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Should NBN box be turned off?

Pads
Level 2

Hi.

We recently moved from ADSL onto most basic NBN12 10GB plan. Should we turn the NBN box off when we are not using it?

We often leave home for a few days at a time, and see that even when we are not home, we are using about 130MB data each day!!  . (Looking at "Usage" as shown on our TPG account)

This means that with virtually no usage, we theoretically use 4GB of our 10GB each month.

Will turning NBN box off when not here solve the problem?   

Thanks.

5 REPLIES 5
david64
Level 15

Hi Pads.

Turning off wifi router should be as effective and might be better regarding the NBN network.

It is worthwhile to try to find what is causing the background usage when you are away.

Do you leave any devices turned on? Tablets, mobile phone or computer?  Even if you aren't doing anything, they are always doing a bit of internet access. Maybe software updates.

Do you have a TV connected to internet?  Turn it off at power point or disable its wifi and/or remove ethernet cable.

Is your wifi access secured with password and WPA2 security? 

Does your plan have a peak/off peak usage or does it show a combined usage per day? Does it show an upload and download usage? 

Does your account usage usually have just one record per day?  Means you aren't getting dropouts.

Pads
Level 2

Thanks David.

No, all devices either turned off, or away with us, and no TV on internet.

Below is the sort of usage that shows on our account when actually not using..

203.219.198.3423:50, 15 Nov 202023:59:5213.737116.745130.4820.00
203.219.198.3423:50, 16 Nov 202024:00:3914.067116.404130.4720.00
203.219.198.3423:51, 17 Nov 202023:57:2313.961112.763126.7240.00
203.219.198.3423:48, 18 Nov 202024:03:2515.614121.122136.7370.00
203.219.198.3423:52, 19 Nov 202023:52:2215.530124.929140.4580.00

 

Before TPG switched to "NBN ready" about a year ago, we also had security camera system which we could monitor remotely, (and obviously use data when doing so).

However now on NBN we cannot log in or access our modem due to the IP address changes each time. So, no data could used with that..

I have answering system for the Voip nbn phone service, so will try turning the phone off, the modem off, and also the NBN box, to narrow it down over time.. Hopefully tho, someone has  can let me know if they already have the answer..

Thanks again.

david64
Level 15

Hi Pads.

In your account usage, which column is for download and which for upload?

Is your security camera system still connected up or disconnected? Does it record to a device at your house or send still pictures to somewhere else?

There should be a function in the wifi router to handle ip address changes. Dynamic DNS. The manual for your router has instructions. It will keep your www name to match your current ip address.

Is your wifi access secured? No chance anyone outside your house is accessing your network?

peterjames
Level 3

Just for reference.

I tested this with my NBN when I got it installed a few days agao.

Without using the NBN, but leaving it on, my account recorded that I used 1.666mb, 2.668mb and 2.638mb each day over 3 consecutive days.

I thought it was a bit much, but not enough to make a formal complant about.

But 130mb a day was way too much.

david64
Level 15

Hi peterjames. On those three days, you left the NBN box on, but what else?

Was the wifi router on?

And the computer and wifi devices even if you didn't use them?

What was different between those three days and the day you recorded 130MB?

When you look at your account usage, what is the split between upload and download?  For those 3 days and the day showing 130MB?