Samknows Whitebox usage

Due to a configuration issue with my mail server I've had to reassess what is using my internet connection. My mail was the biggest problem (redirecting spam to no-one, instead of rejecting it at the RCPT command) but it also turns out that my Samknows whitebox was download 2GB a day! It seems to have changed around September. At least something did when my typical usage jumped from 10GB a month to 60GB a month. And for sure disconnecting the box has dropped me from 2.5GB a day to 0.3GB yesterday.

Suffice to say I'm now out of that programme :-/

Edited by Andrue (Fri 10-Jan-14 10:06:13)

Just looked at ours (we never look at it lol) and your right. 61.5GB just on the Samknows box last month. However it seems it changed for us a few months ago. SNMP traffic from our Cisco interface.

http://tinypic.com/r/2s8gtut/5

In reply to a post by Adam3k:

Just looked at ours (we never look at it lol) and your right. 61.5GB just on the Samknows box last month. However it seems it changed for us a few months ago. SNMP traffic from our Cisco interface.

http://tinypic.com/r/2s8gtut/5

The phrase OMFG springs to mind. A couple of GB A month is fair enough just to have a record of testing and to 'do our bit' to help map the state of UK ISPs but 60GB is half my allowance!

Even on an unlimited connection that seems like excessive usage - especially as they haven't sent anything out to say that the change was happening. I find the stats to be good but if it is using that much data I am not convinced it is for the "general good" anymore as it is just adding to the load on providers.

Hmmm - worrying. I don't have a way to tell how much data is being used by the box, so I'm not sure how mine has changed.

Samknows says this:

NOTE: The Whiteboxes download approximately 3GB per month and upload around 1GB if you�re on a sub-50Mbps product. For products faster than 50Mbps the usage volume is higher and varies by product speed. If you�re on a product with a low usage cap then we�d advise against signing up, or at least informing us beforehand so that we can apply a different testing profile.

I'm sure that's a change from when I signed up, when it was a flat 2GB per month.

Has anyone asked Samknows what the amount should be for these higher speeds?

In reply to a post by ian72:

Even on an unlimited connection that seems like excessive usage - especially as they haven't sent anything out to say that the change was happening. I find the stats to be good but if it is using that much data I am not convinced it is for the "general good" anymore as it is just adding to the load on providers.

I just looked, and it seems that Samknows did indeed send out an email update, which says the following:

We are writing to inform you of a change to our testing that will enable us to more accurately capture the speed of your connection starting from November 1st.

The reason we're letting you know is because the improved tests will consume more data. For users with a connection speed of 30 to 50 Mbps, the tests will use up to 5GB per month. For users with a connection speed of over 50 Mbps, the tests will use from 25GB per month, depending on line speed.

This won't affect you if you have an unlimited data plan. If you're unsure about your data allowance, please contact your ISP. Remember, SamKnows Reporting works best when users remain anonymous to ISPs, so please don't mention the Whitebox when speaking to your ISP.

I unplugged my box a few months ago. Cellpipe + Router + Samknows Box was just too much clutter!

Hmm, could just be my bad memory then, maybe I got the email and deleted it as I am unlimited and therefore not affected. But, 5GB is a lot different to 60GB if that is indeed what it is now churning through - I've got nothing setup to allow me to check.

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

I just looked, and it seems that Samknows did indeed send out an email update, which says the following:

I don't have any recollection of that but perhaps I just saw Samknows and hit delete :-/

I had no recollection either but I regularly delete the monthly "scorecard" emails as I have the Android App installed on my smartphone when I am concerned about performance.

Strange how the Samknows tests always give upstream and downstream speeds pretty much at full speed. Not complaining!

SNMP on the Cisco port its connected to...

30 Days - http://tinypic.com/r/2ytqj9x/5

2 Days - http://tinypic.com/r/s2tirb/5

Its a busy little thing!

I can't recall getting any notification either.

I got into the habit many years ago of archiving any e-mail that I might have reason to want to refer to (it's helped on a number of occasions) and the only things I have from SK is the initial connection correspondence and the monthly report cards.

I'm on unlimited and only just over 50 Mbps anyway, so not particularly fussed, but I'm sure it's not something I would have forgotten about if I had received.

In reply to a post by idb:

I got into the habit many years ago of archiving any e-mail that I might have reason to want to refer to (it's helped on a number of occasions) and the only things I have from SK is the initial connection correspondence and the monthly report cards.

Likewise.

I found the email - 28th Oct 2013.

I'm on unlimited and only just over 50 Mbps anyway, so not particularly fussed, but I'm sure it's not something I would have forgotten about if I had received.

I'm only 48 Mbps on average, so I suspect I'm on the lower testing plan, which I wouldn't notice.

I also have the Linksys box, which is black, not the newer TP-Link whitebox.

Edited by jchamier (Fri 10-Jan-14 20:30:58)

In reply to a post by idb:

I got into the habit many years ago of archiving any e-mail that I might have reason to want to refer to (it's helped on a number of occasions) and the only things I have from SK is the initial connection correspondence and the monthly report cards.

I delete mine but I never purge the Trash folder. I've got emails going back nearly four years in there. I can see my Samknows sign-up emails and all the report cards but no notification. Admittedly that was during my recent rather hectic job hunting session but still - I don't think I ever got one.

Edited by Andrue (Fri 10-Jan-14 20:41:32)

The email content varies, mine made no mention of the usage varying based on connection speed.

At the time I had sky fibre connecting at 40Mbit

The reason we're letting you know is The reason we're letting you know is because the improved tests will consume more data (an extra 2.5GB per month). As such, this may affect your billing if you are on a package that does not have an unlimited data allowance. If you're unsure about your data allowance, please contact your ISP. Remember, SamKnows Reporting works best when users remain anonymous to ISPs, so please don't mention the Whitebox when speaking to your ISP.

I pretty much keep all my emails, I don't have any such email from them.

The last bit of the e-mail disagrees a bit with their web site which states -

"By using this system, you�ll know about problems with your Internet connection even before your ISP. You can also send the data to your ISP to help them quickly identify and fix any issues."

Makes it a bit less useful if you can't tell the ISP the source, and accuracy, of the data.

In reply to a post by WWWombat:

I just looked, and it seems that Samknows did indeed send out an email update, which says the following:

I didn't get that email. Very odd.

I still have the older Black Linksys box, I remember getting the email though, and like you am on unlimited so not worried, and have never checked how much it is actually using, although I have just set up monitoring it just to see,

I got the email and read it, not a problem as I'm on unlimited usage.

I also received the email - however not worried as on an unlimited service, however I have had an email from Samknows suggesting that I refer to the Samknows box when referring to line problems with the ISP. However the ISP rep had no understanding of what the Samknows box did or what it was.

In reply to a post by DRW:

However the ISP rep had no understanding of what the Samknows box did or what it was.

Not at all surprising.

I did too although for some reason it had been flagged as junk which is why I missed it.

Just as an update to this, with my SamKnows old blackbox, I've been monitoring it since 11/01 and it is up to 10.2 GB in 10 days, but the daily range is from 244 MB to 1.7 GB