Where is my Data Going???

I recently received a warning from my ISP (Plusnet) that I was approaching my allowance limit, 40Gb. I was somewhat surprised. I was horrified when they told me that I had downloaded 19Gb in one day (Sat 22nd Oct) and that 12Gb of that between 5pm and 6pm.

I contacted them but they assured me that I had actually used this amount.

On Saturday last, I installed Thinkbroadband metering on all my computers. This morning, I thought I would check yesterday's usage. It was 175Mb which seemed about right to me. When I checked with Plusnet, they were showing 975Mb!! I was out for most of the day.

My security:
1. All the computers in the house have are tied to the router by their MAC addresses.

2. I have changed the SSID and made sure that it is not transmitted.

3. There is only one computer using wireless, the other two are connected over the hard-wired LAN.

Seeing as Plusnet are going to charge me £1 per Gb over my limit, I am really at a loss as to how their monitoring systems and the thinkbroadband system can show such a disparity.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks

As a first step I'd switch off the wireless at the router. The chap with the wireless connection will just have to suffer until it can be ruled in or out as the problem.

What are they using the computers for? Catch up TV from BBC, ITV, etc. can easily ramp up massive figures.

Thanks I will try that. There are only two users in the house and my wife can always plug in my LAN cable.

We don't watch any live TV, mainly just browsing, Facebook and email etc. I do sometimes download films but certainly didn't on 22 Oct and definitely not yesterday.

Cheers

Dave

Which modem/router are you using? Some maintain their own statistics of data sent/received.

It's a Netgear N150 WNR1000.

I've just purchased another LAN cable so have turned the wireless off.

Cheers

Dave

Post deleted by john2007

Page 88 of the user manual (from http://support.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8473 ) shows that statistics in packets sent/received are maintained individually for each of WAN (to/from ISP), LAN1-4, and WLAN (wireless LAN).

It's worth keeping an eye on that, especially if you leave your router switched on permanently.

This is the post I deleted. The pdf name indicated another model but the contents of the pdf do appear to document your model

I would ask then how would / could you you download 12G in around 1hr.. Given you speed of servce is that actually possible. I think not.

In reply to a post by iand:

I would ask then how would / could you you download 12G in around 1hr.. Given you speed of servce is that actually possible. I think not.

I don't think it's possible either but Plusnet assure me that they can't have made a mistake. I am also disputing yesterday's figures from them.

This is their analysis in Mb for the time between 1900 and 2100 yesterday
1900-2000 Upload 156.3324, Download 29.0946
2000-2100 Upload 156.3324 Download 29.0946

Notice that the amounts are absolutely identical!!! Bearing in mind that both my wife and I were using our laptops during this period, what do you reckon the chances are of this happening?

I have virtually told them that their data is pretty worthless; waiting for a reply.

Cheers for your comments.

I would ask then how would / could you you download 12G in around 1hr.. Given you speed of servce is that actually possible. I think not.

I don't think it's possible either but Plusnet assure me that they can't have made a mistake. I am also disputing yesterday's figures from them.

I'd press them harder on that - what's your sync speed? 12G in an hour is 26.7Mbps - plausible on FTTC but a bit of a stretch for ADSL