How can I keep track of my data usage on Airport Extreme??

Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I found something that said in the AirPort utility you go to "Base Station" and select "logs & statistics" but there's no such animal in my Base Station menu. All I have there (using Mountain Lion) are:

Show Passwords
Restart
Restore Default Settings
Add WiFi printer

I'm looking for a way to figure out what my monthly data use is before I decide to cut the DSL cord and go with 4GLTE on Verizon. I'm told Verizon's data usage calculator is notorious for underestimating your use, so they can then charge you an arm and a leg for going over (imagine that..). My current ISP claims (and I find this hard to believe) that they have no way to track total data usage.

Tks!

B
 
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
8,428
Reaction score
295
Points
83
Location
Waiting for a mate . . .
Your Mac's Specs
21" iMac 2.9Ghz 16GB RAM - 10.11.3, iPhone6s & iPad Air 2 - iOS 9.2.1, ATV 4Th Gen tvOS, ATV3
What are you using Airport Utility for ?/ Do you have a TimeCapsule or Airport Express ?? I ask because Airport Utility only works with Apples Air hardware.
Anyway if you have a TimeCapsule, you need a Modem anyway so what brand do you have ??

I have a NetGear DGND4000 and built into the settings is a Data Calculator so i can use that. My ISP in Aust is with Telstra and their App is brilliant giving me to the day data usage, avg used per day, how many GB i have left to use each day.
We in Aust are covered by the ACCC a Consumer Watchdog run by the Gov and i think there is a Law saying every ISP has to make readily available Data Usage for the customer, because of HUGE bills years ago for going over.

There is a App i used before the Telstra one called Consume that when i set up with my ISP User name and Password it checked my data from their website. Look at the image below. You can see how its tracking usage from ISP iiNet.

Now I'm not sure if your ISP is in the USA list as they only have Comcast and Cox but it worked well and did the Job.
So basically I'm saying there could be a App like consume that will track your data usage.
Ill look and post a link for you to check out.

https://www.google.com.au/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Data+usage+site:itunes.apple.com/us/&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=pQ6PUeGYJ6WOiAfFoIHQDA

Not sure if they are for iPhone only bout check through them and see. I have so much to choose from in Aust, so it seems the US don't have the same sort of laws :(

HTH

Consume.png
 
OP
J
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Not sure what your question is. I've never used the AirPort utility before for anything (it's part of the OS). I have a DSL modem supplied by my ISP (in the USA - the local telephone cooperative), connected to an AirPort Extreme, to which my Mac Pro is connected via an ethernet cable. I also have an AirPort Express elsewhere in the house to ensure signal strength through the house.

I just want to know how to use what I have to track my data through-put on the AirPort Extreme, whether that's with the AirPort utility built into the OS, or whether I need to have another piece of software. And if the latter, what's the best one to get.
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,745
Reaction score
2,071
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
Your ISP has the definitive information, especially if you have a metered ISP account. So them saying that they don't know is just bull and gives you the freedom to go over and claim they never told you hold much you actually used..

But to track your network usage, try:
SurplusMeter - Free
Netuse Monitor - $7.99 in the App Store
 
OP
J
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
They claim they don't monitor it, and since there's no data cap, I'm sort of stuck. I want the information, but they swear they don't have it. Catch 22.

I just purchased NetUse Monitor for $7.99, but it says my network isn't configured correctly to use it. I am a Mac user, **not** a techie and **certainly** not a network guru. I have not the faintest clue how to go about figuring out how to make the $7.99 app I just bought work. I have a very simple setup:

Telephone line >>> DSL modem >>> AirPort Extreme >>> Mac Pro (all of the above connected by hard wire)

AirPort Express

That's it.
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,745
Reaction score
2,071
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
Ohh! So you have an unlimited bandwidth account, but want to potentially switch to another service which does have caps and what to figure out how much you ARE using to see if it makes sense..gotcha..

The two programs I provided should give you an idea of your overall usage..
 
