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Ethernet Monthly Data Usage Tracker

B

BallaTheFeared

Diamond Member
Is there an easy way to track it and have it warn/reset each month?

I Just got a pop up in my browser from my ISP stating starting Sept 19th I'll have a 250GB cap D:

Wireless generally has tracking, pretty sure it's built into Windows 8... However I can't seem to find it for Ethernet, which is what I need.

Actually is it possible to track it from the Router? I guess that would be better 🙁
 
BallaTheFeared said:
Is there an easy way to track it and have it warn/reset each month?

I Just got a pop up in my browser from my ISP stating starting Sept 19th I'll have a 250GB cap D:

Wireless generally has tracking, pretty sure it's built into Windows 8... However I can't seem to find it for Ethernet, which is what I need.

Actually is it possible to track it from the Router? I guess that would be better 🙁
Click to expand...

Most routers have bandwidth monitors and reports, but they're not perfect (reset if the router is power cycled, etc) and you need to log into the router web GUI to view them. A more advanced firmware like Tomato/DDWRT should let you set up email alerts or local logging for something like that.
 
If your router supports SNMP you could use a program called wallwatcher, but it needs a dedicated PC to be on 24/7. I did this with a small HP laptop. Wallwatcher takes some configuring though. If your router supports DD-WRT then SNMP would be supported. I used to run rainmeter on the computer too.

Check with your ISP, they may have a usage meter.
 
Bubbaleone said:
This excellent little freeware utility runs in the system tray and is fully configurable. It displays your current session, daily, and monthly bandwidth usage: ShaPlus Bandwidth Meter 1.4

.
Click to expand...

So is this a program that would need to be installed on a per-computer basis? Nice little piece of freeware if all you have is desktop that need to be checked.

If 250 GB is a monthly cap BallaTheFeared, I still don't see that as a problem, unless you are the type of person for which this cap was implemented.
 
ketchup79 said:
So is this a program that would need to be installed on a per-computer basis? Nice little piece of freeware if all you have is desktop that need to be checked.

If 250 GB is a monthly cap BallaTheFeared, I still don't see that as a problem, unless you are the type of person for which this cap was implemented.
Click to expand...

The OP didn't sound like he was trying to track business network bandwidth usage so this app is simply for monitoring a single PC. I don't have a cap but I do have this installed on all five of the PCs on my LAN and it does a fine job. If I want to know what my current session/daily/monthly usage is on my LAN, adding up the numbers only takes a minute.

.
 
Thanks for the program, I'll try it out.

The ISP said they'd warn at certain usage intervals, however I'd rather have my own record too.

The ISP gets to tack another $50 onto the bill if you go over in 50GB blocks, so it's in their best interest to not have me notice! hehe
 
I know what you mean about the caps. They're pretty standard now for most ISPs and they suck but 250GB cap is alot. Mine ISP caps at 200GB and I rarely ever even hit the halfway mark and that's downloading and running Steam games, and streaming TV to my Roku box so unless you're a streaming/downloading maniac 😉, you'll probably be okay. Check with your ISP to see if they provide an online usage monitor. Mine does and I check it regularly via a browser.
 
250 GB isn't that much is it? A couple/few hours of HD Netflix, Hulu or Amazon daily would approach that based on estimates I think I have read. Add in a couple of game downloads or streaming something like mlb.tv and one could reach that pretty easily couldn't they?
 
The problem with a single PC app is that it doesn't catch any data use from smartphones, consoles, streaming boxes, or anything else on your network. The only way to get a completely accurate picture is at the gateway. If you're living alone with one PC you can probably get by with the app, otherwise it doesn't help much.
 
Mushkins said:
The problem with a single PC app is that it doesn't catch any data use from smartphones, consoles, streaming boxes, or anything else on your network. The only way to get a completely accurate picture is at the gateway. If you're living alone with one PC you can probably get by with the app, otherwise it doesn't help much.
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Yes, I would be pretty agitated by this. When I am at home, even my and my wife's phones are on wifi, and most of our TV is wifi as well.

Hmm, do you think that means that cable providers are starting this to get people to go back to/keep people paying for their cable TV service?
 
Bubbaleone said:
This excellent little freeware utility runs in the system tray and is fully configurable. It displays your current session, daily, and monthly bandwidth usage: ShaPlus Bandwidth Meter 1.4

.
Click to expand...

yes i can vouch for this app. i have used it and it allows you to track usage on a per-session, per-day and per-month basis. It can track multiple connections. Very handy indeed. you can also set it not to track usage between certain time periods, so if you get free internet at night..
 
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Ooooo, I have a few friends that would be really anoyed at that restriction, They could use half that on a daily basis.
 
ketchup79 said:
Yes, I would be pretty agitated by this. When I am at home, even my and my wife's phones are on wifi, and most of our TV is wifi as well.

Hmm, do you think that means that cable providers are starting this to get people to go back to/keep people paying for their cable TV service?
Click to expand...

I'm sure that's part of it. I know a few of them also don't count anything rented and streamed through the rental service built into your cable box towards your monthly limit as well.

A lot of it has to do with how profitable they've seen these limited plans work out with smartphones as well. Keep the caps low and jack up the price for more data and overages, it doesn't matter that they're already charging you enough to make a healthy profit giving you unmetered access.

More shameless teleco cash grab, as expected.
 
Mushkins said:
I'm sure that's part of it. I know a few of them also don't count anything rented and streamed through the rental service built into your cable box towards your monthly limit as well.

A lot of it has to do with how profitable they've seen these limited plans work out with smartphones as well. Keep the caps low and jack up the price for more data and overages, it doesn't matter that they're already charging you enough to make a healthy profit giving you unmetered access.

More shameless teleco cash grab, as expected.
Click to expand...

WIFI is what keeps my data so low it doesn't even show up on the phone's graph. If my local provider started doing this, and based usage on the aforementioned items, I would go DSL, slower speed notwithstanding.
 
ketchup79 said:
WIFI is what keeps my data so low it doesn't even show up on the phone's graph. If my local provider started doing this, and based usage on the aforementioned items, I would go DSL, slower speed notwithstanding.
Click to expand...

My favorite is how Verizon blanket sends out FiOS advertisements in the mail almost daily. I wonder how much money they waste sending those to all the addresses they clearly know aren't eligible for service because they never (and have no intention of) ran the lines. Yeah, yeah, I know it's really a sleazy marketing tactic to get people to call in and still try to sell them other services, but still.
 
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