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Enormous Internet Consumption on Apple devices

M

MPB11

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 2, 2011
159
0
Hello,

I have noticed lately that my Internet consumption at home is enormous and I can't really figure out why.

We do have multiple devices connected to the internet but even If we properly monitor our usage, something or someone clearly is using way too much data transfer.

Yes my wi-fi is WPA2 protected and yes, all the devices connected to my router are ours after having verified multiple times.

It seems like one of our devices is sucking up a load of data and I wonder how I can determine this.

we use macs, iphone, ipads, apple tv and ps3

For instance, today, our internet consumption between midnight and 10 am was 2 gb. In comparison, we watched at least one hour of netflix and multiple youtube videos in full hd yesterday and the total comsumption was 1,26gb.

any idea on how to find out what device is sucking the data???

thanks
 
I was going to suggest "neighbors" but you indicated your wireless is protected. Personally, I'd start by turning off devices overnight to see if you can isolate it that way. Many devices "call home", or at least connect to the internet, even when idle; although certainly not to the level of multiple gigs per night.
 
One other possibility is that media companies are increasing bitrate of their products which will continue to use more bandwidth.
 
When you say "lately" do you mean the past several months?

I second the suggestion of background-downloaded software updates. In the past few months we've had iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks as well as all the updates associated with them -- for example after iOS 7 was released you probably had to upgrade virtually all of your iPhone/iPad apps in the weeks subsequent to that. With apps now easily reaching the hundreds of megabytes range, even a couple of app updates could consume a few gigs of bandwidth. Remember that with iOS 7, apps download and update themselves automatically.

In my case, I think I had both my iPad and my iPhone each individually download a software update for iOS 7 -- 3 gigs each. Then a pile of apps.

Also, depending on your setup, if you buy an app or an alboum from one device, it may automatically get downloaded to your other devices. So one download turns into 3 or 4.
 
Last edited:
Do your iOS devices backup to iCloud? Mine always do during the late night/early morning hours in the range you mentioned.
 
None of my devices backup to the cloud. We've had a higher than usual internet consumption for the past 3 months, maybe, as mentioned, it could be related to ios 7, I had a forgotten about that fact
 
No logging capability in your router? You might have to set up syslog somewhere, but most decent routers have some logging capability.

B
 
balamw said:
No logging capability in your router? You might have to set up syslog somewhere, but most decent routers have some logging capability.

B
Click to expand...

Sorry if I seem stupid but, what is a logging capability? If you refer to a list of devices currently connected to the router, yes I can see that, otherwise I don't know what a logging capability is, please explain
 
MPB11 said:
Sorry if I seem stupid but, what is a logging capability? If you refer to a list of devices currently connected to the router, yes I can see that, otherwise I don't know what a logging capability is, please explain
Click to expand...

It might be under parental controls, or wherever you might be able to block outgoing connections from accessing particular IPs, but in many routers you can have the router tell you how much data was sent to what IP addresses, and some will even record the URL of every connection attempted from a browser.

e.g. http://www.idevelopsoftware.com/2011/08/capturing-airport-extreme-log-with-lion-server-syslog/ for the airport extreme.

What router is it anyhow?

B
 
balamw said:
It might be under parental controls, or wherever you might be able to block outgoing connections from accessing particular IPs, but in many routers you can have the router tell you how much data was sent to what IP addresses, and some will even record the URL of every connection attempted from a browser.

e.g. http://www.idevelopsoftware.com/2011/08/capturing-airport-extreme-log-with-lion-server-syslog/ for the airport extreme.

What router is it anyhow?

B
Click to expand...

thanks, I understand, my router is a Linksys WRT54G2:

http://support.linksys.com/en-ca/support/routers/WRT54G2
 
MPB11 said:
thanks, I understand, my router is a Linksys WRT54G2:

http://support.linksys.com/en-ca/support/routers/WRT54G2
Click to expand...

Go to that page.
Click on the "Guide Me" tab.
Type the words enable logging into the "Enter a question" box.
Press the return key on your keyboard.

