M

Tuesday, October 15th, 2024 5:54 PM

Home Internet Data Usage Spike in Oct 2024

I am usually under the 1.2 Terabyte cap each month - I have gone over 3 times in the last 12 months, never more than 100Gb. However this month, I somehow used all 1.2 Terabytes in the first 10 days. Then over the next 3-5 days, I used another full 1.2TB. I am sitting at 2.56TB of usage with 16 days left in the billing cycle; more than quadruple my normal usage. Nothing has changed in terms of usage at the house - # of devices, time connected, streaming, downloads, gaming. 

I am unable to view individual device usage at https://customer.xfinity.com/#/devices#usage <-- page fails to load in browser. Page also fails to load in the Xfinity App. I spent over an hour on the phone getting bounced around on customer service (888)565-4329 to be told there is simply no way to view which devices are using that amount of data. Their best solution was to try and upgrade me to unlimited data, which will cost me $30/mo more than what I am paying now. I would really rather not do that, since the ~$50 of overage charges i pay each year are nowhere near the $360/year increase it would cost me to upgrade to unlimited... and it wouldn't solve the underlying issue of an insane amount of data being used at my home.

The internet speed is not an issue, it works just fine at 500mbps. The router is fine as well, for every device that connects to it. Nothing has changed on the setup or usage from my side, so I am completely baffled at what is causing this massive data usage spike. Short of someone logging into the network secretly and then downloading call of duty (256GB) EVERY NIGHT all month, there is simply no way I am using this amount of data. 

Is there a way to figure out which device is using this amount of data without literally disconnecting every device from my network and reconnecting them one at a time? Or perhaps seeing a timeline of data usage instead of a single bar on a bar graph that just shows the total? Seems like Xfinity should have a way to do this since they are charging for usage by the Gig in cases of overages such as this one.

Hoping I can get to the bottom of this without much more heartache. Thanks!

Official Employee

 • 

2.1K Messages

2 months ago

Hello, @McCraeK have you reached out to our Customer Security Assurance team to start an investigation this issue? The customer Security Assurance organization is a dedicated group of security professionals who respond to issues pertaining to phishing, spam, infected computers (commonly referred to as bots), online fraud, and other security issues. You can reach out to them here

3 Messages

@XfinityThomasC​ As I stated in my post, that's exactly what I tried to do by calling the "Customer Security Assurance" line at (888)565-4329. Every single person I spoke to tried to sell me Xfi Complete + unlimited data. I was unable to convey to them that it's a security concern that needs to be looked into rather than a monetary concern about overages (although it is also that).

This has continued to happen overnight even though we have completely shut off the computers in the house. Can you please raise a ticket about this for the team to begin an investigation? Or if you can give me the email of a contact that I can forward this thread + my customer info to, I'd be happy to start that process myself. I'm just not keen to be given the run-around on the phone again.

Here are the usage totals since Tuesday, according to the Xfinity website. These were taken around 11am each day. I would love some more detailed information about this - what devices are using this data and at what time. Unfortunately I can only see the single bar graph that shows running total usage for the month.

Date Usage Total Daily Usage
Oct 1 - Oct 15 (average) ~2.5TB ~180GB Every Day
Tuesday Oct 15th  2.56TB ~320GB

Wednesday Oct 16th

2.88TB ~330GB
Thursday Oct 17th 3.21TB ~140GB
Friday Oct 18th  3.35TB ???

Official Employee

 • 

1.2K Messages

McCraeK Thank you for restating that. I'm sorry that we overlooked the details you provided. It is difficult to see which devices are pulling the data directly, but if you check your devices like you mobile phone you should be able to see on them how much data has been used. 

This is obviously a big spike and extremely concerning. 

I'm happy to help investigate this to figure out what is going wrong. 

Have your tried to change your Wi-Fi credentials? Do you have the option to unplug the modem / router overnight or for a length of time to help isolate the accuracy of the readings. These are options that I would do on my own home network if I noticed a sudden spike like this.  
It would be rough considering my network controls some lights in my home, but with the readings you are seeing it may be helpful. 

Please send us a direct message with your name and service address. I will dig into it on this side as well! 

