Excessive network traffic -

[Bob Goodwin]

My ISP limits my usage to 17 gB per 30 days and updates this number 
continuously, the exact manner by which this is computed is n unknown to 
me and possibly to them too?  But I have been fighting this problem for 
a number of weeks now having been warned once that I had exceeded the 
80% point [13.6 gB].  We have used the system pretty much without 
concern for usage for more than a year so this is new.

I have four computers connected to the LAN with internet access.  This 
F7 box, an Apple Mac, and two MS XP computers.

One of the XP boxes is my teen aged [15 yrs, twins] grandson's.  In the 
process of trying to get usage under control I had physically removed 
their access device [Linksys WET11].  After getting our usage reduced to 
about 6 gB from 15+ not long ago I gave them back the internet device 
and enabled access to iTunes this last weekend since one boy wanted to 
download some music.  I left the Netgear [WGR614v6] router unblocked for 
about an hour and they collected what ever it was they wanted and I 
restored it to blocked again.

What else they did with the computer, what sites they visited, I don't 
know but they are limited by what I've blocked in the router and some 
parental control software I also subscribe to.

However once they were allowed back on line it appears that our usage 
score per the [Wildblue indications] has begun to skyrocket again, about 
800 megs in the day following their system reconnection.  It looks to me 
like most iTunes downloads are on the order of 5 mB, 800 mB at the speed 
we have would take more than an hour.  Most of the time their computer 
has been turned off.  I have VNC installed and if I see it on and not in 
use  [I check the Netgear router] I shut their computer off.

My question is is it possible that some site they have visited triggers 
something that is driving our usage up even though all the computers are 
powered down leaving only mine and the Netgear router running.  Even 
then when I am not using the internet I usually "deactivate" it via 
"system control network."

Gkrellm seems to keep an accurate reading of what I am using in this 
computer, both upload and download so I don't think I am causing the 
problem and it seems to have restarted since I re-enabled the kids XP box.

Any suggestions as to  what to look for will be appreciated.

Bob Goodwin   Zuni, Virginia