The page then shows:
Found (05) items related to 'enable logging'.
​
followed by a list of potentially useful KnowledgeBase articles.

Two notable articles:
http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.a..._the_web_based_setup_page.xml&pid=96&slnid=11
http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.a...nksys_EA6500_using_the_Lo.xml&pid=96&slnid=11


I found more potential solutions by googling WRT54G2 logging.

You could also try WRT54G2 enable logging
 
Was just about to post a near identical question!

This is driving me mental

I'm with Plusnet - a UK provider - and have a 60GB allowance for my broadband each month

However, I regularly exceed this and it's costing a fortune

All auto-updates etc.. on my Apple Macs and iOS devices are switched off. I've changed the SSID and passwords regularly (to ward off people freeriding my internet). Nothing has resolved the issue

Dumb question, but I'm desperate: when I transfer files over the air from one computer to another, on the same wifi network, is there any way this is eating into my allowance? I thought all such transfers were within my LAN but surely they're not being rerouted externally then internally again?

Any suggestions appreciated
 
chown33 said:
Go to that page.
Click on the "Guide Me" tab.
Type the words enable logging into the "Enter a question" box.
Press the return key on your keyboard.

The page then shows:
Found (05) items related to 'enable logging'.
​
followed by a list of potentially useful KnowledgeBase articles.

Two notable articles:
http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.a..._the_web_based_setup_page.xml&pid=96&slnid=11
http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.a...nksys_EA6500_using_the_Lo.xml&pid=96&slnid=11


I found more potential solutions by googling WRT54G2 logging.

You could also try WRT54G2 enable logging
Click to expand...

I'll give it a try right away, thanks!

----------
liamski said:
Was just about to post a near identical question!

This is driving me mental

I'm with Plusnet - a UK provider - and have a 60GB allowance for my broadband each month
Click to expand...

I feel you, I have a 60GB allowance to, here in Quebec, Canada
 
liamski said:
Was just about to post a near identical question!

This is driving me mental

I'm with Plusnet - a UK provider - and have a 60GB allowance for my broadband each month

However, I regularly exceed this and it's costing a fortune

All auto-updates etc.. on my Apple Macs and iOS devices are switched off. I've changed the SSID and passwords regularly (to ward off people freeriding my internet). Nothing has resolved the issue
Click to expand...

I would open up your router and see if you can determine if there is traffic at whats happening at a time you think there should be nothing happening.

Might it be a browser with an ad in it thats streaming something for example?

Try little snitch (it costs but you can run it free for three hours). And/or look at network activity in activity monitor.

liamski said:
Dumb question, but I'm desperate: when I transfer files over the air from one computer to another, on the same wifi network, is there any way this is eating into my allowance? I thought all such transfers were within my LAN but surely they're not being rerouted externally then internally again?
Click to expand...

No.
 
Last edited:
Tumbleweed666 said:
I would open up your router and see if you can determine if there is traffic at whats happening at a time you think there should be nothing happening.

Might it be a browser with an ad in it thats streaming something for example?

Try little snitch (it costs but you can run it free for three hours). And/or look at network activity in activity monitor.



No.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback

I have several Apple devices in the house.... all computers have auto updates turned off... .all iphones and ipads have background app updates turned off.... all ios devices now have photostream turned off

The only updates I've kept on are 'Install System Data Files and Security Updates' for the macs - apparently these are different to the regular OS and software updates the system regularly reminds you about

I have a MacMini and iMac that are on all day, the latter has browsers open. Surely browser refreshes - even thru the day - arent causing this level of data usage?
 
Last edited:
No way to know without looking at network activity. I was thinking of an ad that streamed different images down perhaps. Just clutching at straws really though.
 
Does anyone know how big intra-day iCloud backups from an iphone and ipad are? Are they incremental updates, or does it send a brand new backup of the phone every time?

Asking because perhaps my iOS devices have been sending hefty backups to the cloud during the day
 
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