Excessive Internet Data Usage

[courierdog]

Beginning in January 2017 I receive a email from Telus indicating I am using Excessive Data Usage

We do not use Streaming services such as netflix

We do not use Streaming services such as Music

Yet since January we have been noticing a steady rise in our Internet Data Usage

I have used PeakHour, Little Snitch and iNet Network Scanner to discover any abnormal behaviour within our home network  to no avail

I have called repeatedly to Telus for assistance.

Telus has looked at our service

Telus has replaced our Modem Router

I have turned off the Telus WiFi Service

Still the Excessive Data Usage Persists 

January 1036 GB

February 660 GB

March at this point is 1208 GB

Does anyone else have a similar issue and how did you correct the situation

[NFtoBC]

@courierdog
You were indeed fortunate to get the level of tech support you describe. For the most part, Telus has no responsibility beyond their Gateway device.

Thanks for sharing!

[courierdog]

As to the Telus Response, I must give Telus full marks. While it has been stated and from the Telus perspective, Telus is not responsible for any data use occurring within the Home Network.

However in this case it was finally discovered that it was an un-intensional open WiFi Port on a residential device causing significant data usage. This is not a good thing from either the Residential User or Telus perspective. There is a very fine line between Telus Responsibility and Telus Obligation. Telus has an excellent corporate citizen reputation and will do everything to protect not just the image but will go the extra step to ensure the customer has a safe and friendly experience on the internet.

Telus did come into my residence and provided me the home owner with valuable assistance in the form of technical equipment, technical repairs, technical investigations and technical suggestions all of which assisted me in tracking down the problem. From what was not being said by the Telus Technicians this was not the only similar incident in the neighbourhood.

The experience while very stressful on my part was an excellent learning experience.

My Home Network is much more secure thanks to the efforts of Telus and friends 

[JTL]

Was it a hidden network/SSID? That would make finding the "Wifi port" harder.

[courierdog]

In June of 2016, I installed a secondary router, configured with "Tomato-USB" This device has allowed me to log all incoming and out going data sources. Within 3 hours I was able to locate and disable the device which was the source of the Data Leakage.

As it turned out it was an undocumented WiFi feature which in normal use is turned on without any security feature what so ever.

This device was discovered to be passing data through like a screen door.

At the point when I had located it it had passed 7TB of data for that period of time since my previous bill.

I worked with Telus to locate and fortify every piece of the solution home network.

Telus was extremely helpful through the entire process, by sending Technicians out on numerous trouble shooting missions. During the process Telus was able to resolve several legacy issues with my internet connection.

When there is a problem, Telus is there to assist, and they will do everything in their power to provide that assistance. While not all assistance is free, the assistance is there and in my case every piece Telus fixed has now stood the test of time. 

As to the Secondary Router, "FlashRouter - Tomato-USB" has performed extremely well and I have an internet system which I can monitor not just a total number as Telus provides but a device which logs each and every device on the HOME Internet system.

In todays world of "everything" connected it is wise not to take things for granted and seek out a solution you are comfortable with.

[S-coot]

First law of Electronics. WHEN NOT IN USE, "TURN IT OFF".

Turn off ALL conncted devices ( set top,streaming,computers,etc ) when not in use.

Try this for a month, and I bet your intake will drop!!!

Also keep the KIDS offline!!!!!!!

Hope this helps

S-coot

[xl]

I agree with the earlier assessment of wifi breaches....

Thoughts....

• Has anything changed in your home since Christmas?  Did you add a new smart TV?  Did you install an alarm system?  Do you have Roku or Chromecast?
• did you install something like cloud backup on your computer?
• how did you turn off the wifi?  Could you have turned off one band and left the other band running?  If wifi is turned off, are connecting through Ethernet cabling?  If you have a phone and tablet, how are you connecting?
• I remember in the old days, I can sign onto my account and look at the daily consumption.  I often check when I'm on holidays to look at the minimum usage.  My surveillance cameras upload content to the cloud.  That is my highest usage.

[Dscamden]

We have the same situation. Just switched to fiber 150 in November and been having massive data usage. Previous we never went over 500gb a month. Now it's always over 1tb every month. Have the unlimited data usage while they investigate. Just this month they switched our internet plan from fiber 150 to optik 150
On my Bill:
Cancelled: Pure Fibre Internet 150
Added: Pure Fibre Optik Internet 150

Makes me think that they might include Optik traffic if you don't have the right plan. Been trying to view my usage for the last couple of weeks but it keeps telling me the total is pending. Hopefully it's solved and thought I would share incase it could be causing your issue...

[courierdog]

Just as a comment. I personally asked about the Optik TV Data Usage. I was assured on more than One Occasion that the Optik TV Data is not collected or included in the Data Usage Allegations.

This has to mean they are collecting Data Usage based on the Internet Data Usage of my Internet.

This has to mean that Telus has regardless of what they say has an assigned  a STATIC IP address associated with my Internet account so they can track my Internet Data Usage.

MMGG 

[NFtoBC]

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@courierdog wrote:

This has to mean that Telus has regardless of what they say has an assigned  a STATIC IP address associated with my Internet account so they can track my Internet Data Usage.

MMGG 

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NO, it just means they need to record the DHCP assigned  IP address associated with your account. Although Telus provides dynamically assigned IP addresses, a particular IP can remain with a user for months.

[xl]

Are you using Optik on the Go on your phone or computer?  This will count to your data allocation.

Optik on the TV should not count to your data usage.

[courierdog]

ZERO Optik on the Go

All the obvious things which can cause excessive Data Usage have been eliminated or are not used.

I went to the Apple Store and had them totally reload the MacBookPro from scratch to remove any potential installed MalWare

It has been an interesting challenge

Now try all this while having ALL you teeth removed that have become infected. Life is just so much fun. ha ha