Huge spike in WiFi Data Usage
Hello, I've experienced a unexplained spike in data usage in the last two billing cycles. Cox support was of no help in identifying why. No unusual devices are connected to my network, and I haven'...
Forum Discussion
If you have a pano modem you can use the pano app. If you have a higher end router, you can turn on data monitoring in the router settings and it will monitor each device.
Info - Device streaming 4k video, can use as much as 8gb an hour.
Some gaming systems if you reload the downloaded games, can use a WILD amount of data.
If you have an android phone and you have one drive installed, verify the settings, it COULD be backing up the entire phone daily and that can use over 100gb daily in some cases. (Another users in these forums, found that exact issue).
If you have Amazon echo or dot, they can go into a loop listening and translating all conversations, and tv show you are watching and they can use as LOT of data.
If you have kids, make sure they didn't give the WiFi password to a neighbor, (also something another forum poster found out).
Hope some of this helps.
If not let me know, I can help provide more info.
Thanks for the reply.
The only thing that is different now that you mention it is, I have Hulu. I noticed it automatically switches to 4k streaming, and I can't switch it to a lower quality. Yesterday Cox app showed I used 120GB of data, which is extremely high. I watched Hulu for around 3 hours, and even at 8gb/hour, that doesn't add up. Other days I use ~50Gb data, and then get spikes to 80-90GB, but a couple months back, that number was closer to ~30GB.
I also reset the wifi password to see if that will cause any changes. I just got a notice from Cox again saying I used 75% of my data, and there's 15 days left in the billing cycle. I am honestly not sure what is causing this, because even the 4k streaming, it does not make sense.
Do you use the PANO modem? If so, the Pano App can actually break down which device is using how much data.
Hulu: 1.35 GB per hour to stream Hulu's catalogue in HD, 3.6 GB per hour to live stream, and 7.2 GB per hour for 4K content.
3 hours should only be 21.7gb of data at 4k, make sure however that you don't just turn off the tv, but that you end the hulu app and exit it properly.
Also, do you have security cameras? Blink/Ring? They can use an excessive amount of data if you have the resolution set to maximum, and you are saving the info to the cloud. I have BLINK, and do NOT have a subscription, I have the SYNC module with 256gb thumb drive and it can store an inordinate amount of data, so, no need for subscription eating my wallet, and all my videos are saved till I no longer want them, and delete them.
Other things to look for, turn off ONEDRIVE on ALL of your devices! Gaming systems can use a lot of data when playing online games. Games that are totally stored and played locally don't use nearly as much data.
If there is any more I can do to assist, let me know. I am a computer engineer with a specialty in analog and digital communications, and worked for Cox for over 16 years, 12 years of that in the Data Tier 2 department, so trust me, I KNOW data, and can definitely help you determine what's using it.
I appreciate your reply, again, and the information.
I believe I have the Cox Pano Wifi app. The modem/router I am using is through Cox. It is an ARRIS XB7. However, in the app, I do not see a place where it shows the data each connected device is using. When I click on a device, it only shows the following options:
- Assign this device
- Troubleshoot Device
- Device Details
- Device Name
- Device Type
- Hostname
- Brand
- Model
- OS
- Connection Type
- Connection Point
- MAC & IP
If I can see the data each of these devices are using, it will be immensely helpful.
And as mention, even with the added Hulu usage, it does not account for so much data being used. I have a Ring camera system as well as Reolink camera set up. These have been set up for well over 6+ months, and I've only noticed a spike in data usage in the last two months.
I will double check for Onedrive.
I don't game online. I do play my PS5 maybe 1-3x a month, and it is connected to the internet. I have a habit of keeping it in rest mode, but have now turned it completely off after use.
The biggest thing that can help is to figure out how much data my connected devices are using, however, with the current app I am using, I can't seem to find that data.
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And something to add... I changed my PW on 08/04 and stopped using Hulu. Here is my data usage since then. It's a massive difference but I can't help but feel like Hulu wasn't the only thing using all this data here...
Hello.
Thank you for being a part of the Cox family. I'm sorry you are experiencing high data usage. I would like to investigate and provide more information for you. Let's start with your full name and complete address sent to Cox.help@cox.com.
What are you going to tell me that I don't already know? I've contacted Cox support multiple times, only for them to tell me everything I already know, which is the information shown in the data meter. Can you show me HOW my data is being used i.e. with which device, how much data, or even app specific, etc.? If not, then it's just another waste of time.
Excuses ,excuses ,excuses
I'm sorry for the issues with your data usage. Let me know how I can help and I will do my best.
