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Thread: EXCESSIVE data usage
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7th March 2017, 08:34 PM #1SENIOR MEMBER
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EXCESSIVE data usage
I run my laptop on site through a Telstra 4G dongle as I have done for the past couple of years. We have started getting emails from Telstra saying that we have used up all of our monthly allowance in one day, and every 20 minutes we get an email to say we have used another GB of data.
This only started on 1 March, and there was even some usage on Sunday afternoon when the dongle was in the site office and I was hundreds of KM away.
If I turn the dongle off then the 20 minute email stop. The dongle only shows 2 connections, one being the laptop and the other the printer. Telstra are of no use at all.
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? The dongle is password protected but I don't know how secure that is, and as above it is not showing any stray connections. Is there a way to see what is being up/down loaded?
Tools
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7th March 2017 08:34 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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7th March 2017, 09:20 PM #2SENIOR MEMBER
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Hi Tools,
Are windows updates enabled?
Maybe it's downloading a large update.
Jeff
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7th March 2017, 09:23 PM #3SENIOR MEMBER
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Thanks Jeff. Yes it does update automatically when it feels like it, but you know when it is doing it as you can't use the laptop for anything else. And it would be a damn big update to be a continuous GB every 20 minutes!
Tools
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7th March 2017, 09:37 PM #4SENIOR MEMBER
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Then as a starting point, turn windows updates off and see if that fixes it.
It might not be that, but at least take it out of the equation.
Cheers, Jeff
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7th March 2017, 09:51 PM #5
Open Task manager and have a look at what applications are running then have a look at processes being used.
The person who never made a mistake never made anything
Cheers
Ray
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7th March 2017, 10:06 PM #6SENIOR MEMBER
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RW, I did that this evening and there didn't seem to be anything with much CPU use at all. I did download a DWG viewer on the day that the emails started, but that wasn't presenting itself in the Task Manager list this evening.
Tools
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7th March 2017, 10:10 PM #7
Get a copy of Malwarebytes from this link, install it & update it & then do a scan.
Malwarebytes 3.0.6 Download for Windows / FileHorse.comCliff.
If you find a post of mine that is missing a pic that you'd like to see, let me know & I'll see if I can find a copy.
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7th March 2017, 10:28 PM #8
Couple of things to try:
- make sure the SSID and password are not showing in the display window of the dongle. The Telstra supplied Netgear dongle does this and anyone can steal the password.
- check to see how many people are logged in to it.
- if your phone is connected, be aware that the phone will do updates as it is connected wirelessly to a network, even though the network thereafter is 4G.
- do you use Dropbox or similar? It can be synching folders, particularly if you just moved them or renamed them.
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7th March 2017, 10:37 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
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Agree with Cliff on Malawarebytes - very good program for finding things that hijack your system. Also suggest download CCleaner (free) which will clear old junk files, tidy up the registry etc. i use both of these programs regularly.
Haven't mentioned antivirus software which I assume you have checked is on and updated and that you've run a full scan after the update.
Your online Telstra account app should show you both upload and download stats (separately) so you can check whether this is an inbound or outbound issue.
If it is inbound, do you have any programs set to auto download movies or other large files?
if it is outbound I'd definitely seek professional help as this sort of activity might (only might) suggest your PC has been hijacked as a server for spamming. If it were me I'd spend a few dollars for the local PC shop to run some diagnostics.
good hunting!
Brian
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7th March 2017, 11:03 PM #10Senior Member
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Open resource monitor from task manager and click the network tab you should see what is using the data in there.
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7th March 2017, 11:45 PM #11Senior Member
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If you have Windows 10 you have to set each Wi-Fi connection to -Metered Connection, pretty sure you right click the network and it's pretty simple from there.
You may also be set to share your updates with other people, this is a sneaky way of saving MS money as it reduces their downloads. Win 10 is evil if you don't change all of the setting to where they should be, I still didn't like it so I went back to 8, which is still my favourite Windows since XP.
As above it could be a virus.
Oh, somewhere in the Control Panel is something like- Repair Windows Update, it get corrupted pretty easily and seems to keep trying the same DL over and over again until you repair. I have no idea why Update doesn't do some sort of diagnostic test before it starts but hey, it's Microsoft, I'm usually happy it works when I hit the on button.
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8th March 2017, 04:59 AM #12SENIOR MEMBER
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Already did that yesterday and it found nothing
Tools
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8th March 2017, 05:04 AM #13SENIOR MEMBER
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The password is visible and I don't know how to change that. Dongle is hidden behind the printer so doubt anyone even knows it is there.
After turning off the printer there was only one connection which was my laptop.
Wifi on my phone is turned off.
We do have a dropbox system and I don't know if it continually updates, but I have had it for some time and the problem only started last week.
Tools
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8th March 2017, 05:06 AM #14SENIOR MEMBER
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8th March 2017, 05:07 AM #15SENIOR MEMBER
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