New Contributor
•
2 Messages
New Data Meter Exaggerates Data Usage
I think the new Cox data meter exaggerates data usage.
Three reasons led me to this thinking:
1. Historic data usage - Since Cox updated its data meter, my Internet data usage doubled. My Internet behave hasn't changed - we don't even subscribe to Netflix. The only thing changed is Cox data metering service. The over 10 GB usage a day was a rare occurrence before Cox's data meter upgrade, but happens regularly now.
2. Current average usage - On a day when everyone is at work/school, our usage hovers around 5GB per day now. This is unusually large as we only use Internet for about 5 hours the entire day without streaming. The measured Internet usage amounts to 2.2 Mbps, which equals to watching streamed movies 5 hours straight. This was certainly not the case.
3. Current peak usage - Just yesterday my Internet usage was 15.7GB. This usage translates to 2.9 Mbps over 12 hours period, which means we were streaming videos for 12 hours straight. Again this was not the case.
I don't broadcast my wifi SSID, my wifi encryption is set with WPA2 with complex password. I regularly check my DHCP binding list to make sure there was no freeloaders - there was none.
I strongly suspect Cox data metering is exaggerating data usage, likely by a factor of 2. If you have similar experience, please share your observation here. We need to bring this to Cox's attention and have it fixed.
Related Content
Closed
1
0
Closed
3
0
Closed
1
0
Closed
6
Accepted Solution
Closed
2
0
ChrisL
Former Moderator
•
7.1K Messages
0
0
DateMeter
New Contributor
•
2 Messages
Just an update.
I've enabled data usage collection on my router for 6 days now. So far my router data usage matched Cox data usage - an argument against Cox data metering inaccuracy.
Interestingly my data usage is about half of earlier this month. Over this past weekend my data usage peaked at 7GB rather than 15GB the weekend before.
0
0
okcbaker
New Contributor
•
17 Messages
I wondered about that too... we exceed our allotted 300 GB every month and I've tried to monitor it but it does not reflect our habits.
0
0
ColleenD
Moderator
•
1.7K Messages
I'm glad to hear you're finding that the meter is accurate for you. Thank you for letting us know.
okcbaker,
I suggest switching your meter information to the Daily graph so you can try to correlate your usage to the activity for the day. This will help you to take in to account any new devices that may have been added to your network and pinpoint your usage better.
0
0
Jerry
Contributor II
•
198 Messages
Here in San Diego, my data usage meter has always been accurate as well, but it appears to be running it's daily clock on Central (Atlanta) time.
Can anyone confirm?
0
0
Jerry
Contributor II
•
198 Messages
80% of my TV viewing is streaming through my Roku device. About 6 hours a day at 1.25 GB/hour and I consistently use around 8 GBs per day per the data usage meter. Once in a while I catch up on programs that I have previously DVR'd.
So, for instance, if I don't stream after 10:00 pm Pacific time (which would be 12 midnight Central time) on a Tuesday, and on the following Wednesday I don't stream anything before 10:00 pm, the data meter shows minimal (less than .5 GB) for that Wednesday even though I streamed for 2 hours (2.5 GB) after 10:00 pm.
I see it on a regular basis so it appears that the daily data usage for me on the West coast starts and ends at 10:00pm each day. Which, like I said, is midnight Atlanta time.
It's just like the time stamps here on the forum postings. They are on Central time for me as well. I have my browser delete cookies and temp files on exit so any forum settings I make to adjust to Pacific time are for naught.
So I reckon that Cox uses Central time as default for all their web applications. Whenever the daily meter starts and stops is not a concern but I do notice it and was curious about it.
And I thought that maybe when some folks post about seeing their usage fluctuate wildly from day to day it could possibly be because of the time difference.
0
0
Health_Edge
Valued Contributor III
•
4.2K Messages
Interesting. I found a way to replicate this. If you sign into webmail then Settings > Time Zone and change the timezone, it effects the time stamp. Could this also have a effect on the data meter? Is your timezone correct?
0
0
Jerry
Contributor II
•
198 Messages
I don't use Cox webmail but I signed in to take a look as you suggested. The time zone was set to Eastern time. I changed it to Pacific time. Webmail and the data meter are both cox.net so maybe? I'll keep an eye on the data meter for any changes.
My cox.com Forum settings were set to Pacific time but I have to sign in for them to take effect. I read the forums everyday but rarely sign in to post so I mostly see Central time stamps. Perhaps where the Forum servers are?
So I'm guessing they use CST as the default. Thought it might apply to the data meter as well. Just curious.
0
0