Is this a totally outrageous request??

I have a DSL connection. Unlimited data throughput up and down. Fine. I want to get rid of the copper wired land line phone that I have to have to get the DSL. In my area that's the only choice for wired internet access (think: Green Acres).

I'd like to replace my DSL with a Verizon Jetpack MiFi, but the amount of data Verizon offers seems ridiculously low. The problem is, I have no earthly clue how much data I'm using. My ISP (they claim) doesn't keep track of data use on DSL accounts. And I've tried literally about ten different data calculators, and using the exact same input data, have come up with anything from 8.5 gb/month to 56 gb/month. That's a HUGE difference. I don't want to switch to Verizon and end up paying $1000 a month in data overage charges.

Is there a way to measure data throughput on the Airport Extreme base station?? Every bit and byte of data I use goes through it, and it looks like it would be easy enough to figure the total, but I can't find any way to do it.

Thoughts??

Tks

Butch

I don't know of a way to measure data throughput using the ABS. Generally, data throughput is measured from your ISP. What do your net browsing habits consist of? The reason I ask is that unless you're into watching on line videos, do lots of downloading, and play on line games, 5 GB a month will go a long way. Of course it's nice to know when you're approaching the limit of what you've paid for.

It absolutely ***astounds*** me that there is, in 2013, not a way to measure data throughput on the AirPort. That just astounds me.

So I'm still at square one.

What astounds me, actually, is that ISP's (especially ones with caps) claim that they have no way of telling you how much data you are using actively until some magical threshold is passed and you get billed extra..

Anyway..

If all you want to do is determine the amount of data you transmit and receive from a particular network interface regardless of where that is going. You can use a program like Surplus Meter to get that value. However, this value gets skewed a lot if you have any local network access like accessing a NAS or something..

If that isn't the case and all of your communication is to the Internet, then this program will give you a number you can use to determine how you should proceed..

Thanks for that! Downloaded and installed. I *knew* there had to be something. Why does that all seem so cryptic? I'd think Apple would have a utility built into the OS for that kind of thing. Doesn't seem mind-bendingly complicated.

Appreciate the assist.

Ashwin, if any ISP says that they are lying through their teeth. AT&T tried to say that and people rallied together on FB and fought them and all of a sudden they gave us a URL to a Meter on their page that showed just how much data we has used for the month.

My ISP is a local telelphone cooperative (like I said, think Green Acres). I'm sure everything they do is contracted out.