 Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON |
Kergan
Premium Member
2014-Apr-2 10:02 pm
Had to start a new topic this is so unbelievable!!As if everything wasn't bad enough with my connection being unbearably slow the last 5 months, now I have another issue, Cogeco's Bandwidth Usage page is absolutely %100 out to lunch!! There is no way on gods green earth I downloaded and uploaded this much data in March with the connection problems I have been experiencing... NO POSSIBLE WAY! Someone please do the math for me on the circled part of my picture above... I could be wrong, but it looks to me like I would have to be uploading at 291kB/s for the entire 24 hour period... to get 23.99 GB uploaded in 1 day. So if all the computers were off for at least 6 hours, that would be 378kB/s for 18 hours... I think I would have noticed... AND MY PACKAGE DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO UPLOAD THAT FAST!!! I do not seed torrents for more than a few min (sorry I'm a bit of a leech), mine and my family's laptops are all shut off at night... and I downloaded next to nothing in March, because my internet was nearly useless during the evenings and weekends. So Cogeco credited me one month of internet rate because my internet has been shit for the last 5 months... pathetic, as I expected... and then charged me $217 for going over my cap by this impossible amount!!! What possible reason could you suggest that exists for me to stay with Cogeco? Can anyone think of a believable reason? |
|
| |
Cloned modem Mac, or the fact that cogeco's meter is junk. I'd call them to swap modems and scan all pcs for infections for antivirus and malware bytes. And make sure your wifi is secure.
If that doesn't solve your problem there is always third party iisp such as teksavvy and start.ca |
|
Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON
1 edit |
Kergan
Premium Member
2014-Apr-2 11:26 pm
The Cloned modem is possible, and the meter may be junk, all my computers are scheduled for scanning 3 times a week for viruses and malware, so I've ruled that out. my Wifi is locked down with WPA2 and a loong alpha-numeric password as well as by the mac addresses of the devices I own, so it isn't my WiFi... I'm at my wits end with Cogeco.
I download regularly between 1 and 5gb a night which equals out on average to be about 100gb a month, my wife rarely ever downloads anything, she does Facebook and Pinterest pretty much exclusively, and my son watches a few Youtube videos here and there, but mostly just XBox live, and offline PC games... how the hell I blow my cap away like this is beyond me... it has to be an error or the cloned modem like you said... I dunno. |
|
Technicolor DCM476
TP-Link Archer C7
D-Link DIR-655 Rev. B
1 edit |
to Kergan
For bandwidth usage...
It's not unheard of, there are issues if you're using the modem provided by Cogeco as a network router. Often transfers between computers end up being counted as usage.
Always use a router in between you and the modem.
Contact Cogeco about Duplicate MAC addresses... etc. etc. Plenty of other (and recent) posts about this issue. |
|
| oCyberFreako |
Also check DNS settings on your router, there's been other recent hacks going about that are targeting routers not just the computer. So be sure to update your firmware, use other independent firmware (where available), and update your router passwords, and read up on other things with router exploits... » Recent Router Exploits |
|
gaforces (banned)United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA
1 edit |
to Kergan
said by Kergan:mine and my family's laptops are all shut off at night said by Kergan:all my computers are scheduled for scanning 3 times a week for viruses and malware If your turning the computers off every night, how does scheduled scanning work? It doesn't. The scheduled OS maintenance wont run either. |
|
| |
to Kergan
said by Kergan:As if everything wasn't bad enough with my connection being unbearably slow the last 5 months, now I have another issue, Cogeco's Bandwidth Usage page is absolutely %100 out to lunch!! ... slow internet? ... high bandwidth usage? Definitely sounds related. What if you run for a day with just one of your devices hooked up to the modem for 24 hours to figure out which one of them may be causing your issue? |
|
1 recommendation |
to Kergan
said by Kergan:I download regularly between 1 and 5gb a night which equals out on average to be about 100gb a month, Do you use a BitTorrent program for downloading? If so, are you SURE you are completely closing off the program? If not, that CAN tear through your upload bandwith quite a bit (way more than you would realize) |
|
Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON
3 edits |
to gaforces
said by gaforces:said by Kergan:mine and my family's laptops are all shut off at night said by Kergan:all my computers are scheduled for scanning 3 times a week for viruses and malware If your turning the computers off every night, how does scheduled scanning work? It doesn't. The scheduled OS maintenance wont run either. My son's computer is set to scan when he's at school, his updates are scheduled for 1.5 hours after the scan starts. My computer is set to scan when I'm at work and updates are scheduled to run 1.5 hours after the scan starts. My wifes computer is scheduled to scan when she is at work, and her updates are scheduled to run 1.5 hours after the san starts. My computers are clean and very well maintained. I'm using Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. |
|
| Kergan |
to RedMageX
Yes I use UTorrent, and I either set automatic shut down, or I completely exit the program when the download is done. I have left it on overnight on a rare occasion, but the last time I did that was months ago. |
|
| |
Even the best looked after computers can become infected with junk. Were just suggesting the most common things that cause this type of issue.
