India Broadband Forum

R Balaji

Hi,

I have Windows XP with BSNL Broadband Home500 connection.
I use Night Unlimited extensively between 02:00 and 08:00 AM.

I have automated downloads in these periods using Windows XP schedule task feature. I hibernate @ 10:00 PM when I go to sleep and downloads get started @ 02:05 AM as I have scheduled. Everything is working fine.

The problem is that when I check the usage on the next day, about 60MB is consumed for the time in hibernation ie from 10:00PM to 02:00AM.

I wish to know how broadband can consume bandwidth when the computer is not working (hibernated). I have UT-300R2U modem.

After hibernation the LED for Ethernet goes down indicating that there is no connection.

Even if the usage is about 10MB it is OK for me even if it is not logical.

As you are aware, Home500 Plan has only 2500MB per month.ie about 80MB per day. If 60MB is consumed every night I will have only 20MB in the day time for browsing which is very meagre.

Has anyone had this problem? If yes how to solve this?

Note: I have tried to find whether any scheduling is available for my modem or my APC UPS so that I can avoid this problem but in vain only.

Thanks for reading my story.
Any response will be appreciated.

R Balaji

Jerin

When it is connected to the modem somehow or other data transfer is occuring and thats the reason why this is happening.

The best way to avoid this is keep an alarm for 2 o clock in the morning and then on the computer and do the neccessary.

rkalantri

I am using a night unlimited and have scheduled download similar to you.
Well i keep my pc running while i fgo to sleep and my download starts at 2. i have never got this kind of problem or what problem you are saying also has no explanation. maybe someone else has your password and hes using it in nights?
There is no possibility of computer using your bandwidth. while its in hibernation or modem light is off.

vzx

Try disabling the Wireless protocol. The option should be in your modem's config page. Maybe someone in your vicinity uses a wireless laptop and could be stealing your bandwidth

P.S. - I thought this out of the blue

On a serious note, I use uTorrent to manage my torrent DL's and I find that even when the scheduler is enabled (i.e downloading only b/w 2AM-8AM), the application does download (at full speed) in the background but does not display it. I suspected this when I used to check my usage in the mornings and got 150 MB excess usage for a few days. Its hard to put to words but I hope you get the point.

The best option is to enable a BIOS timer (i.e. BIOS wake up alarm and not hibernating or standby mode) to make your PC start at exactly 2.05AM (give a leeway of 5 min) and enable your downloading program in startup (dont forget to add your download files in queue) and then use some application like "Switch off" to shutdown your PC at 7.55AM

I dont know if your motherboard supports BIOS alarm but most MOBO's manufactured after june 2006 do. (ASUS MOBO's have this feature from 2004)

Hope it helps

Cheers
Vzx

ozdesi

Hi,

I am a victim of similar problem from BSNL. I use Task Scheduler and uTorrent. Utorrent starts only at 2AM and even if it starts before that, its own scheduler pauses all downloads outside Night Unlimited time.

Even though my BSNL usage shows something like following

Daily Total
1170300 KB
1142.87 MB

Charged
185498 KB
181.15 MB

Free
984802 KB
961.72 MB

I am 100% sure that I have not used 181MBs during the day (outside night free time). Then I do not understand how BSNL counts this as a "Charged" usage??

I have changed my Dataone password (twice!) and also re-encrypted my Wireless LAN to avoid usage by others. moreover I shut down my PC at 7:30AM every morning.

Damn BSNL ! If anyone else has come across this problem please suggest a solution. I have lost faith in BSNL. In spite of changing my 250Home plan to 500 plan, they charged me generously for Rs. 15,000!! Later they amended the bill and it turned out to be only Rs 1,300. How can they do this mistake?

Cheers

toatal

i wants to know that how did you reduce your billing amount from bsnl i am also facing the same problem i am getting 25000 bill amount for the same duration 2am - 8am plz send me the procedure that you follow to reduce the bill
olz reply soon .

toatal

i wants to know that how did you reduce your billing amount from bsnl i am also facing the same problem i am getting 25000 bill amount for the same duration 2am - 8am plz send me the procedure that you follow to reduce the bill
olz reply soon .

ozdesi

No Special procedure. Call Local directory inquiry number (eg 197) to get a personal responsible for Broadband Billing. If possible go and meet them personally and show/discuss them the billing error so that they can issue a corrected bill.

In my case, because the plan was successfully changed I could see it on the Dataone website but not in the bill. I took a printout from Dataone website to show the personal responsible for billing. I was fortunate to get a prompt attention to my problem.

toatal

thanks for your reply i will do this .

ozdesi

As mentioned earlier I have used various methods to schedule my updates during 2AM And 8AM. I have used scheduler from utorrent, windows task scheduler and Switchoff without any success.

Hence I went to local BSNL office to meet a technical person who can shed some light on this issue. What I was told was something I never thought of.

According to him, night unlimited billing can be counted as free only if your modem is restarted at or after 2AM (in case of always-on wireless internet) OR only if you log off and log on after 2AM.

Hence there are practically two ways we can do this at 2AM at night.

1) Wake up at 2AM to turn on the modem physically OR
2) Use a power timer switch to your modem which can turn it on at 2AM OR
3) Use a dialer to connect and dial it at 2AM (Have not tried this)

Hope this helps.

I will try the 2nd option and will give you all a feedback.

cheers

ghoshprannoy

does
using dial up after 2pm works ?

DM111PUSP

If you somehow disconnect the connection at or after 02:00 AM then it will work.

See some tutorials at :-
Broadband How to

Indranil

@R Balaji thsi problem from the BSNL Portal site, Not from your side. The Portal site which have ip address started with http://10.240.43.216/webLogin.jsp have some bug on this portal. Even if you stop the downlod before 8:00AM and if your Modem continue sign in with your ISP then some MB added with your account. To Overcome this problem set your Router PPPOE in Idel Timeout 1 minutes, not set it in All Wase On mode, When your computer start at 2:01AM the modem will automatically signup with the ISP and set the shutdown your computer at 7:58AM or 7:57AM, after shuting down your computer the Router will automatically sign out from the ISP after Idel of 1Minutes. This will solv your problem.

Unregistered

jst chek whether the antivirus u r using has any scheduled update downloads..

minikuti

I am also a victim of the foolishness by the BSNL authorities. They also do not know the actual problem is. On 17th October, I also came to know that my usage exceeds by 6000mb, and I immediately complain but I also opted for 750+ unlimited which they effectively changed w.e.f. 21st October.
I, then came to know that this is due to their clock problem at bangalore (clock back to 8 hours) and all night free download automatically come to chargeable. I do not know whether they will waive but I do hope so.
But the 750 unlimited scheme is bogus and very very slow. About 50 time slower than 500c+ scheme. I prefer to again change of the scheme from next month. I can download 900 mb in one hour 2.5 gb in 2.30 hrs under 500c+ scheme but now only 50-80 mb per hour.
Let us hope for the best. With wishes.
Tapan Mukherjee

sharadkumar

Actually, its only one eighth. Also, I have said this before, 900 MB in one hour is only theoretically possible. You must be very lucky if you really download that amount. I know not even one user who claims that amount can be downloaded in 1 hr. But, considering you are that lucky with your connection, why is it not happening after you have changed your plan. Theoretically, at 256 KbPS, you can download 112.5 MB.
Also, clock back by 8 hours?? :O
What were they doing?