4 Gig upload in one evening?

T

Tracey

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My usual monthly usage is about 1.2 to 1.6 Gig. When my ADSL was running slow, and foreign sites weren't loading, I checked my user stats. The stats for July tell me that I apparently uploaded 4 Gig of data on Tuesday evening while bascially checking mail after a day away from the office. I work off a Mac platform and immediately blamed the PC in the backroom ... and checked that all the necessary spyblaster/virus etc updates are in place.

Then I happened to call a designer who also works off a Mac platform and the first thing he said was that he's irritated that someone's been using his account to upload files - all of 4 Gig - at exactly the same date and time as my 'upload'. Different ISP.

Anyone having similar problem?
 
Sounds like someone has been using your machine to send spam.
 
Tracey said:
My usual monthly usage is about 1.2 to 1.6 Gig. When my ADSL was running slow, and foreign sites weren't loading, I checked my user stats. The stats for July tell me that I apparently uploaded 4 Gig of data on Tuesday evening while bascially checking mail after a day away from the office. I work off a Mac platform and immediately blamed the PC in the backroom ... and checked that all the necessary spyblaster/virus etc updates are in place.

Then I happened to call a designer who also works off a Mac platform and the first thing he said was that he's irritated that someone's been using his account to upload files - all of 4 Gig - at exactly the same date and time as my 'upload'. Different ISP.

Anyone having similar problem?
Click to expand...

Hey, welcome to MyADSL!!

Interesting problem here, let say you are on 512k ADSL, that means your upload rate is 256k which means in an 8 hour period you could only upload 900Mb. It is not possible to upload 4Gb from one connection. My guess is someone has gotten hold of your password and it is being used between some people to share files. First thing I would do is new passwords on the ADSL account as well as on your ADSL router (if you use one).

Another thing is that there is only three different people offering ADSL: UUNet, IS and Telkom. Most likely you will find that you are both on Telkom, since most people resell Telkom. It may have been a billing or accounting issue on there end. I found recently (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=23182) that Mweb's stats differed to the ones on Telkoms side so I would verify your usage on SAIX's side (http://userstats.adsl.saix.net/)
 
4 Gig malfunction from SAIX/Telkom

I've had the exact same problem. I spoke to my ISP and they confirmed that they have had 3 other complaints from users across different OSs, in the last day or so. All had 4 Gig download on 26 July in the evening. Tracey is a different ISP to me. Saix was down a day or two ago ... any connection? My userstats show 4.299 Gig in 4 hours = 1 Gig per hour = 170 Meg a minute ... think not.
 
Nother one

Thanks for the welcome, and feedback. Yep, found another one affected by the 4gig problem on the evening of the 26th - across platforms. I'm thinking that many people don't even know they have a problem - just that their web browser is 'playing up' and their system is running slow. Is this something happening at saix? Perhaps someone has access to accounts and passwords from multiple ISPs and 'steals' a pile of bandwidth for nefarious purposes?

To whom can one complain? And what more can one do than change password etc? What if the keeper of the passwords is not really keeping them? Perhaps if this problem had happened at the beginning of the month and not the end there would have been more complaints. Well, over to a brand new month ...
 
Tracey said:
Thanks for the welcome, and feedback. Yep, found another one affected by the 4gig problem on the evening of the 26th - across platforms. I'm thinking that many people don't even know they have a problem - just that their web browser is 'playing up' and their system is running slow. Is this something happening at saix? Perhaps someone has access to accounts and passwords from multiple ISPs and 'steals' a pile of bandwidth for nefarious purposes?

To whom can one complain? And what more can one do than change password etc? What if the keeper of the passwords is not really keeping them? Perhaps if this problem had happened at the beginning of the month and not the end there would have been more complaints. Well, over to a brand new month ...
Click to expand...
In theory, this is theft, and you can open a case with SAPS. Once this is done, you can then request that Telkom provide the telephone numbers of those IPs that theoretically uploaded your 4 GB. One you have the telephone numbers, you can pass them onto the police for their action.

In reality, this is a bit more difficult. You will have to explain to a policeman at your local copshop what "bandwidth theft" is...if you are successful (and this is a BIG if), you then have to convince Telkom to actually take action. In the past they have dragged their heels and not been any help at all. Best solution is to actually hreaten Telkom with the small claims court. They claim that their DSL does not allow simultaneous logins, thus it is impossible to do 4GB over the period stated.