OP
J
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Yes, I'd like to cut the DSL and land line phone, since we now have 4G LTE with Verizon in the area. But I don't want to do all that and find out that Verizon has drastically underestimated my data usage so I end up paying big bucks for going over every month. I need to know how much I'm using before I make the switch.

BTW, Surplus Meter does nothing but sit there and hang, and I have to force quit it every time.

And I still can't figure out how to make the other app work, so I'm back to square 1.
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,745
Reaction score
2,071
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
What version of OS X do you have? I have OS X 10.8.3 and the program runs fine for me and monitors my AirPort connection..

Also depending on how often you turn your machine on and off or if you can keep track of it..you can look at Activity Monitor and under the Network tab, you will see Data Received/Send indicating what you've been sending and and receiving..

Keep in mind though that if you have any sort of network shares or whatever, they will show up here as well. My machine has been up for 4 days and it says I've received and sent about 22GB. But since my Time Machine storage is on a NAS drive, not all of it is actually Internet traffic..
 
OP
J
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Mountain Lion 10.8.3

My Mac Pro runs 24/7 unless the power goes out. I use Carbonite, so I do have some background data usage as well, but that isn't going to change if I dump the DSL for 4G LTE, so I need to know the whole number I'm using.

"you can look at Activity Monitor and under the Network tab, you will see Data Received/Send indicating what you've been sending and and receiving.." - Under what network tab? What app/software/control panel are you talking about there???

And BTW, I've just (now) spent about 30 minutes on the phone with my ISP's third party tech support and they steadfastly claim they do NOT keep any track whatsoever of how much data individual DSL customers use. I find that ****extremely**** hard to believe, but I get nothing but "we don't keep that information" from them. And the local ISP office is utterly clueless.
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
My current ISP claims (and I find this hard to believe) that they have no way to track total data usage.
Yes they do and you're right to doubt them. That however is not important right now.

Keep in mind though that if you have any sort of network shares or whatever, they will show up here as well. My machine has been up for 4 days and it says I've received and sent about 22GB. But since my Time Machine storage is on a NAS drive, not all of it is actually Internet traffic..
This is something that you really need to watch out for. Many apps monitor outgoing traffic on a device without discrimination. Consequently, traffic across the network will get caught. I, like Raz0rEdge, have seen these tools report massive amounts of bandwidth that fails to recognize that my NAS is not the outside world.

If you don't send data across the network (between devices in your home), Activity Monitor can do this. However, it doesn't log these values so unless the machine is on all day, AM won't be of help.
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. There's a network tab at the bottom.
 

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
15,745
Reaction score
2,071
Points
113
Location
MA
Your Mac's Specs
2022 Mac Studio M1 Max, 2023 M2 MBA
And BTW, I've just (now) spent about 30 minutes on the phone with my ISP's third party tech support and they steadfastly claim they do NOT keep any track whatsoever of how much data individual DSL customers use. I find that ****extremely**** hard to believe, but I get nothing but "we don't keep that information" from them. And the local ISP office is utterly clueless.

Depending on who your ISP is, my guess it that the information is tracked, but not accessible to the support people if the company doesn't have a tiered plan in place for you to check on your usage..

Just like Activity Monitor on your local machine, network traffic in general is very easy to track for an ISP since all the networking devices have it built-in for a long time. It's a matter of presenting that data that isn't being done..
 
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
8,428
Reaction score
295
Points
83
Location
Waiting for a mate . . .
Your Mac's Specs
21" iMac 2.9Ghz 16GB RAM - 10.11.3, iPhone6s & iPad Air 2 - iOS 9.2.1, ATV 4Th Gen tvOS, ATV3
Not sure what your question is. I've never used the AirPort utility before for anything (it's part of the OS).

In your post below, being your FIRST post in the thread you talked about the Airport Utility ?? So that is why my question.


I found something that said in the AirPort utility you go to "Base Station" and select "logs & statistics" but there's no such animal in my Base Station menu


And i agreed with others calling BS on not knowing how much data you are using. I would ring them again and ask to be escalated to higher and higher until you get the answer you want.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top