data overage

According to Xfinity, for the past several months I have been coming close to or exceeding my data cap. The months I exceeded the cap coincided with my son downloading games so I didn't question it. But the last 2 months he swears he hasn't downloaded anything and he doesn't play a lot of online games. I just couldn't understand how we were using so much more than what Xfinity says is needed for an average household. We don't have streaming security cameras, we don't live stream. We watch movies and shows on one device. I talked to someone at Xfinity and at their suggestion changed my wifi password and reconnected my devices so that I could be sure that there is nobody piggybacking on my wifi.

More importantly, I also enabled the traffic meter on my router (privately owned, non-Xfinity). Now Xfinity says that as of 11/24, I have exceeded my monthly data cap of 1229GB but my router says I only used 360GB this month. I have my own modem and wifi router. There is nothing between the modem and the router, all internet traffic goes through my router. How could their number differ so greatly from my router's?

Responses

XfinityDilary

Official Employee

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2.2K Messages

1 year ago

Hello, @user_ydge6k. Thanks for posting on our community forums. All data usage delivered over your home Xfinity Internet service, both downloaded and uploaded, is counted towards your data plan, regardless of the source. Learn more about what counts towards your data plan.

To help conserve your monthly usage, you may want to consider the following tips:

Secure your wireless network: Protect your wireless home network from unwanted outside users, viruses, and other threats.
- Learn more about using the admin tool to secure your wireless network.
Install a security product: Viruses and spyware may be consuming usage without your knowledge.
Application settings: Many internet-based applications and services offer settings that can help control how much data they use.
- You may also want to consider disabling third-party services that you don't often use and ensure to exit streaming services before powering off the TV.
- Examples include:
  - Streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, etc.
  - Backup storage apps such as Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Apple's Time Machine, etc.

Have you tried all of these steps before?

(edited)

user_ydge6k

2 Messages

Hello @XfinityDilary, Yes, I have secured my network and changed my wifi password at the beginning of the month. I have checked that all connections to my network are authorized. My computers all have antivirus software. Etc.

My real issue is that my router, the device that handles all traffic in and out of my home, reports dramatically less traffic than Xfinity reports. I don't know how to square that. Bots, spam, and hackers would have to go through my router. So I should see that traffic in my router log and the total traffic should match what Xfinity reports. The only thing between my router and comcast's line is my modem. There are no other wires in or out of the modem except the one that goes to the wireless router.

Can you explain this discrepancy?

1 year ago

XfinityDilary

Official Employee

•

2.2K Messages

Thanks for trying all those steps, @user_ydge6k. I can't speak for the results provided by the router. We do not have full access to third-party devices on our end, and our troubleshooting options would be limited. Validating any usage discrepancies would not be possible. You can contact your device manufacturer for further assistance if needed.

I am an Official Xfinity Employee.
Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.
Was your question answered? Please, mark a reply as the Accepted Answer. tick

1 year ago

EG

Expert

•

110.3K Messages

1 year ago

@XfinityDilary

Check your Bot Detection and Removal tool link. It's HTTP only.

http://internet-security-site-web.wc-g2.cf.comcast.net/products-and-services/bot-detection-and-removal

(edited)

BruceW

Gold Problem Solver

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26.4K Messages

1 year ago

@EG: The "internet-security-site-web.wc-g2.cf.comcast.net" host appears to have a private IP and would therefore not be accessible to customers:

C>nslookup internet-security-site-web.wc-g2.cf.comcast.net 75.75.75.75

Server: cdns02.comcast.net
Address: 75.75.76.76

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: cfwc-g2p.gslb4.comcast.com
Addresses: 172.24.81.*
172.24.81.*
172.24.81.*

Please be aware that there are 2 kinds of responses in this Forum: Replies and Comments. When you Comment on a post by scrolling down to "Comment on this post here...", I am notified of your response. But if you select Reply, I am NOT notified and may not be aware of your response.

(edited)

EG

Expert

•

110.3K Messages

1 year ago

Yep @BruceW I've seen you post that. before. They should keep their articles updated.....

(edited)

BruceW

Gold Problem Solver

•

26.4K Messages

1 year ago

@EG wrote: "... They should keep their articles updated....."

It would be nice, wouldn't it? Didn't they pull the plug on the "Bot Detection and Removal" site years ago?

And why do we have this ridiculousness where

"https://internetsecurity.xfinity.com/help/report-abuse/" (with final slash --> private IP) doesn't work, but

"https://internetsecurity.xfinity.com/help/report-abuse" ( no final slash --> public IP ) does???

Employees post that "final slash" URL often. They really shouldn't! It doesn't work!

ETA: In suggesting that second URL "works", I gave it too much credit. Far too often, attempting to follow it results in a "400 Bad Request" page, stating:

Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand. Size of a request header field exceeds server limit.

AFAIK, no other Comcast/Xfinity page does this.

Why can't they fix this stuff???

Please be aware that there are 2 kinds of responses in this Forum: Replies and Comments. When you Comment on a post by scrolling down to "Comment on this post here...", I am notified of your response. But if you select Reply, I am NOT notified and may not be aware of your response.

(edited)

Your Home Network

user_ydge6k

data overage

XfinityDilary

user_ydge6k

XfinityDilary

EG

BruceW

Please be aware that there are 2 kinds of responses in this Forum: Replies and Comments. When you Comment on a post by scrolling down to "Comment on this post here...", I am notified of your response. But if you select Reply, I am NOT notified and may not be aware of your response.

EG

BruceW

Please be aware that there are 2 kinds of responses in this Forum: Replies and Comments. When you Comment on a post by scrolling down to "Comment on this post here...", I am notified of your response. But if you select Reply, I am NOT notified and may not be aware of your response.

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