Software using all my internet gigs?

[sirhenryford]

I use mobile Internet. I recently bought a MacBook Air OS X Yosemite 10.10.2. Suddenly at various intervals huge amounts of Internet MB are being used up for no apparent reason. Tonight .87GB was suddenly used up and my consumption for today was a huge 1.14 GB. There is no way that I have used all that myself and I keep a very close watch on my consumption as my entire allowance is just 10gb a month that costs €42 a month. I reported it as theft of my Internet connection to Vodafone explaining that somebody else must be using my connection that is locked. I was told that is not possible to do that and that it is software updates that is causing the problem. I find that very hard to believe. Surely software updates are not going to take up such huge amounts? Surely Apple would not be so irresponsible to do such a thing? I have been advised by Vodafone to switch off software updates to avoid being robbed of my Gigs. I do not know how to. Please advise.

 

[chscag]

Apple does not install updates unless you're notified or you have chosen to receive automatic updates. Open System Preferences, and click on "App Store". You can read the options listed there, however, automatic updates are turned off by default. If they haven't been turned off on your system, be sure to make the changes and then reboot.

 

[sirhenryford]

Thank you. I recall about "App Store" to download software updates that have to be downloaded upon request. What you have told me has confirmed what I thought. However I would definitely like to check that the default setting has not been altered.
Yesterday something very peculiar happened. I received a message on my screen that said that attempts had been made to try to download a software update but as I was using the application for the download, the download could not take place. The message also asked me to restart my computer so that the download could be received. After I had set the computer to restart and it restarted a progress bar came on that took very little time to finish and then my computer restarted and nothing else unusual happened. I have looked in my downloads folder and a iPhoto update has been received called "Many Tricks". Would such an update be responsible for taking up .87 GB? I very much doubt it.
Please could you'll me how to get to and read the options list you mentioned. to make sure that the computer is definitely set to default (again I suspect that it is) so that software is not automatically downloaded. Again the fact that I was asked to download the software update and it not being automatically downloaded straight into my computer indicates to me that the computer is set at default.
This problem is causing big problems to me as huge amounts of my Internet allocation keep being used and I know that it is definitely not me.

 

[sirhenryford]

OK I have been able to find the options list now. And "Download newly available updates in the background" WAS switched ON. The default must have been done by the shop that sold me the computer.

I have unticked ALL of the boxes to prevent further problems of using up my Internet connection like that.

So the only question is would the "Many tricks" iPhoto update be responsible for such a huge amount of Internet mb use?

 

[chscag]

OK I have been able to find the options list now. And "Download newly available updates in the background" WAS switched ON. The default must have been done by the shop that sold me the computer.

I have unticked ALL of the boxes to prevent further problems of using up my Internet connection like that.

So the only question is would the "Many tricks" iPhoto update be responsible for such a huge amount of Internet mb use?

Now that you have turned the background updates off, that should save some of your valuable allocation for when you really need it. As for the iPhoto update you mentioned "Many tricks", I could not find anything about it. Are you sure it was an iPhoto update?

 

[sirhenryford]

Yes. Your help appreciated

Events have turned since I wrote to you. Suddenly a massive amount of MB is being used up and in 2 hours 37 minutes 1.26 Gigs was suddenly used up earlier today. I was not downloading video, or uploading video and the only applications switched on XL and Safari for emails with all software updates switched OFF.

Somehow somebody has hacked into my Internet connection and using up large amounts of MB very quickly indeed since yesterday afternoon/evening that simply is not possible on my mobile connection with a weak signal and slow download and upload speed. I have taken regular screen shots and kept a spreadsheet of figures and about to send the lot off to vodafone who would not believe me about what has been happening when I rang them 3 times despite seeing the figures on their website rocket up as I was registering my complaint!

It's been a nightmare! Anyway it is clearly something Vodafone will have to sort out and outside the boundaries of this forum.

Thanks for letting me know how to get to the page so I could switch off auto software downloading. But clearly it was not that causing the problem.

 

[vansmith]

It's possible that someone is piggy backing on your connection. A simple way to tell is to see if there is a discrepancy between what Activity Monitor is saying (under the Network tab) and whatever it is that you're reading which is giving you this value. If there is a huge discrepancy, something external to your Mac is using bandwidth. If there isn't, Activity Monitor will let you see what's using up all of your bandwidth.

 

[harryb2448]

Just be ready for Vodafone to do nothing. The only interest they have is in sales.

 

[vansmith]

Just be ready for Vodafone to do nothing. The only interest they have is in sales.

Wait, you're telling me that a telecom is interested in nothing more than revenue? Stop the presses!

 

[chas_m]

Much more likely, to my way of thinking, is that you have downloaded some malware or adware that is attempting to download additional malware (as they do). I would start by downloading (and running) Adware Medic to see if that catches anything.

Next, I would spend a little time in an Internet cafe or some place with free/cheap Wi-Fi, and use that exclusively for a few days (no cellular at all). Then see if the mysterious downloading of sizable quantity is still happening. It could be that even though you turned automatic downloads off, the downloads that were started must be completed, and these would continue until they did.

I do not think "Many Tricks" is malware -- there is a company called that which makes Moom and other legit Mac software, and it is probably trying to finish downloading something you said you wanted. See if any of these products look familiar: Many Tricks

 

[sirhenryford]

Thank you and your opinion please

Firstly thank you for your messages. In replying to and sending just one email few minutes ago, with no attachments, it used up .36 GB of my mobile Internet allocation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously wrong!

For this reason I have to be very brief in my reply as I have just 4.72 GB to last me until 4 April! At .36GB an email I am sure you can appreciate what the predicament is. Yes I do mean GB not MB!

The test that was suggested to see if it is malware and to compare the readings seems to me to be a good idea so I am in particular going to point this out as a possible test when I can get to the shop that sold me my new MacBook Air a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately due to the travel restrictions imposed upon me by idiotic EU Spanish legislation it will be a couple of weeks before I can do that, and then another 4 weeks to go back and collect it if it cannot be sorted out there and then.

And finally yes, Vodafone simply do not have competent people to deal with enquiries and the Internet service here as a whole is a total sham.

So just ONE question left to all of you to answer please. As the computer is new and bought a couple of months ago should this be something that is fixed free of charge under the Apple warranty? Your opinion on this please!

 

[Hein]

hi Do you have anything installed,made by GOOGLE, like Google Chrome, Google has absolutely no respect for your data plan and chrome is forever updating to a newer version eating away at your bytes, or at least thats what happened to me, I could never tell where my vodacom bundles were going to, but the moment I took my eye of the modem's counter it ate away at my gigs, until I was introduced to
"LITTLE SNITCH" Little Snitch 3
IT has a free version as well that runs for a hour or two and then you have to restart it again, (but it gives you a warning) it monitors all internet connections and you have to authorize them before they can connect (AKA eat away your bundles) if you have Chrome ( or anything Goolge-ish)installed the first
thing I would then do is to block the connection to the update server for google.