My bet is it's just their meter acting up. If you don't want to worry about caps you'll either need to get a business account or switch providers. Too many stories of insane usage charges by cogeco and all other ISPs that I don't feel safe unless I have unlimited.
Until Internet is classified as an essential service and meters are regulated issues like this will continue to arise. |
|
gaforces (banned)United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA |
to Kergan
Sorry, most aren't so diligent to change default settings and keep systems maintained. I try to but even then I'm not so sure. |
|
 dillyhammerSTART me up
Premium Member
join:2010-01-09
Scarborough, ON |
to Kergan
Your MAC is cloned. If they're charging you for that it's bloody criminal.
I suggest you give Start Communications or some other third party independent a call and ditch Cogeco ASAP.
If you have TV with them, consider cancelling that too and moving to Shaw Direct, who have huge discounts to lure Cogeco customers.
Mike |
|
|
Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON |
to jmarlatt2
said by jmarlatt2:Even the best looked after computers can become infected with junk. Were just suggesting the most common things that cause this type of issue.
My bet is it's just their meter acting up. If you don't want to worry about caps you'll either need to get a business account or switch providers. Too many stories of insane usage charges by cogeco and all other ISPs that I don't feel safe unless I have unlimited.
Until Internet is classified as an essential service and meters are regulated issues like this will continue to arise. I really do appreciate the suggestions, honestly. It's is my hope that someone does suggest something I have missed, it would make me very happy, but my problems have been going on for a long time now, and I've tried many things. I've always been very diligent in keeping my computers clean... yes it can happen that a virus or malware can go unnoticed, no system is infallible. I'm sure this isn't the case this time. After several calls to tech support and a trouble call to my house, I still have issues, and I know it's a problem in our area. My main point is that with the severe connection problems and the unbearably slow speeds I have been getting, especially in Feb and March, there is no way I could have gone over my cap if I tried, the speeds just were not there... they say I downloaded 489.77gb in March on a connection that I was getting 200 - 300kB/s download speeds during peak hours. I am running a Router in my house, so I doubt it's bandwidth meter picking up my transfers between our computers... but it is something I have not thought of... it's got me suspicious. If next months bill has over $200 of extra charges on it for the 214gb they say I went over my cap by, I will be going to Bell. |
|
| |
I guarantee you will be charged for the overages. Keep escalating it and the best they will do is give you a small credit.
Teksavvy and start.ca can get you the same speeds as bell or cogeco, using bells or cogeco's lines for a cheaper price with higher caps and unlimited options aswell.
Does your router have a bandwidth meter itself? Check it compared to cogeco's meters and numbers will be off unless something within your household is using the bandwidth which will make it seem like your connection is slow. |
|
| |
to Kergan
said by urbanriot:What if you run for a day with just one of your devices hooked up to the modem for 24 hours to figure out which one of them may be causing your issue? ... you need to follow these instructions. One of your systems or a hijacked router is causing your issue and there's not a whole lot of troubleshooting in this thread that would encourage you to solve this problem. Tonight, disconnect the router and plug just your PC directly into the modem for two days then see what the results are and post back. Two days later, plug in just one of the other systems directly into the modem for two days then see what the results are and post back. |
|
Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON |
Kergan
Premium Member
2014-Apr-4 4:56 pm
I'm not going to go through all that trouble, I have another Router. I'll upgrade the firmware, lock it down by MAC address, and give that a try.
It's pointless anyway, I'm switching to NRTC, sick of Cogeco doing nothing but take my money and not provide what they promise.
Give me one free month of internet, when it has not been working right since November.
Lie to me that there is nothing wrong in my area.
Tell me it must be a problem with my router or computers... so I purchased a new router when there was nothing wrong with my old one.
Finally admit there is something wrong in my area, and can't give me anything better then "It should be fixed sometime this spring"
Can't fix their bandwidth meter, and are going to charge me an outrageous amount for data I DID NOT USE.
Final straw... |
|
| |
Gerry
Anon
2014-Apr-6 12:03 am
Am with you I cancel Cogeco first March, I am in dispute with bills, Cogeco speed after 3 PM in Petawawa is less then 1Mbps same on weekend. If you are in Petawawa you have few alternative. No incentive for Cogeco to provide service and be honest, one of the worse company I ever dealt with, they are rude and dishonest. |
|
| |
Mistakes
Anon
2014-Apr-6 8:20 pm
Something these "can" be is cogeco not updating MAC address assignments or an employee just messing up.