Good luck
 
Weird - Why would someone want to upload 4gig or what not lol

I would figure it need to be 4gig download, weird stuff.
 
Ports ... and other fortified drinks ...

Okay - my ISP says the upload came from the ports allocated to my two machines. So in his view it's an internal problem. He is, however, going to speak to Telkom (!) and see what they say - if they are aware of the problem. I wait with bated breath (and port in hand).
 
Tracey said:
To whom can one complain?
Click to expand...
[email protected] would be the right channel to follow but not sure if you will get anything. You may want to try talking to Debbie2 about this, since she is good at hurting Telkom.
From my own complaints, generally I find making as much noise (so email every contact you can find at Telkom on a regular basis, like twice or three times a day) sometimes helps. But my issues have never been like this

Tracey said:
What if the keeper of the passwords is not really keeping them?
Click to expand...
This has been brought up before and it part of the problem not only at Telkom but at a lot of ISP's where they store passwords and user information in easily accessable systems.

arf9999 said:
In reality, this is a bit more difficult. You will have to explain to a policeman at your local copshop what "bandwidth theft" is
Click to expand...
You may want to PM craigsa on this, since he is cop so he may be able to help you if you go this route
 
My ISP has also logged an FQ to Telkom. They're not hopeful though. I've changed my pw so we shall wait and see. ADSL was down on 25 and 26 July on the SAIX/Telkom side and according to my ISP, they were trying to clear the backlog of emails on the night of the 26th. Coincidence?
 
Still waiting for an explanation from the ISP on how it was possible to upload 4G in an evening at 256kbps.:D

At FULL SPEED (0.109 GB/hour) it would take 36 hours.
 
I have to admit.
It is a little bit unothadox to upload 4gb,
not even a 1meg+ connection can do that:eek:
 
Skype the culprit?

Anyone have any views on this idea? That Skype 'borrows' bandwidth to optimise its P2P functionality? And that's what happened to users on the 26th?

(At lease of the people I know who has been affected isn't a Skype user - but at least it might explain cross-platform impact).

If so, it's a pity. I LOVE Skype.
 
Skype is P2P, so some users with decent speed and available processing power can be selected by the system to become supernodes. Supernodes have much higher usage as they act as a relay of information for other users. The calls/files do not pass directly through but request for IP's checking if they are online does.
It is possible you because a super node, still doesn't explain how you went that fast since it is physically not possible
 
A Skype supernode will see about the same traffic up and down, since the PC becomes a relay. I would say if it smells like a bug and tastes like a bug, it is a bug, probably in the upload/download tracking system.
 
I'd be interested to hear from those who had the mystery 4Gig upload were all Skype users. Seen a report of Skype throtteling bandwidth when open, but not "in use".
 
Not all Skypers

Nope, at least one person I know is a confirmed non-Skyper.

How does one change ADSL passwords 'online'? My ISP said it won't make a difference. I think he is still is convinced that I am the culprit. LOL.
 
Not sure if this is going to help anyone...

In May this year I capped my 3GB twice in one week. I have been with Telkom adsl since whenever it came out and I have never capped my gig in any month. So... I phoned after the first 3GB was capped. They checked and it was definitely from this port that the data was downloaded. I know I don't download huge files, I do the regular Windows updates and a few installations here and there, but no music, dvd or any of those hungry downloads. I gave up on the issue and purchased another 3GB from them which was activated 24hrs later. Within 5 days the 2nd batch of 3GB was capped.

At the time I had just started using my broadband router and my daughter was plugged in with her notebook, chatting on MSN. There was no download from her nor from me, so how on earth was this possible? I was then informed that two possibilities exist: a) I have been spammed mercilessly, or have a virus, or, or or b) someone at Telkom has access to the passwords and they can steal your gig. I ran Adaware, Spybot S&D and found nothing. I had no virus. It all came down to a nasty email to [email protected] to which they replied that all the traffic indicated my pc was used for the downloads.

There is no way to prove them wrong. You have to maintain your password like you would on any other site, but they still have people on their staff with access to these p/words, so the battle is not over yet.

If you are with Telkom Internet you can change your profile/password by either going to

10.0.0.2 (broadband router only)
or
www.telkomsa.net

you can also view your stats on the latter.
 
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