How do I track my data usage?

[rvgrammady]

I have AT&T uverse internet service. My box thingy is a 503INV black box with green lights.. as you can see I'm a real tech savy grandma..

I use my laptop with wi-fi.

I want to know how much "data" I use monthly. I was told to get "data/internet" software for my laptop. also, my box should be able to tell me via the "software" that should be installed on my laptop. ??? Have no idea what any of this means.

Help...

I want to know as I will be doing more traveling and need to know what type of internet service I need but I have to know my usage to give me info to see what options I have.

Thanks for the imput...

[ScottMack]

rvgrammady,

Actually, the report was fairly easy to find - this is how we access the report from AT&T's website:

Login to the online AT&T account.

1. In the top orange banner, there is a "myAT&T" - highlight that and several choices appear.

2. Highlight "Internet" and under "My Internet Service" choose "Usage Since Last Bill".

3. A new screen will appear - in the main box choose "View bill & usage reports".

4. A new screen will appear where you can choose the start period and end period. Press "Submit" and it will generate a bar graph on that same page. You can also print this graph.

Hope this helps.

[CA_Traveler]

OP, Your description implies 1-2GB at most. Ask a new potential provider how you can track your usage and the cost for exceeding your base rate.

There are also things you can do to reduce usage. For example a MS update is often over 100MB, so don't do automatic updates.

[magicbus]

The 4 gig you have should be plenty for what you describe but I can't imagine Verizon wants and extra 40 bucks to let you link your laptop. I thought those days were gone. I work off my Android phone hotspot for 8 hours a day for weeks at a time for no additional charge from AT&T.

Dave

[tenbear]

tenbear wrote:
If I click on the internet WiFi icon in the task bar, the one that shows the signal strength, a list of available internet WiFi signals appears. Now if I click on my WiFi it displays the gigabytes used since it was reset. I use Windows 8.

Have you tried this? Maybe I don't understand what you want but from what I have read, this should be what you want.

[ScottMack]

Grammady,

We have AT&T DSL service. I can log into my online AT&T account and generate a report that shows my monthly usage for the previous 12 months. I would assume you could do the same for U-verse services. In fact, I did just that about 2 weeks ago and saved the chart as a .pdf to my laptop. It used to be easy to find, but I had to hunt around this time to find the "yearly" usage report.

I tried to access that area on their website last night and this morning, but it appears that AT&T is having some issues at the moment (my online account even told me I do not have internet services, yet my bills sure indicate that I do!!).

I will continue to look for it and when it is available again I will post exact instructions on how I get to mine.

[rvgrammady]

Thanks folks... guess I didn't make myself clear.

I will be traveling and in order to purchase hardware/software for the road to do internet while I'm on the road... everyone asks me "how much data do you use"? I have no idea..

So I am trying to track what I currently use at home. I have a virizon cell LG Lucid Android with 4GB included.. but it's really hard for me to read email etc on it. So I have a new Laptop with Win 8.1.

Been told I can link phone to laptop for $40 mo.
Virizon jetpack for $50-60 mo.
Get Millinium for $90 mo.

Seems all these different options will depend on how much data I need.

I don't download movies, I just read about 10 blogs but not all are posted everyday (also they have pictures in them.. understand this is important), read
10-20 short emails, give facebook a look prob. 10-15 min. max. then extra things due to RVing .maybe look up campground info, gas stations etc. say 1/2 hr every couple days.

I know that doesn't tell you much but... I'm trying to figure out how I can find out my current at home usage and can make a decision from there. I'd also like to be able to "upgrade" amount of data if I find I am using more.

I only plan on traveling 4-5 weeks 3 times a year. I've been using campground wifi and stopping at Starbucks, McDonnalds.. but that's been a real pain.

Again.. sorry for any confusion...
grammady

[atlin]

Wouldn't something like "STRAIGHT TALK WIFI MOBILE HOTSPOT" work for her while traveling?

[Big_Katuna]

Correct Bill. I incorrectly assumed she knew she couldn't use the U Verse traveling and was trying to figure out how much data plan to buy from a cell provider.

[Bill_Satellite]

I believe that rvgrammady is trying to figure how much data she is using with her current household internet so she can figure out how much she can expect to use while on the road. The only faulty part of that scenerio is that she thinks that the current AT&T device is portable and would be used with a campground wifi connection. It would only be usable if she parked somewhere for a long period of time and was able to have a hardwired AT&T line available at her RV.

[burlmart]

As peeps cut their cable for TV out and start using streaming on cable broadband, cable will start charging for data. I figure by next year it will be common.

That ShaPlus works great - it sits in your Windows taskbar tray and you just right click or hover it to see daily and monthly usage. I think it is for wifi and ethernet data.

[wa8yxm]

If your service is AT&T wireline service or fiber optic, do not worry about usage.

if it is cellular (Either a smart phone or a portable hotspot) Then the device will have a way to do it.. How depends on the device.. Also "My Account" at AT&T will have it.

But home accounts are not normally metered less you are a major LEACH (Download terabytes of data per month)

[burlmart]

OP needs ShaPlus, I think.

http://download.cnet.com/ShaPlus-Bandwidth-Meter/3000-2381_4-10672850.html

Be careful w/ CNET downloader as it asks to alter your homepage and search engine.

I had ShaPlus on old desktop, but never installed it on this laptop as I pretty much know we use about 20gb/mo

[WyoTraveler]

WyoTraveler wrote:

rvgrammady wrote:
WyoTravler.... I am not talking about cell phones... I'm talking uverse home
internet. Thanks for the imput anyway.

Wasn't sure. We use small ATT & Verizon units 24/7/365 on the road and home because the land lines here have limited areas. Cable non-existant. Love living rural though.

[WyoTraveler]

rvgrammady wrote:
WyoTravler.... I am not talking about cell phones... I'm talking uverse home
internet. Thanks for the imput anyway.

Wasn't sure. We use small ATT & Verizon units 24/7/365 on the road and home because our land line is limited. Love living rural though.