Cogeco will never admit a mistake because the csr support are left intentionally ignorant and are told the bandwidth meters are accurate always. Which is not true. |
|
Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON |
Kergan
Premium Member
2014-Apr-8 11:55 am
Application for NRTC internet and phone was submitted today.
25Mbps symmetrical unlimited data, and phone for $74.99 a month... not quite as good as Cogeco (on paper) but it HAS to be better than what I got now... 30Mbps down (lucky if I get 3Mbps), 4Mbps up? 250gb cap and phone for like $135 a month.
Yep... buh bye, done deal. |
|
| |
onlychoice
Anon
2014-Apr-15 11:45 am
my modem was cloned last year, cogeco blamed it on my gaming, on piracy, on neighbors hacking into my router, claimed we had a virus infection...
our modem died randomly at the end of it the same weekend they called to claim we had a virus and needed to scan. scans came up negative. but replacing the modem not only fixed the bandwidth meter problem, we also got full advertised speed for several weeks.
now since then we get 1/4 of advertised upload speed which in the last week has become so unreliable that irc and mumble (low latency low bandwidth voip) won't stay connected reliably.
/whois puts my ip address south of toronto for some reason when i'm in parry sound... LOL.
call them and demand a new modem be installed. i guarantee it'll solve your problems for at least a few weeks and stop the overages until they deploy another modem with the same mac address to someone else. |
|
cdeen
join:2013-02-04
Mississauga, ON |
to Kergan
^^ same thing happened to me with crazy usage during days I wasn't home --- complained to Cogeco about the tracker and haven't had problems since (fingers crossed)
I also changed my modem after as a precaution. |
|
| |
rogersmogers to Kergan
Anon
2014-Apr-17 3:55 am
to Kergan
said by Kergan:Application for NRTC internet and phone was submitted today.
25Mbps symmetrical unlimited data, and phone for $74.99 a month... not quite as good as Cogeco (on paper) but it HAS to be better than what I got now... 30Mbps down (lucky if I get 3Mbps), 4Mbps up? 250gb cap and phone for like $135 a month.
Yep... buh bye, done deal. NRTCO can't offer those speeds outside of beachburg and the other areas where they own the phone lines. Other places they are stuck on the same speeds that Bell has now so like 6mbit or whatever Bell offers in your area. |
|
Kergan
Premium Member
join:2002-03-18
Petawawa, ON |
Kergan
Premium Member
2014-Apr-20 12:32 am
That was true before last fall. Parts of Petawawa have had NRTC lines (fiber) ran. A friend that works at NRTC told me that I have 25mbit available on my street. |
|
| |
to Kergan
youre preaching to the choir.
to keep it simple,
couple years back i was noticing my usage was higher than normal.
i even STOPPED downloading pretty much anything for a few days, and still cogeco showed me as using no less than 10-15gb A DAY!
so i called and complained, they basically didnt believe me, gave me the work around,
i ended up moving to Start Communications.
Start has a LITERALLY UP TO THE SECOND usage counter online, i have never been overcharged once by Start.
cogeco can go to hell for overcharging me two months in a row for their broken usage meters. |
|
 DavesnothereChange is NOT Necessarily Progress
Premium Member
join:2009-06-15
Canada |
said by ssjenforcer:youre preaching to the choir.
....I ended up moving to Start Communications.
Start has a LITERALLY UP TO THE SECOND usage counter online, i have never been overcharged once by Start.
cogeco can go to hell for overcharging me two months in a row for their broken usage meters. I don't think that Cogeco showed too much usage for my account, but their meter would frequently not update for as many as 3 or 4 days at a time, and then suddenly catch up. I Launched a big thread here about it, and Karl even made an article for DSLR mentioning it. When I moved to START (first chance that I or anyone could), I have NEVER had a problem with THEIR meter, and it updates almost instantly. I have even worked my monthly usage cap down to the wire, and it has tracked me perfectly. |
|
| |
cogeco_pet_u to Kergan
Anon
2014-Apr-27 10:50 am
to Kergan
Jumping to nrtc from cogeco lines here in petawawa as soon as available. Cogeco is ridiculous. Bad enough to pay so much for the speed but to not get that speed is outrageous. |
|
| cogeco_pet_u |
cogeco_pet_u
Anon
2014-Apr-28 9:34 am
Kergan - can you let us know how your nrtc experience turn out please? |
|
 BGBWants moar interwebz
Premium Member
join:2009-07-09
Waterloo, ON |
BGB to Kergan
Premium Member
2014-Apr-28 12:28 pm
to Kergan
Before you rule out your router 100% keep in mind that even with Wpa2 it may still be vulnerable. There was a recent report of wpa2 being brute forced (but that's not likely your case) and a vulnerability if you have wps enabled on your router that allows someone to gain access easily. I would definitely disable wps on your router to be certain. |
|
