Telstra and other RSP unexplained data usage increases

Thankfully, NBN has killed off most of the Telstra horrors from the past.

2 Likes

And made new and sometimes worse nbn™ ones.

3 Likes

I recall on Telstra’s later gateways there is a traffic monitor for the last 24 hours showing internet, ethernet & wifi (selectable by SSID) traffic. The ports tab shows traffic through each router port If you have devices directly connected. These could give you an idea of when the traffic occurs and via which type of connection.

Do you stream any video? I’ve seen before an unknown change to streaming video quality suddenly increasing downloads. If the traffic monitor shows this in streaming TV time, that is something to check. During the pandemic, the streamers voluntarily cut back streaming bit rate. It was reported Netflix had started to restore quality during May in the EU. Don’t know about here.

Any other cloud services? Sometimes a change can trigger a re-sync of all your data. It happened to me once, but only a once off '00GB.

It’s unlikely you’d want to add another router, however some, like the ASUS product line, have a wonderful traffic monitor by device, type of traffic, etc.

3 Likes

In a Telstra Account online an Account Holder can access the estimated data they have used and display it on a daily basis graph (it includes as a part what Free Data usage was used). Anything that occurred in the days before the user logs in is accurate, it is just that day’s usage which is estimated.

1 Like

But that is another story. Covered in other topics.
At least now you can have all your communications services without having to deal in any way with Telstra.

Telstra may be the very viable choice for some and really the often appropriate choice for some, even at the higher cost.

1 Like

When ADSL became available to replace dialup, it annoyed me greatly that I had to keep a phone service with Telstra even though I didn’t want one. $25 a month for nothing. I had a mobile phone for voice calls.
Then ‘naked’ ADSL was available, but at the cost of an increase to my ISP passed on to me of about $15 a month.
Now on NBN I am finally rid of Telstra and my broadband is costing me less for substantially better bandwidth.

2 Likes

Yes - I have both relatives and friends who wont change because they get personal help at their local (licensed) Telstra shop. They know they pay more, but think they get that money back in support. More often for their mobile devices. I know many wouldn’t agree (perhaps even strongly disagree), however that’s what they’ve said to me when I’ve suggested change.

2 Likes

Thankyou to all who have replied. We are in the third month of this problem now, one day this month when we were not even here the usage shot up. This despite the router password being changed. I can’t seem to be able to get info from the router on which devices are using it. We don’t use the internet for streaming, gaming etc just for emails and webpages. We wonder if its just Telstra trying to get us to move up to an unlimited NBN plan. Ours is a starter package, presumably to get us onto NBN.

1 Like

Did you change the password to login to the router, or the passwords for connecting to your WiFi? They will be different, with different effects.

If you only changed the login password it would have no affect on a neighbour accessing your network, if that is what is happening. If you changed your WiFi network access passwords (those associated with the SID) that would stop a friendly neighbour, if that is what is happening.

1 Like

We got computer person in to do this. They changed the “Wi-Fi Password” on the Quick Start Guide which came with the Telstra Modem and also our Telstra login password.

3 Likes

How do I change the login to the router?

1 Like

It is router dependent, but in general you first login to the router. You can enter the router IP address in a browser as a URL, eg 192.168.0.1 or whatever it is, or in Windows open a file browser and click ‘Network’ on the left side of the window and you should then see your router under ‘network infrastructure’ on the right side – double click it to get the router login screen.

Once logged in the password change is usually under ‘system’ or ‘system administration’. It requires you again enter the old password, and then the new one (twice to make sure you typed it correctly), often followed by a ‘save’.

Best you find the router manual that Telstra should have provided, or search for it on the net as a download, and read up on the specifics for yours.

2 Likes

OK thanks

To add to @PhilT advice, the administrator functions may be accessible via WiFi, but routers I have used in the past required assess via the Ethernet port, so a cable into your computer. The manual will explain.

Since I have been connected to the NBN (the last two months), my ‘usage’ has rocketed. Prior to the changeover to the NBN, my plan allowed for 100 GB per month, and I do not believe I ever reached half that. I know this because of the two previous bills (prior to connection to the NBN) the usage was stated on the bill - 31 GB in April/May, and 43 GB in May/June. Prior to the April/May account, usage was not specified. However, as I never received notification that I was approaching, much less reached, 50% of my allowance, I am fairly sure previous months would have been less than 50 GB. I don’t use the internet for watching movies or anything else that is data-hungry (as far as I am aware).

My internet usage has not changed that dramatically in the last two months to account for the massive increase I have seen in my usage - 101 GB in June/July and already in July/August it is over 85 GB with more than a week to go until the end of this billing cycle.

2 Likes

Hi @eggles welcome to the community.

Who is your NBN RSP?

I have moved your post to an existing thread about unexplained data usage increases. Above there are posts where some Telstra customer have noticed a recent data increase as well and it might be worth reading:

Assuming RSP means internet service provider, I am with Telstra.

3 Likes

Retail Service Provider is what they are now called. As NBN now owns the backbone they ditched the term Internet Service Provider.

Looking at your router provided DHCP details (the addresses it hands out to connected equipment eg your computer, your phone) you may be able to see what is connected in your network. That may allow you to find what is using your bandwidth. Have you now connected devices wirelessly that may have not been connected before, are any devices updating software at the moment that haven’t done so previously or have been delayed for sometime.

2 Likes

I have read through quite a few of the previous posts on this thread, but have become somewhat lost. I don’t know if my router - presuming I have one? - is ‘locked down’. I don’t have any streaming service (Netflix, Stan etc) but I do have a Google Eureka dongle attached to my TV - I wonder if using that for internet shopping could affect usage?

3 Likes