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What the frack is using data!?

itsmemuffins

itsmemuffins

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 23, 2010
3,219
1,438
I have wifi on all the time.

No push at all

Turned off all the Facebook push in settings

Email set to manual, even in advanced

iCloud not even set up, nor is photo stream

Yet something is using a few kb every hour or so, even though wifi is on.


It's maddening I just can't figure it out.
 
It will always use some data. Your phone is just doing the mudane things that phones do like let the tower know where it is located in case someone calls you. If you turn off the 3G (AirPlane Mode) that might stop it. But then you have no phone.:rolleyes:

I am glad I still have my unlimited data plan.:)
 
Stealthipad said:
It will always use some data. Your phone is just doing the mudane things that phones do like let the tower know where it is located in case someone calls you. If you turn off the 3G (AirPlane Mode) that might stop it. But then you have no phone.:rolleyes:

I am glad I still have my unlimited data plan.:)
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It doesn't need to use data to tell the tower where the phone is. I have wifi on so why does it ignore it and use up my data allowance!?
 
People like me with the 200mb plan have to be more careful. I still have emails and iCloud set to push because it's so convenient.
 
itsmemuffins said:
It doesn't need to use data to tell the tower where the phone is. I have wifi on so why does it ignore it and use up my data allowance!?
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because WiFi can not do it all.:mad: Some data is reguired even on a dumb phone. You can not stop your phone from using SOME of your data unless you are in AirPlane mode.:cool:

You are so consumed with worry about your data, how can you enjoy your iPhone?:confused:
 
A few KB every hour? Chill the hell out! Why does this matter?

There will be something In location services using it I imagine...
 
Stealthipad said:
because WiFi can not do it all.:mad: Some data is reguired even on a dumb phone. You can not stop your phone from using SOME of your data unless you are in AirPlane mode.:cool:

You are so consumed with worry about your data, how can you enjoy your iPhone?:confused:
Click to expand...

Don't think so.

Dangerous Theory said:
A few KB every hour? Chill the hell out! Why does this matter?

There will be something In location services using it I imagine...
Click to expand...

Location services is off and besides they use GPS. It might be minute but I'd still like o know what is using it.
 
let me tell you this I have the same pb before with this special carrier calls mobilephone. Even tho I was on wifi all the time they still charged me for data and they don't even know why. So watch out on those carriers that charge you data even tho you on wifi!
 
Stealthipad said:
because WiFi can not do it all.:mad: Some data is reguired even on a dumb phone. You can not stop your phone from using SOME of your data unless you are in AirPlane mode.:cool:
Click to expand...
What? How do you think cellphones worked before smartphones came along? They didn't even have data.
 
steve-p said:
What? How do you think cellphones worked before smartphones came along? They didn't even have data.
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You do not have to have a smartphone to use data. Regualr cell phones DO use small amounts of data.

WTF do you thing data is?:mad:

You do not need to be on Facebook or crusing the Internet to be using data. u r daft? :p
 
I use an app called NetStat (the paid version is best due to no ads, and ads = connections) which basically shows all connections your device is using, and trust me even with push off, you have loads being made all the time - this actually drains battery quite a lot since random connections eating just little bits of data randomly for no reason is unnecessary work for the phone, especially cellular data.

Also, I notice when I have these active connections my phone actually lags a little bit too...

I've developed a few tricks to make it so nothing is using data ever, and it annoys me when there is push connections on when I don't even use push, my battery lasts such a long time when my netstat list is blank :)

Sign out of the "Store" part in settings, being signed in (you get signed in every time you sync to iTunes) creates a push connection that keeps communicating to Apple, signing out kills this.

Turn off sending diagnostic reports to Apple

Make sure email is set to Manual in the "Advanced" part also.

Opening and closing the "Phone" app once after every reboot seems to clear a random push connection, I honestly can't explain this one.

That's about it, people also suggest adding a restriction to "Ping" but afaik this is unnecessary

I'd also like to add my phone uses 0kb data in and out over night, whereas before it would just slowly creep up, trust me 10kb-20kb or so here and there soon adds up into 1mb... which would be 1% of someone's data plan if they have 100mb total
 
The OP things that EVERYTHING should run though his WiFi. There is more to it than what he thinks and like you said, some data will be eaten.
 
iOS 4 introduced persistent wifi but it seems that if you have cellular data on and the phone is asleep wifi gives way to 3G, which is stupid in my humble opinion.
 
even if you turned you phone off, when you turned it back on it would chomp your data when it first started. It is just the way it works.
 
There's no easy way to find out what's using your data. There is a time consuming way - restore your iPhone as new, don't install anything on it, and see if it still uses data. If not, install each app one by one and check the data usage.

Or, you could just turn off Cellular Data in Settings -> General -> Network, just turning it back on when you need it.
 
Stealthipad said:
You do not have to have a smartphone to use data. Regualr cell phones DO use small amounts of data.

WTF do you thing data is?:mad:

You do not need to be on Facebook or crusing the Internet to be using data. u r daft? :p
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Oh really. That's funny because cellphones were around for at least a decade before the first packet switched data services were even invented, and they worked fine. Perhaps you would like to explain what this mysterious data is, and provide some proof.
 
blueroom said:
Why not turn off Cellular Data and see what stops working.
Click to expand...
I have but wifi is on so everything works.


rbrian said:
There's no easy way to find out what's using your data. There is a time consuming way - restore your iPhone as new, don't install anything on it, and see if it still uses data. If not, install each app one by one and check the data usage.

Or, you could just turn off Cellular Data in Settings -> General -> Network, just turning it back on when you need it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there should be a toggle, cellular data off when wifi is on yes/no.
 
steve-p said:
Oh really. That's funny because cellphones were around for at least a decade before the first packet switched data services were even invented, and they worked fine. Perhaps you would like to explain what this mysterious data is, and provide some proof.
Click to expand...

Yep you must be . . . .

All of todays phones use some data on the 3G network.

Come back when you know what you are talking about.:p
 
Stealthipad said:
Yep you must be . . . .

All of todays phones use some data on the 3G network.

Come back when you know what you are talking about.:p
Click to expand...

Why when data is available through wifi? If I turn off 3G and leave wifi on my phone didn't stop working.
 
Stealthipad said:
It will always use some data. Your phone is just doing the mudane things that phones do like let the tower know where it is located in case someone calls you.
Click to expand...
It's important to distinguish between the type types of data; internal data between the phone and the network, and data between the phone and the internet via your network/carrier.

The iPhone's data counter displays usage for data between the phone and your carrier's internet service, not internal data between the phone and the network, because that's what you get charged for. So the data you're referring to is not relevant in this case.
 
No carrier has an iPhone plan with no data. The smallest I've seen is 500mb which should easily cover the tiny amount the phone uses.
 
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