Air generating too much network traffic?

[tdomil]

I have my mb air connected to my work lan. IT has told me twice now that I'm generating too much network traffic. At first I thought it was a particular site I use for work, but it was pinned down to the Air which seems to have programs that are constantly checking for updates. Where do I find what is running in the background checking for updates or any program running that is hogging the network resources? Thanks!

To add, I looked at the log. I plugged in the IP addy that it keeps checking/updating from and it's twitter. I don't use twitter at work nor do I have any twitter client on my air. Anyone have any insight? It's driving me nuts that I can't use my Air and have to stick solely with the 6 year old PC in my office.

 

[iBookG4user]

You could look into a program such as Little Snitch, that will tell you when programs are trying to access the Internet.

 

[Macman45]

You can use activity monitor to find out which processess are accessing the web, then try selectively stopping them.


The app store preferences can be altered so that your air only checks for updates when you ask it to also.

When you find the errant processess you should be able to disable them so that IT are happy with your level of network usage.

 

[kodeman53]

I have my mb air connected to my work lan. IT has told me twice now that I'm generating too much network traffic.

if your IT has determined you are 'generating too much network traffic', they can also tell you where this traffic is going, the protocol and port information.

 

[tdomil]

Thank you!

 

[tdomil]

I've been looking at the activity monitor and can't for the life of me figure out which program is accessing the internet checking freaking twitter. I checked the IP addresses and every single one goes to twitter from the log IT sent me.

Short of installing another program such as little snitch that was mentioned is there any way to figure out what is checking twitter. I don't have any twitter apps/clients. I don't have any add-on to any browsers for twitter. Could Chrome or Firefox just automatically check for it?

 

[BigMcGuire]

Do you have a router at home you know how to operate? If this were happening to me, I'd shut down my Macbook, take it home, connect it to my home WiFi (wireless) - and then refresh the log after shutting down programs one by one to see which one it is.

When you close your browser, does the excessive traffic happen? Process of elimination.

 

[Omurices]

It could be the email client that is hogging the Internet traffic. In my case it is using the Mac mail client with Windows Exchange environment. Block your email traffic and see if there is any difference in usage.

 

[Macman45]

You know what else it could be? IT just don't want you using your Mac on the network...If you can't see obvious traffic in AM, I think they are just not telling it straight!

 

[pgiguere1]

Are you sure he's not mistaking? That's really weird. You can install iStats Menu and see your bandwidth usage in real time. You will then be able to tell which application uses bandwidth by enabling/disabling them by looking at the bandwidth meter. If it stays at 0kb/s when you're not doing anything, your IT guy is wrong.

 

[BigMcGuire]

You know what else it could be? IT just don't want you using your Mac on the network...If you can't see obvious traffic in AM, I think they are just not telling it straight!

You know, I was going to ask this but I didn't have the guts. lol. I know IT that would do that just because they're Anti-Apple or they want to play around with what they think to be dumb Apple users. lol.

 

[kodeman53]

Thank you!

Do not waste your time with any of the suggestions for figuring this out on your own. Ask your IT department for additional information. They have it.