I am only marginally computer savvy, so I need some help.I have ATT USB plug in for my internet access.In the past few days I have noticed theta on my device and on my ATT on screen internet manager, there is a download and an up load going on on almost continuously, even when the browser is not connected. (it shows up load and downloading with a symbol) It is using about 1GB a DAY in data!How can I find out what is doing this and stop it? Please keep your answers simple, for I am nowhere near a geek.

There could be many things uploading/downloading during the day without you being aware of it - Windows updates, anti-virus updates, other programs checking in with Mother to see if they have updates.But there are only 2 things I can think of that would eat up that much data in a day: automatic backups to cloud or file sharing (music, movies, etc).

HappyKayakers wrote:There could be many things uploading/downloading during the day without you being aware of it - Windows updates, anti-virus updates, other programs checking in with Mother to see if they have updates.But there are only 2 things I can think of that would eat up that much data in a day: automatic backups to cloud or file sharing (music, movies, etc).x2Shut your computer off when not in use, this will help in data usage when you are not using it. If I am very careful, I can get by on a 15 gig plan from AT&T, when we are on the road for a while, 2 months or more, I kick my plan up to 20 gig a month. Then when we come off the road I go back to the 15 gig plan.

That is a great start. Thanks for the super fast reply. We do not stream anything, or file share anything, that we know of. No movies, TV shows etc. We do not use "cloud" services. How do I find these "background" data uses and disable them?

Have you tried running anti malware. i use malwarebytes. It will usually find something that was installed without your knowledge. i run it about once a week. keeps everything clean and fast. There is a free version easily available online.

I am assuming you are connecting your smart phone to your computer and not using the AT&T sierra module. Go into your smart phone app manager and change the settings on updates. On your computer you can change updates to "notify me of updates" instead of automatic updates. Sometimes they will update stuff you don't really want. On my computer I don't use some of the tool bars, or Bing by microsoft so why should I update them. Plus, take your homescreen off the home page like CNN or Foxnews. Use outlook on your computer to check your e-mail instead of going to the ATT site. I check my news on "news myway". I am probably getting too old. Had my smart phone for about 2 years and hate it. When I'm not charging the battery I am swearing at it. LOL. Has some great features but like my laptop better using it with the ATT sierra module and the Verizon Jetpack module. We use about 15 GB a month. DW is going to keep her smart phone and I am going back to a flip phone that I don't have to charge twice a day. BTW I use Firefox, ghostery and adblock plus on the laptop. Amazing how much less data I use and still go to the sites I want to view. JMHO

Unknown Data Use | Good Sam Community

34 Replies

1492
Moderator
Jul 20, 2014
Sometime updates get corrupted, which can cause a continuous download loop in some applications. I also had a recent situation which appears to affect a particular version of Windows 7 x64, though I do have a patch installed. OS updates would not completely download, and would freeze the update install process due to what appears to be corrupted files. I suspect that the issue was caused by a particular API that is commonly used to filter web traffic.

The fix was to close or uninstall the application when downloading updates. But also had to clear out the previous downloaded updates and indexes, and let Windows rebuild it to allow it to re-download the previously corrupted files.

The question may be what caused the downloaded files to be corrupted in the first place? Which assuming its not on the network side, can potentially include any application that filters web traffic data, such as firewalls, AV software, network monitoring apps, etc.
camperpaul
Explorer
Jul 20, 2014
Dog Folks wrote:

-- snip --
They suggested it was likely that a program was constantly updating for some reason. I think they were right.

I had a similar problem a few years ago and I solved it by turning off all automatic updates.
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Jul 20, 2014
Bill.Satellite wrote:
Shut off some programs? Could you give us some details? Did AT&T help for did they just confirm whatever you did worked?

OP here: I do believe it was my anti-virus program constantly updating database files, as I saw hundreds of files that were part of the anti virus program.

As I have no absolute proof, I will not name the program, but it is a popular, well known program costing about $70.00 per year.

When I get to a place with decent, and free, wi-fi I will uninstall and reload the program. Right now, I do not have a lot of data left in my allowance.

Did ATT help?, Yes, sort of. I spoke with the technical department. They checked my usage and confirmed that it was not my device, but the data use was happening.

They suggested it was likely that a program was constantly updating for some reason. I think they were right.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Jul 20, 2014
Shut off some programs? Could you give us some details? Did AT&T help for did they just confirm whatever you did worked?
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Jul 20, 2014
PROBLEM SOLVED.

I shut off some programs, called ATT technical services to check my modem, and all is good again, other than I "lost" about 2 GB in this fiasco.

Th only problem is I don't know exactly what I did, but glad the problem is solved.

Thanks all for your help and suggestions.

You are the best.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Jul 19, 2014
jcpainter wrote:
LarryJM wrote:
You can download and install then run NetWorx which is a freeware program and track the data usage by application daily to see what is eating your data. I have NetWorx monitoring my data usage to see what is using what on a daily basis.

Larry

What is the difference between Networx and Networx Portable? When do you use which one?

I have NO IDEA:h I'm pretty sure I have just the Networx and not whatever the Portable is since I'm running it on a LAPTOP. The only quirk that I can tell is that it doesn't monitor the data use thru like a HOTSPOT on your computer or at least I haven't found out how to see that usage with it. I run my LAPTOP as a HOTSPOT to connect our IPAD to via WIFI when internet access is needed.

Larry
Gulfcoast
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
Install NetWorx on you computer, or download portable to a USB flash drive stick. I use the NetWorx version.
jcpainter
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
LarryJM wrote:
You can download and install then run NetWorx which is a freeware program and track the data usage by application daily to see what is eating your data. I have NetWorx monitoring my data usage to see what is using what on a daily basis.

Larry

What is the difference between Networx and Networx Portable? When do you use which one?
Gulfcoast
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
THANKS for the NetWorx link... it works great.Took me a few minutes to find where to turn the applications on, but I got it.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Jul 19, 2014
You can download and install then run NetWorx which is a freeware program and track the data usage by application daily to see what is eating your data. I have NetWorx monitoring my data usage to see what is using what on a daily basis.

Larry

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Unknown Data Use

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