To send a direct message, please click on the chat icon in the top-right corner of the screen, and select "Xfinity Support" to initiate a live chat. 
Click "Sign In" if necessary
Click the "direct messaging" icon or https://comca.st/3J0ir1l
Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon
Type "Xfinity Support" in the "To:" line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list which appears. The "Xfinity Support" graphic replaces the "To:" line
Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window
Press Enter to send it

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

Contributor

 • 

40 Messages

2 months ago

Have you tried changing network name and wireless password to make sure no one was stealing wireless from you?

Expert

 • 

107.6K Messages

2 months ago

Here is another scenario to consider. Is this a Comcast rented gateway device ? If so, perhaps a neighbor(s) is / are inadvertently connecting to your network / gateway device via the MoCA feature that's built into it. MoCA (Multimedia Over Coax Alliance) is an alternate hardwired way to connect devices to a home network if ethernet cabling can not be used/run. It uses the existing coax cable wiring instead of ethernet cabling. 

If the MoCA feature is enabled, and you do not have a PoE (Point of Entry) MoCA filter installed on the coax line, yours, and your neighbor's gateway devices will be able to connect with each other like one big network. 

Disable it if you aren't using it. If you are, install a PoE MoCA filter on the input port of the first splitter off of the street drop to keep the MoCA signal in your premises and to keep the neighbor's signals out. Your neighbors should also have PoE filters installed.

To disable MoCA on your device. First, unplug the coax cable line from the jack on the gateway device. Then go to the gateway login http://10.0.0.1    


Default login info is:
Username: admin (all lowercase)
Password: password


Once in you will find the drop-down on the left of the screen that is labeled “Connections”.

Click the drop down---> click MoCA---> right side of screen click “disable”---> save changes.

Bear in mind that we've seen many posts here that the MoCA feature gets turned back on with their overnight re-boots / updates for the device. The best policy is to be sure to use that PoE filter ! Amazon has them: https://www.amazon.com/SNLP-1GCW-Filter-Eliminate-Multi-Room-Interference/dp/B07SLD9QPH     

Or you may be able to get one for free at your local Comcast / Xfinity store. Or book a tech to come out and install one for you.


If the MoCA feature is not being used on your home network, you can put the PoE filter right at the back of your gateway device instead.

2 Messages

2 months ago

I am having a similar issue. I've never gone over on my data usage, but just received a notice that I'm at 90% with 10 days to go this month. Usage has always been a couple hundred GB per month, but now I'm at 1.11TB. My usage has not changed. Only me in the house. What's going on?

Official Employee

 • 

2.7K Messages

@user_tyqaq9 At this time data usage is verified by an independent, third-party auditor. The best course of action, in this case, would actually be to report this to our Customer Security Assurance. You can contact them by following this link: https://internetsecurity.xfinity.com/help/report-abuse/ or by calling CSA Toll-Free Number: 1-888-565-4329. 

 

Going forward you can monitor your data usage using your MyAccount app and with our Data Usage Center with the link: https://dataplan.xfinity.com/. You can learn more about our packages with the link: https://dataplan.xfinity.com/unlimited/.

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

Expert

 • 

107.6K Messages

2 months ago

@McCraeK @XfinityThomasC @XfinityPaula 

Has an outcome been determined here ?

3 Messages

Nope, data usage is back to normal with no changes whatsoever to the network. 

1 Message

2 months ago

I just found this post. We got the same email for October 2024. We average 400-600 through the past months. 
October comes, nothing changed in our household and I get a notice we’re are 90% of our date on October 31, 2024.

Then on Xfinity app, November 1. No one home until 4pm and we have used 42gb of data plan. WTH???

I called and got a ticket made for this issue. Xfinity can’t help because e we use a netgear router. I got on the Netgear Nighthawk app and nothing out of the ordinary is connected.

 Nothing has changed.

i setup the traffic meter on the app. I will compare that to the Xfinity app data usage.

 From 6pm November 1 to 8am Nov. 2 the Netgear app shows we only used 4gb of data.

but the Xfinity app shows e jumped from 42gb to 50gb. We some how had a 8gb jump with Xfinity but not through my router.

 This is very concerning and needs to be fixed. 

