India Broadband

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