Netflix & Data Usage

Crickett · Jan 14, 2015

We have Netflix & Comcast is our ISP. We are allowed 300GB per month. For the past 2 mths Comcast says we have been exceeding this limit. Our main source of TV viewing is thru Netflix however we NEVER had any issues before when we were with Windstream. Is Netflix the cause or are we being ripped off by Comcast? :huh:

StriperrHunterr · Jan 14, 2015

Crickett said:
We have Netflix & Comcast is our ISP. We are allowed 300GB per month. For the past 2 mths Comcast says we have been exceeding this limit. Our main source of TV viewing is thru Netflix however we NEVER had any issues before when we were with Windstream. Is Netflix the cause or are we being ripped off by Comcast?

If you haven't changed anything, you can ask them to see a utilization report for the last 12 months and see if you suddenly spiked.

According to Netflix, https://help.netflix.com/en/node/87, 1080 movies can use between 3, and 7 Gb of your plan per hour.

That would give you somewhere between 100 hours and 45 hours of streaming HD video.

At ultra HD quality, the 7Gb, you'd get to watch about 1.5 hours per day given a 30 day month. Normal HD would give you 3.333....hours per day.

Crickett · Jan 14, 2015

One month it was 27gb & then the next month it was 355gb. That's a huge difference. Our Netflix is set to medium speed for streaming.

StriperrHunterr · Jan 14, 2015

Crickett said:
One month it was 27gb & then the next month it was 355gb. That's a huge difference. Our Netflix is set to medium speed for streaming.

I'd check your wireless settings and disable SSID broadcast, change the access password, and change the admin password. That sounds like someone is piggybacking to me. What was it like the month prior to the 27G?

sinclair1 · Jan 14, 2015

Something is wrong, we have comcast and watch netflix like crazy and have only went over once.
By like crazy, I mean I use it for background noise in a home office and it's set to keep running the next episode and runs for half the day.

merc123 · Jan 14, 2015

StripeRR HunteRR said:
I'd check your wireless settings and disable SSID broadcast, change the access password, and change the admin password. That sounds like someone is piggybacking to me. What was it like the month prior to the 27G?

This...

Crickett · Jan 14, 2015

StripeRR HunteRR said:
I'd check your wireless settings and disable SSID broadcast, change the access password, and change the admin password. That sounds like someone is piggybacking to me. What was it like the month prior to the 27G?

ok what is SSID???

I've already changed the passwords.

StriperrHunterr · Jan 14, 2015

Crickett said:
ok what is SSID??? I've already changed the passwords.

SSID is the name of the router itself. Disabling SSID broadcast disallows machines from "seeing" that the router is there, which keeps unauthorized users from being tempted to "hack" into them.

Personally, I would recommend that you change the SSID of the station right now, so that any device that may have already learned it won't be able to access it. It does mean that you'll have to reconnect all of your authorized devices, though, so make sure you make a note of the SSID, and the password.

Since it's not broadcasting you'll have to enter the router name manually when searching, rather than just picking it from a list.

This greatly increases the security of your system.

Crickett · Jan 14, 2015

StripeRR HunteRR said:
SSID is the name of the router itself. Disabling SSID broadcast disallows machines from "seeing" that the router is there, which keeps unauthorized users from being tempted to "hack" into them.

Personally, I would recommend that you change the SSID of the station right now, so that any device that may have already learned it won't be able to access it. It does mean that you'll have to reconnect all of your authorized devices, though, so make sure you make a note of the SSID, and the password.

Since it's not broadcasting you'll have to enter the router name manually when searching, rather than just picking it from a list.

This greatly increases the security of your system.

Ok let me go see if I can figure out how to do all of that. Thanks. :cheers:

sinclair1 · Jan 14, 2015

Crickett said:
Ok let me go see if I can figure out how to do all of that. Thanks.

We called and they waived the first overage...just FYI

Crickett · Jan 14, 2015

sinclair1 said:
We called and they waived the first overage...just FYI

Yeah they waived the first 2 & we are allowed 1 more. After that we will be charged an additional $10 for every 50GB we go over. Are y'all on an unlimited package? We are on a very basic package. Very limited cable.

sinclair1 · Jan 14, 2015

Crickett said:
Yeah they waived the first 2 & we are allowed 1 more. After that we will be charged an additional $10 for every 50GB we go over. Are y'all on an unlimited package? We are on a very basic package. Very limited cable.

I don't handle it, but we just have basic plus HBO and I assume a basic internet because we went over once.

doomtrpr_z71 · Jan 14, 2015

I watch a ton of netflix, hd and all, though the wireless hotspot on my phone. I've never used more than 150GB.

Crickett · Jan 14, 2015

doomtrpr_z71 said:
I watch a ton of netflix, hd and all, though the wireless hotspot on my phone. I've never used more than 150GB.

We've had Netflix for about a year & a half & up until we moved to this house we never had a problem. We had comcast for about 2 mths at the other house. Before that it was windstream. I hope I have it resolved otherwise I will be canceling our service with them.

merc123 · Jan 15, 2015

Crickett said:
We've had Netflix for about a year & a half & up until we moved to this house we never had a problem. We had comcast for about 2 mths at the other house. Before that it was windstream. I hope I have it resolved otherwise I will be canceling our service with them.

If someone is piggy backing off of your WiFi, cancelling NetFlix will do nothing to resolve the data usage issue.

When you configure your wireless router make sure to configure the WiFi password in WPA or WPA2 encryption. DO NOT use WEP.

Crickett · Jan 16, 2015

merc123 said:
If someone is piggy backing off of your WiFi, cancelling NetFlix will do nothing to resolve the data usage issue.

When you configure your wireless router make sure to configure the WiFi password in WPA or WPA2 encryption. DO NOT use WEP.

No I meant canceling Comcast. I have it configured to a WPA.

merc123 · Jan 17, 2015

Check your router. Some have bandwidth usage counters. Mine even has a limiter.

georgia357 · Jan 21, 2015

There are programs that you can download that will tell you what is using your wireless router. Not too sure but I think that there are some that work on smart phones. The ones I've seen are all for a computer.

Edit: the app for an android is "Who Is On My Wifi" a free download.

PappyHoel · Jan 21, 2015

I suspect your neighbors have been stealing bandwidth from you if your wireless access point is not secured. Might be time to have a talk with your neighbors if they are close next door.

Do you have children that may be downloading lots of games or music?

Crickett · Jan 30, 2015

We definitely had somebody piggy backing on our internet. Since I've changed everything we are not going to go over this month. So far we are at 136GB & it starts over on the 1st.

Netflix & Data Usage

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