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Thread: Limiting useage on 3G

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    Gold Member Martinco's Avatar
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    Question Limiting useage on 3G

    Any idea how I can set about limiting programs running in the background accessing the internet while I am using my 3G modem on my laptop ? And afterwards being able to reset back to normal !
    I only use the modem to check and send emails from home but by the time I have done so, Firefox, Antivirus, Java, Windows and all sorts of other programs have checked and downloaded upgrades with the result that a few kbs of intended information turns into megabucks worth of traffic.
    I regularly bring the laptop into the office and connect via adsl to ensure that I get all my upgrades but I still get caught out every now and then when I get my account.
    I use the Vodacom service whereby the data card is linked to my cell #
    There is a facility where you can check the useage but I have found it to be unreliable and by that time it is too late in any case.
    Martin Coetzee
    Supplier of Stainless Steel Band and Buckle and various fastening systems. Steel, Plastic, Galvanized, PET and Poly woven.
    We solve your fastening problems.
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    You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

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    Silver Member Loman's Avatar
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    What about creating another user on your laptop and just switch to that one if you don't want AV and all the other software hogging your MB. Then if you install software you could choose(with most of them) whether or not you would like all the users access to that program or just the one you are currently using.
    But if i were you, I'd rather get a bigger data bundle.
    The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on. - Robert Bloch

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    Silver Member Loman's Avatar
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    Also if you are using the software to monitor your usage, do check that it isn't automatically updated. I have a big problem with MTN's Fastlink software. It checks for updates about every two seconds. I'm not sure how many MB it would use in an hour but come on, every two seconds!!! I've had it for over a year now and have never even seen an update for it.
    The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on. - Robert Bloch

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    Martinco (25-Mar-09)

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Depends on which firewall you are using, but if you have different firewall profiles available, you could set up your 3g profile to only allow your email program to access the 3g adapter device.

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    Martinco (25-Mar-09)

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    Gold Member Martinco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    Depends on which firewall you are using, but if you have different firewall profiles available, you could set up your 3g profile to only allow your email program to access the 3g adapter device.
    I am using Zone Alarm Pro and will check if I can make adjustments to only allow Outlook Express to connect. Otherwise a second user might also be the solution,
    Thanks guys !
    Martin Coetzee
    Supplier of Stainless Steel Band and Buckle and various fastening systems. Steel, Plastic, Galvanized, PET and Poly woven.
    We solve your fastening problems.
    www.straptite.com

    You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

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    I use an old program called Netmonitor. This little program shows how much you are using constantly and you can set an amount in MB and it will remind you that you are going over that amount with a little popup massage. It is handy.

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    Martinco (06-Apr-09)

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    Gold Member Martinco's Avatar
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    Thanks Insulin,

    I shall try this.
    Martin Coetzee
    Supplier of Stainless Steel Band and Buckle and various fastening systems. Steel, Plastic, Galvanized, PET and Poly woven.
    We solve your fastening problems.
    www.straptite.com

    You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

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    Gold Member irneb's Avatar
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    Thus far, Comodo Firewall works well for me. I can limit any prog from accessing the internet, LAN or even local disk. Strangely for this type of thing, it can even limit itself

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    NetMeter 0.9.9.9 [beta 2] Build date 03/04/2004 this program used to be FreeWare aslo a good little program to warn you if you go over your set MB cap but it will not disconect you only warn you.

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    Gold Member Martinco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by insulin View Post
    NetMeter 0.9.9.9 [beta 2] Build date 03/04/2004 this program used to be FreeWare aslo a good little program to warn you if you go over your set MB cap but it will not disconect you only warn you.
    NetMeter works like a dream ! It is actually scary to see how much traffic is created by a LAN and also when your BB ISP connection is "idle".

    One tends to blame your computer for being slow but if you look at the traffic this shows why.
    Martin Coetzee
    Supplier of Stainless Steel Band and Buckle and various fastening systems. Steel, Plastic, Galvanized, PET and Poly woven.
    We solve your fastening problems.
    www.straptite.com

    You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

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