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Comcast Internet 1TB limit...

TheDayMan

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Anyone with Comcast internet all of the sudden having trouble staying under it? I never had an issue until last month, believe the cap started for me last July. Even with using streaming TV services (since before this started) I never came within 200 gb of it.

Last month the new variable was an Amazon TV stick, after a little research I found that the stick likes to constantly download shit in the background, and knowing that I'm probably the only one who would remember to make it sleep after use, ditched that assuming that's what it had to be. Now again, in a short month, I'm on track to go over again. Usage hasn't changed, don't really know what else to do... I have no interest in paying almost double for the same internet to do away with the limit that they recently decided to implement, especially if I can't find a reasonable explanation as to why I'm all of the sudden using more data.

Found some forums where other people have had similar issues, had a tech come out, and they still can't figure out what it is. I avoid having to contact those guys, so hoping maybe someone here has a similar experience they resolved.
 

WizardHawk

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Anyone with Comcast internet all of the sudden having trouble staying under it? I never had an issue until last month, believe the cap started for me last July. Even with using streaming TV services (since before this started) I never came within 200 gb of it.

Last month the new variable was an Amazon TV stick, after a little research I found that the stick likes to constantly download shit in the background, and knowing that I'm probably the only one who would remember to make it sleep after use, ditched that assuming that's what it had to be. Now again, in a short month, I'm on track to go over again. Usage hasn't changed, don't really know what else to do... I have no interest in paying almost double for the same internet to do away with the limit that they recently decided to implement, especially if I can't find a reasonable explanation as to why I'm all of the sudden using more data.

Found some forums where other people have had similar issues, had a tech come out, and they still can't figure out what it is. I avoid having to contact those guys, so hoping maybe someone here has a similar experience they resolved.
Shit, I didn't even know there was a cap. Just checked and we've never gone over 200g in any month and we do some streaming and a ton of online gaming. Looks like they say we have two courtesy months where you can go over and not get charged more. I take it you have long since burnt that up?
 

TheDayMan

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Shit, I didn't even know there was a cap. Just checked and we've never gone over 200g in any month and we do some streaming and a ton of online gaming. Looks like they say we have two courtesy months where you can go over and not get charged more. I take it you have long since burnt that up?
No, we've never come within a couple hundred gigs of the cap until last month. So I still have one more free month, but it's looking pretty close so far with just 28 days this month, so I'm hoping to figure it out before the next cycle starts.
 

TheDayMan

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When I saw they were adding a cap last summer I figured it might be an issue considering i had recently switched to streaming tv, but it never was, until now at least.
 

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Can you rule out the possibility of an unauthorized user on your network? Try changing your password. Also, if any of your hardware is provided by your provider you might want to request to have it replaced.
 

WizardHawk

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What router are you using or are you simply plugging everything in directly to their modem/router?

Give the exact model number, even if it's directly through their equipment. There is often a way to check bandwidth via traffic monitoring on that equipment.

And/or it might be possible to block all traffic not coming from specific machines on your network which would neutralize any unauthorized usage.

Check your own machine usage via performance monitoring. (under task manager) and verify you don't have some crazy process on your own machine running nuts. After a fresh boot look at your traffic going through your own network card with no other software open and see if you aren't having some sort of windows update storm or bot/virus/malware activity.

I've had several machines doing bandwidth storms the last couple of years and in EVERY case it was Windows 10 going bat shit crazy on constant update bullshit. There are ways to disable windows update on 10, but it involves registry edits to completely shut it off. If you suspect you have those issues you can sometimes find relief by telling windows you are on a metered internet connection. Easy to look that up.
 

TheDayMan

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Can you rule out the possibility of an unauthorized user on your network? Try changing your password. Also, if any of your hardware is provided by your provider you might want to request to have it replaced.
I suppose I can't completely, but I doubt it.
 

TheDayMan

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What router are you using or are you simply plugging everything in directly to their modem/router?

Give the exact model number, even if it's directly through their equipment. There is often a way to check bandwidth via traffic monitoring on that equipment.

And/or it might be possible to block all traffic not coming from specific machines on your network which would neutralize any unauthorized usage.

Check your own machine usage via performance monitoring. (under task manager) and verify you don't have some crazy process on your own machine running nuts. After a fresh boot look at your traffic going through your own network card with no other software open and see if you aren't having some sort of windows update storm or bot/virus/malware activity.

I've had several machines doing bandwidth storms the last couple of years and in EVERY case it was Windows 10 going bat shit crazy on constant update bullshit. There are ways to disable windows update on 10, but it involves registry edits to completely shut it off. If you suspect you have those issues you can sometimes find relief by telling windows you are on a metered internet connection. Easy to look that up.
I'm not using their stuff, but I don't know what kind of modem and router I have without looking. Thanks for all that, I'll look into it.
 

WizardHawk

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I'm not using their stuff, but I don't know what kind of modem and router I have without looking. Thanks for all that, I'll look into it.
Really curious to see what your PC(s) are showing for Ethernet usage with nothing open. Right now mine is bouncing around from 0 to maybe 24Kbps. There's always some minor traffic, but storms using up that much data should stand out like a sore thumb.

Again, just open task manager, performance tab, and click on Ethernet. If you just booted up wait like 10 minutes and don't have anything else open and see what your current usage is. If it's high click the link at the bottom for Open Resource Monitor and under the Network tab is a full list of what is actually using your bandwidth at that moment. Let us know what is using a lot.
 

TheDayMan

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Really curious to see what your PC(s) are showing for Ethernet usage with nothing open. Right now mine is bouncing around from 0 to maybe 24Kbps. There's always some minor traffic, but storms using up that much data should stand out like a sore thumb.

