Inyernet traffic_ questions

[kazbadan]

I would like to know how much traffic you spend on internet by doing some stuuf. For example, if you download a video of 10mb, you will spend 10 mb of internet lol, but if you use your msn for, lets say, 1h, how much would you spend? I need to know this in order to control better the things i do in internet.

What about seeing normal pages of internet? how much do you spend?

[AntonK]

The only reason I can think of that you would be asking this is if you are on an internet provider that limits your bandwidth. If this is the case, where do you live? Because in most places I know of (US and EU) you are getting ripped off. You need to switch providers. The truth is that NONE of them are really unlimited, but most of them the limit is so high, as to be practically unlimited (for now).

But to answer your question, that depends entirely on where you surf, how well they compress their data, and what sorts of media you use while surfing. I suggest going into the properties of your network connection. It records how much traffic it has seen, both up and down. You can reset this number (by disabling then re enabling the connection) then use the internet normally for a day, and look at the numbers again.

-AntonK

[invert_nexus]

Could be thinking about web surfing on a cell phone. They charge by the kilobyte, don't they?

[kazbadan]

I live in Portugal.

For example, with the service that i have, i can only download 10 gb per month. thats the reason for my question

[AntonK]

10 GB per month is not bad. That equates to about 333 megabytes per day. That is plenty for normal surfing. I suggest using Firefox and getting their Flash blocker (and various other blockers). These prevent things from loading on the page until you want them to. Specifically the large media type things.

-AntonK

[leopold]

The truth is that NONE of them are really unlimited, but most of them the limit is so high, as to be practically unlimited (for now).

is this actually the case?
how would i find out my limits?

[AntonK]

Usually it is in small print in your contract. In fact, most of them are vague, using words like "reasonable amounts". If you start downloading 20 movies a day, I can guarantee you that you will get shut off, and get a phone call. And they will use that line in your contract as rationalization.

-AntonK

[leopold]

wait a minute.
i have a 1 megabit connection.
are you telling me that i can't use that bandwidth to download?

[dsdsds]

My ISP used to be unlimited but they recently put a "soft" cap of 100Gb/month. If in the past 15 days, you exceed 50gb, they automatically switch you to a much slower server until your usage goes below 50. I find this reasonable as they claimed people used to take advantage (downloading up to several terabytes per month).

[AntonK]

My ISP used to be unlimited but they recently put a "soft" cap of 100Gb/month. If in the past 15 days, you exceed 50gb, they automatically switch you to a much slower server until your usage goes below 50. I find this reasonable as they claimed people used to take advantage (downloading up to several terabytes per month).

Yes, most of the time, this is the kind of cap they do. Its quite arbitrary.

-AntonK

[leopold]

sounds like a cash cow to me.
ISP: get upto 1.5 mbps for $40 a month
me: perfect, i'll take it
ISP: oops, we forgot to say your actual speed will be 1 mbps
ISP: oops, we also forgot to say we'll limit your speed if you download too much cause we are cheap and greedy.

the above is solely because the ISP wants to maximize profits.

my connection is capable of 2.5 mbps but you think i'll get it?
sure if i die and burn in hell.

[dsdsds]

I've noticed that most basic ADSL services offer speeds (up to) 3 Mb/sec. $40 for 1.5Mb/sec seems high to me. I'm paying $30 for 3 and they loaned me the modem for free.

I'm for restricting bandwidth to a "reasonable" amount. It doesn't take many dickheads downloading and uploading video 24/7 to bogg down a server and ruin it for everyone else.

[Absane]

I live in Portugal.

For example, with the service that i have, i can only download 10 gb per month. thats the reason for my question

:eek:

I download way more than 10 gigs a month.

[kazbadan]

yes, portugal is a crap...and you can bet thats one of the best services!

anyway, i still need a answer to my question: on average how much would you estimate that i may spend by using Messenger? Lets say for 1h or maybe 2...my girlfriend lives away from me and we contact by using msn. Thats why i am asking about that.

thanks

PS: what about posting a message on a forum like this, ? lol

[leopold]

I've noticed that most basic ADSL services offer speeds (up to) 3 Mb/sec. $40 for 1.5Mb/sec seems high to me. I'm paying $30 for 3 and they loaned me the modem for free.
i live in an area where there are exactly 3 options.
my ISP
verizon, which doesn't have a extension here
satellite which comes at a outrageous price


I'm for restricting bandwidth to a "reasonable" amount. It doesn't take many dickheads downloading and uploading video 24/7 to bogg down a server and ruin it for everyone else.
i'm not.
if they can't deliver then get the hell out of the business.

do you even realize what this is?
it's exactly the same as car manufacterers saying:
get upto 10,000 miles to the gallon with our cars!
oops we forgot to mention you get that only if you don't drive it.
oops we also forgot to mention that if you do manage to get our advertised milage we will retune your engine to insure you don't.

[kazbadan]

hey! my question please! :)

i really need to now how much mb does spend working with msn

thanks

[s0meguy]

The only reason I can think of that you would be asking this is if you are on an internet provider that limits your bandwidth. If this is the case, where do you live? Because in most places I know of (US and EU) you are getting ripped off. You need to switch providers. The truth is that NONE of them are really unlimited, but most of them the limit is so high, as to be practically unlimited (for now).

I have no limit. I download hundreds of GB's a month.

As for the MSN question, services like that only take in a few kb's per day if run all day, only internet video progs will take some mb's but still nothing to worry about.

[kazbadan]

few kbs per day? not even a single 1mb?

oh thats good :)


thanks

[s0meguy]

yeah. 1 kb=1024 bytes, bytes = characters or numbers. 1 MB is more than one million characters so it'll take you quite a while to ever reach 1 MB in chatting traffic.

[leopold]

yeah. 1 kb=1024 bytes, bytes = characters or numbers. 1 MB is more than one million characters so it'll take you quite a while to ever reach 1 MB in chatting traffic.
don't forget the headers that are transmitted with every post.
i'm sure there are also other factors to consider.

[Stryder]

Simplest way to put it, some years ago I used a Free hosting site that allowed 10Gb's of bandwidth per month. I placed a few images on them including a signature image (back when sciforums had those)

I can tell you by the 20th/21st of each month those 10Gb were used up through sciforums hit's alone, just from the number of pages/threads viewed by those posting here.

This was a very clever way to gauge the bandwidth used, however if you are trying to work out the overall bandwidth in a minute or hourly allowance, take note that your bandwidth figure is "Bi-directional". That means both uploading and downloading are taken into account.

Most companies in the UK found that when they placed the bandwidth constraints on their customers, the customers would move to other companies with different tariff's to escape the restraints. This caused those companies in question to rethink their strategy, however it's not ruled out "Traffic Shaping" which still exists within the TOC's that such companies operate under. Traffic shaping wouldn't force an overall limitation on bandwidth, however would alter the speeds that people are use to dependant upon the time of day and the overall use.

[s0meguy]

don't forget the headers that are transmitted with every post.
i'm sure there are also other factors to consider.

I know that, and msn sends packages every minute or something to check if your still online and more stuff like that. But it will still take very small amounts of data.