Contributor

 • 

71 Messages

2 months ago

You did not mention modem and or router.  I have an older ASUS router and it does have a traffic analysis function, but you must connect directly to the modem.  I have an the latest Xfinity modem/router but use it in bridge mode.  I too found my data usage going up at random, even paid the $30 unlimited fee for a while, and then decided to try the Xfinity modem/router plan which includes unlimited.  Jury is still out for me on this configuration.  The Xfinity unit does not have good WiFi coverage in my environment, so resorted to my old router. 

In my traffic analysis it is my camera system, there are ten of them, set to high resolution.  Remember Xfinity data usage is combined upload and download and in my case camera upload is substantial.  There is still an issue in my mind if Xfinity is still using home modems supplied by them to support Xfinity hotspots. I need to convince myself this is not the issue, and surely would not be counted as usage. 

1 Message

1 month ago

We also got the same random increase in usage.  Started in Oct 2024 with 3 days left in the month.  And for Nov 2024, we got the notice on the 13th of the month.  My husband streams shows and he has been traveling for 2 weeks during the month of November so we should be under usage.  We are also on the 1.2 TB plan.  Sounds quite suspect on Xfinity’s part.  

Official Employee

 • 

1.3K Messages

Hello user_7rb9bh several factors can contribute to data increases. Data usage does come from streaming, yes, but also from work/Zoom calls, online gaming, online schooling, and many others. Should you feel that there are discrepancies in your data usage, we have a dedicated team that can investigate suspected network compromise. 

 

The Customer Security Assurance organization has been established to ensure a safe and secure online experience for Comcast customers. This team is a dedicated group of security professionals who respond to issues pertaining to phishing, spam, infected computers (commonly referred to as bots), online fraud and other security issues.

 

 

Business Hours: 8:00am - 12:00am EST, 7 days a week
Contact: 1-888-565-4329

 

Xfinity Report Abuse

 

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 Message

28 days ago

I am having an issue with this as well. It says I am close to my data level . I did a comparison on my account and notice it does this random slow increase every four months. My router tracks my usage and tells me if a new device is using my network. There have been no notifications. When I looked at the individual lifetime not monthly used data; Life time data says I have barely used 1.2. something is going on. Xfinity needs to fix this breach . I own my modem and router it is on xfinity’s side. 

(edited)

Official Employee

 • 

1.8K Messages

Tealeaf06 Hi there! We are sorry to hear about these issues you are having and our team is here to work with you to see what is going on with your data usage. We know how important it is to make sure everything is properly calculated and if I was in your position I would be just as worried. To get started can you send us a DM with your address and name? Here's the detailed steps to direct message us: 
• Click "Sign In" if necessary 
• Click the "Direct Message" icon (upper right corner of this page) 
• Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon 
• Type "Xfinity Support" in the to line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list 
• Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window 
• Press Enter to send your message
 

 

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

6 Messages

26 days ago

I have noticed this exact same issue for September, October and now November 2024. And my previous months were nowhere near this high. So since I have a newer router I decided to go online and check the traffic analyzer for it. So far from 10:31 2024 to 11:29 2024 it says I've used 375+/- GB of data but the app says that I'm at 1.11 TB. 

I called CSA and they have submitted a ticket so I will try and repost on here if I find anything out. They told me to trust the Xfinity app. I told them this was an issue a year ago I think I'm going to trust my router more 😂

Visitor

 • 

2 Messages

25 days ago

Hello - Our household received notices from Xfinity about high data usage for November '24, but October is when the readings show an increase. The only major difference is that I replaced the modem with a new Netgear unit that's compatible with Xfinity.

How data is being used hasn't changed in a way to drastically cause this kind of usage, and the entire year before October can be used as an example.

Because of the notices of overage charges, I contacted Xfinity support today, and their initial response is that I will be charged. They said I will need to lease their modem in order to fix the high data readings. I pushed back that this new Netgear modem is compliant with Xfinity, and I haven't made any significant changes in how I use my devices. Also, I can see if new devices connect to my network through a firewall and the router, so it's unlikely that someone is piggybacking on my network at least after the modem.

Xfinity said they rolled back any overage charges, and they are going to send a tech to perform some checks.

As a side note, the ability to reach an Xfinity rep is horrific. The chatbot wall raises the frustration before even getting a human.