Again, just open task manager, performance tab, and click on Ethernet. If you just booted up wait like 10 minutes and don't have anything else open and see what your current usage is. If it's high click the link at the bottom for Open Resource Monitor and under the Network tab is a full list of what is actually using your bandwidth at that moment. Let us know what is using a lot.
I'm not connected to a cable, so under wifi it seems to be all over the place between sending and receiving, looking at it now it's pretty idle at 0, occasional Spike to 40, think I saw send hitting up around 120 when I opened it. A couple of the svchost.exes are using the most, everything but one or two of those will pop in and out. Doesn't seem out of the ordinary, unless I'm missing something.
 

WizardHawk

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I'm not connected to a cable, so under wifi it seems to be all over the place between sending and receiving, looking at it now it's pretty idle at 0, occasional Spike to 40, think I saw send hitting up around 120 when I opened it. A couple of the svchost.exes are using the most, everything but one or two of those will pop in and out. Doesn't seem out of the ordinary, unless I'm missing something.
Naw, if you are talking 120k that's literally nothing. To get what you described it would be megabits per second and pretty steady.

As someone else posted you might want to change your wifi password and also verify some other device in your house isn't going nuts like a rogue background app on your phone.
 

TheDayMan

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An update. I was able to stay just under last month, so I still have one curtesy month to go over. It’s still early this month, but it looks like we’re on track to be in the 800 range we were in since switching to streaming tv and before this issue. I did change my WiFi passwords, actually just reset the whole network all together, but I didn’t see any unknown devices connected when I checked a few times before resetting.

I think the culprit might have been google home. I got one of those little google speakers as a gift, unplugged it mid last month thinking it was the only new variable I hadn’t addressed. From what I could find with a quick google search, they aren’t supposed to eat a bunch of data, but who knows. I’m sure Alexa isn’t supposed to randomly laugh at you too...

Still early in the month though, hope I’m not getting ahead of myself.
 

TheDayMan

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Holy fucking shit. Apparently the issue isn’t fixed, I have now hit my second courtesy month, just magically picked up 300 gb/month somewhere between December and January. After bitching at Comcast for 40 minutes the best advice they can offer is pay $50 extra for unlimited to avoid the $30 overage fees that will no longer be credited after this month. :L

God, I can’t wait for Elon Musk to get his little internet satellites up there...
 

HaroldSeattle

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Holy fucking shit. Apparently the issue isn’t fixed, I have now hit my second courtesy month, just magically picked up 300 gb/month somewhere between December and January. After bitching at Comcast for 40 minutes the best advice they can offer is pay $50 extra for unlimited to avoid the $30 overage fees that will no longer be credited after this month. :L

God, I can’t wait for Elon Musk to get his little internet satellites up there...

Just went back to Comcast and first month in got a warning that I've used 94% of my one TB. :doh: Didn't go over but going to have to make sure I don't going forward. So no gaming and turned off google sync on my desktop. Also paused all devices I didn't recognize, also paused all phones using the home wifi. It seems that my wife phone was using a lot of data and she hardly even uses it. :wtf2:
This puts a damper on cable cutting idea that I was headed for. Presently using direct TV which other then the Sunday ticket sucks. Tied into them for another year, but was considering paying the penalty for early cancellation. I've got a lot of devices using wifi but still surprised at the usage figures. They don't seem legit, but I'll see what it reads next month after I make all the changes.

Reading on subject, seems lots of folks are shocked at what Comcast claims they are using. Apparently you have to accept their numbers as accurate or quit them. Don't want to go without the internet and don't want to go back to century link ( or at least rather not).
Seems all kind of things can happen to spike data usage....
 

WizardHawk

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Just went back to Comcast and first month in got a warning that I've used 94% of my one TB. :doh: Didn't go over but going to have to make sure I don't going forward. So no gaming and turned off google sync on my desktop. Also paused all devices I didn't recognize, also paused all phones using the home wifi. It seems that my wife phone was using a lot of data and she hardly even uses it. :wtf2:
This puts a damper on cable cutting idea that I was headed for. Presently using direct TV which other then the Sunday ticket sucks. Tied into them for another year, but was considering paying the penalty for early cancellation. I've got a lot of devices using wifi but still surprised at the usage figures. They don't seem legit, but I'll see what it reads next month after I make all the changes.

Reading on subject, seems lots of folks are shocked at what Comcast claims they are using. Apparently you have to accept their numbers as accurate or quit them. Don't want to go without the internet and don't want to go back to century link ( or at least rather not).
Seems all kind of things can happen to spike data usage....
Put your phones on the xfinity wifi instead of your inside one unless you are streaming something between devices. You have no control over their xfinity wifi, but it also doesn't count against your data cap.

As for gaming, we game here all the time. 3 of us on regularly and haven't ever gotten a warning. Streaming music, netflix/amazon video/youtube. Hasn't been a problem. Hell, we don't go above half of that.
 

HaroldSeattle

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Put your phones on the xfinity wifi instead of your inside one unless you are streaming something between devices. You have no control over their xfinity wifi, but it also doesn't count against your data cap.

As for gaming, we game here all the time. 3 of us on regularly and haven't ever gotten a warning. Streaming music, netflix/amazon video/youtube. Hasn't been a problem. Hell, we don't go above half of that.

Never had usage problem come up last time I had comcast...ever so IDK , maybe more devices but still ...seems odd.
 

WizardHawk

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Never had usage problem come up last time I had comcast...ever so IDK , maybe more devices but still ...seems odd.
Our usage last month was around 240g and that's with 3 of us on devices all the time. I have no idea if streaming Netflix and Amazon through the xfinity box counts against it or not, but we use that daily along with gaming.

Granted I don't do torrent downloading or any of that. Those add up in a hurry.
 
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