybe twice each week and visit about three websites each time. The only forum I frequent is this one and I chck things here for usually 15 minutes each day. I do not get on any social media at all.

My operating system is Windows 7 (I think) that is the correct answer.


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## catalekid (Jan 23, 2011)

I might add that I do usually shut down between uses.


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## catalekid (Jan 23, 2011)

I just read a short article and, although there are several factors that are considered in the equation, it basically said services such as SlingTV and Netflix use about 1GB for each hour of viewing.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

catalekid said:


> I watch 12 hours of streaming video each month,


 That's 12 - 18 GB right there.

My belief is that you have something running in the background that you're probably not aware of.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

mnn2501 said:


> That's 12 - 18 GB right there.
> 
> My belief is that you have something running in the background that you're probably not aware of.


I use pay as you go metered cell hotspot as my only internet connection. First unless you have some special "unlimited" or video free plan, video is a no-no. Then if you use any kind of modern windows operating system, it does almost constant marketing updates and phone home with stolen data. You need to block all this nonsense with a third party firewall. And unbelievable how many settings you have to manually change and if you do allow updates (not recommended on metered cell account), the updates will assume you didnt really mean it and set them back to default.

But wait there is more, your third party software also likes to chat behind your back in secret and update itself without asking. So good luck. On my win10 mini laptop I block Micosoft updates but do allow Firefox updates. I think it is important to have up to date browser, though with good firewall set to paranoid (along with some common sense), even that probably not super important.


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## catalekid (Jan 23, 2011)

It is very obvious to me that I cannot afford to use the internet at my cabin the same way I have been using it in town. So I believe I will forego the internet entirely and only use the 8gb that are free on my phone. Definitely no more watching any type of video online. The $95 I save on internet and Sling TV will buy a lot of movies on DVD.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

See this thread: https://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/20-unlimited-lte-rural-internet-plan-with-at-t.562280/
There is some question about whether the device is still available -- the last few posts explain how to get it if the web page states out of stock.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

My cell phone uses 1-2gb of data a month.
Most of my laptops devices run 20-30GB per device a month with the video steamers taking 60-100gb each themselves.
5GB today is next to nothing, but it all depends on how you use it and how much background data your devices uses. Every Tuesday your windows PC will download patches, Leave a Facebook page up and browser running and you will refresh the page often. most video streamers are updating 24x7 with something. alexa, google home and similar devices chat downsteam. Even your phone wants to chat on the internet. Start up your flashlight program and it will want to send data to the internet. 
I am at 122gb so far this month.


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

There are a variety of tactics that you can use to limit your data usage. Turn your wifi off on each device when you're not using them, and between uses, to stop vampire programs. Check your data meters and see when processes are pulling the most data. You may have a virus or malware program that is sending lots of data. Your company may also be lying to you. I know Hughesnet often lies to me about how much data I use, because I have my own program that checks it against theirs. Usually I've only used about ¾ as much as they say I have.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

For mobile phones, try no-root firewall from the appstore. YOu will be amazed at how much data your phone sends with even the simplest of apps and how you can block it and still have the apps work.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Heritagefarm said:


> T I know Hughesnet often lies to me about how much data I use, because I have my own program that checks it against theirs. Usually I've only used about ¾ as much as they say I have.


Your both monitoring different data. Hugues is looking at total data sent, that includes all bits coming across the network, were your most likley looking a network traffic, forgetting the packet overhead that goes with it.


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## ergo (Aug 15, 2017)

I wouldn't put it past your provider to be stabbing you in the back, either!


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