6 Messages

@IAmGrooot​ I had the same issue with trying to get a hold of somebody. An interestingly enough I just replaced my modem with a Netgear modem as well on October 15th. But I was charged for September and October. They tried to call me today but I was switching out my phone for a new one. So now I got to try and figure out how to call them back... Especially since the voicemail was so loud in the background that I couldn't even hear the number they gave me...

Official Employee

 • 

2.7K Messages

@IAmGrooot I am sorry to hear how your experience reaching out has been. At this time data usage is verified by an independent, third-party auditor. The best course of action, in this case, would actually be to report this to our Customer Security Assurance. You can contact them by following this link: https://internetsecurity.xfinity.com/help/report-abuse/ or by calling CSA Toll-Free Number: 1-888-565-4329.

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

Visitor

 • 

2 Messages

@Coopdavillage​ are you seeing any change in the amount of data being recorded?

I noticed the reported hemorrhaging suddenly stopped last Sunday or Monday, so I might cancel the tech that's supposed to be visiting this weekend. But I'll be keeping a close on the situation for any changes.

What I discovered because of this data reporting issue is that I have an Amazon Fire stick that uses up to 1-2GBs an hour at times when it's not being used. I followed a suggestion on a random forum about plugging the power for the Fire stick from an outlet to the TV's USB to force the device to power off with the TV. So far, this seems to turn off the Fire stick.

Note: I have a firewall product called Firewalla that helps me to monitor the network down to a granular level.

This is the second fiasco with Xfinity, and I find their data limits and customer service to be lacking. When I engage their support they don't solve the problem or even provide any reasoning other than to blame my equipment. I may consider another local competitor that doesn't have contracts, data caps, has local support, and has competitive pricing. I just have to wait out my contract.

6 Messages

@IAmGrooot​ I have not yet. But I'm monitoring it. Got sick and tired of the Xfinity rep telling me to change my password because somebody might be hacking my router. After I kept telling them that the router records the transmission data over the internet up and down. And that my router is secure and even if somebody was hacking it they would still be adding to that number. Honestly if I had a different service in my area I would absolutely switch...

1 Message

15 days ago

Having same issue. Have never went above my limit before. We are using less devices than during the summer and yet data usage has jumped up significantly the last couple months.   I will be call customer support and asking them to investigate as well, it seems off to me that my data usage has been pretty consistent for over a year and now suddenly jumped? 

Official Employee

 • 

1.5K Messages

Hello and welcome to Comcast @user_r9ynru! I am sorry to hear how your experience reaching out has been. At this time data usage is verified by an independent, third-party auditor. The best course of action, in this case, would actually be to report this to our Customer Security Assurance. You can contact them by following this link: https://internetsecurity.xfinity.com/help/report-abuse/ or by calling CSA Toll-Free Number: 1-888-565-4329.

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

6 Messages

@XfinityRoberto​ several of us have reported this to Xfinity. And what we're told is that we need to change our password when we know that's not the issue. However it is interesting how after I just reported mine my daddy usage is nowhere near what it was the last 3 months. I have not changed my pattern at all.

6 Messages

15 days ago

Has anyone checked what's using the data on their system? I found out mine is the TLS / SSL for my TV. Which is odd. I have a Samsung QR70 so I'm talking to them about it now. But I'm wondering if it's the same thing for everyone else.

2 Messages

I called Xfinity after I started receiving the email notices in October. After lots of double-speak, it sounds like this was a marketing ploy. They explained that with the option I had, I would not see a price increase. Other than repeatedly saying that, I could not get a clear answer on why the app was showing the high numbers. I think they had a new plan available that they were trying to incentivize folks to try (= more $$$)!! I made sure they knew that I thought that was a pretty poor move on Xfinity's part.

(edited)

6 Messages

Yeah they kept very heavily trying to push the $30 extra a month unlimited fee for me. Which if they're messing with my data to try and get me to pay them an extra $30 a month. They're messing with the wrong person....

Official Employee

 • 

2.2K Messages

 

user_tyqaq9 Hi there! We are sorry you had this experience. Its not what we want for our customers. Our team would be happy ot review your account for any potential savings. Can you initiate a direct message and start with your full name and address? To start a direct message, you must be signed in. Please click the "Direct Messaging" icon in the top right of the page next to the bell, and send your message to "Xfinity Support". Talk to you there!

 

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
forum icon

New to the Community?

Start Here