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Hi
Wonder if you guy's can help. Just got a sim free defy and have noticed it seems very data hungry from the off.
Installed a data app and its saying im using 5 mb + a day.
What is it doing, to use all this data all i seem to have done is put my location in the weather app thats built in, logged on to my face book and thats about it. oh and set up my o2 email account.
Cant seem to find how to limit the size of email download in the accounts.
How can i monitor each individual program and find out which ones causing the problem.
Dave
doliver55 said:
Hi
Wonder if you guy's can help. Just got a sim free defy and have noticed it seems very data hungry from the off.
Installed a data app and its saying im using 5 mb + a day.
What is it doing, to use all this data all i seem to have done is put my location in the weather app thats built in, logged on to my face book and thats about it. oh and set up my o2 email account.
Cant seem to find how to limit the size of email download in the accounts.
How can i monitor each individual program and find out which ones causing the problem.
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you could try setting up something on 'data manager'
Whats everybody else's usage average out each day only asking cause its my works phone sim and don;t want to get stung for data usage.
Today it's 2,76MB, though I've used 1,39GB over the last month.
I have 3GB included in my contract. couldn't care less about traffic ...
but if you want absolute control install droidwall and see what connects to the internet.
doliver55 said:
Whats everybody else's usage average out each day only asking cause its my works phone sim and don;t want to get stung for data usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An Android phone was a mistake if you're looking to avoid heavy data usage.
my average is about 30 mb on weekends (out of wifi range) and like 2 mb on weekdays as I'm on school holidays and moslty always in wifi range
[UT] X-RAY said:
I have 3GB included in my contract. couldn't care less about traffic ...
but if you want absolute control install droidwall and see what connects to the internet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers for the droidwall tip, seems a good way of restricting a lot of things
I also observe that Android sometimes produces traffic without an order to do so. 3gwatchdog counts the traffic and shows the origin-applications, some are just google or motoblur stuff but without any option to deactivate traffic or updates or whatever they're doing.....
mrt3k said:
I also observe that Android sometimes produces traffic without an order to do so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, the OS is designed to be used with an always-on data connection.
If you don't have one of those, an Android phone is not a good idea.
I do have unlimited traffic, but a speed limitation after 200 MB to 64kbit/s which isnt fun anymore.
Thats the problem of the big ans usually good providers in Germany, even the highly priced agreements have that little traffic included.
Thus, I think it should be possible to deactivate useless data traffic even in Android, mh? There should be some options that deny traffic usage in general and also for single apps. (btw. I tried droidwall, but some apps tunneld the firewall and produces traffic anyway!)
mrt3k said:
Thus, I think it should be possible to deactivate useless data traffic even in Android, mh?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are ways to completely disable data usage but I'm, not sure it's possible for individual apps.
But, like I said, if heavy data usage is a concern, Android is not the right OS for you.
Ignore Step666 his talking crap, android is a good OS even if ur not connected all the time, (I dont even use 3g connection, I mostly use only wi-fi) ..not everyone hangs on facebook all day or needs those weather widgets and stuff like that... really depends on a user.
but if u have a problem with heavy data usage i can help
-first a program that will help u monitor your usage (u can also reset counters monthly) - try traffic counter extended, there are also other apps that help u limit how much data u can transfer over wifi/cell
-second i think droidwall is the app u are looking for
(its a firewall for Android. This is for users that don't have an unlimited data plan. It allows unrestricted WiFi access, however it blocks all access over the cellular network unless you add the application to the whitelist.)
Also, try disabling auto sync on the power control widget.
Peglezn said:
Ignore Step666 his talking crap...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I'm not.
The fact you're having to install third-party apps to prevent the phone from automatically connecting to the internet merely proves my point - it is designed to be used with an always-on internet connection.
there was a third party app called DROIDWALL...it allows you to block all the unwanted apps from connecting with internet.. and yes it allows only specific apps to be blocked..
yeah use droidwall, its easy - set it to "white list (allow selected)" then select the google system apps and the apps you like to have internet access, any new apps you install wont get net access unless you add it to the white list, making it easy to manage.
you can also restrict wifi and/or 3G per app.
nice for apps like notepad that somehow need internet access.
Thanks for your ideas.
I did already use Droidwal for some time, but it did not function properly.
I blocked certain apps and for some time I blocked all apps, includig system apps. And what happened? There was data usage by any program, at least the traffic counter showed traffic usage. Thus, it seems not to block really what I set to block. :-/
Thx for the tip with Droidwall! Works great
mrt3k said:
...Thus, it seems not to block really what I set to block. :-/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to apply the rules manually... Did you try?
What do you mean by "manually"? You can manually set apps to white- and blacklist, yeah, or what u mean?
I have all sorts of auto-sync, auto-update etc. features switched OFF. My mail, contacts, and calendar only sync when I tap on sync, I've disabled auto-updating in every app on my phone, I've unchecked "auto system update", "background data" is switched off, etcetera. To cut a long story short: every available setting that disables automatic use of data has been applied.
But when I booted my Defy and left it sitting idle for a while it still downloaded almost a megabyte of data, even though I didn't touch my phone at all.
So I made a backup with Titanium and MyBackup Root, reset my phone to factory state, went into the settings again to disable all user-configurable ways of automatic data use, and rebooted.
And then my phone auto-downloaded 0.7 MB for reasons unknown.
I don't care about a bit of data when I'm in my home network where I have an unlimited data plan, but if I would have been roaming abroad this unsollicited data could have cost me 10 euros or more. International data roaming is horribly expensive.
I could use the sledgehammer approach and disable data completely to avoid unwanted data roaming charges, but this would also disable data traffic that I'm willing to pay for (like manually checking my mail). So I need something more sophisticated than a sledgehammer.
Tools available:
1) DroidWall
2) Titanium (with the "freeze" option)
3) AdFree
Question: which apps and services should I block/freeze to ensure that my phone only uses data when I tell it to, and to make sure that it never ever downloads a single byte of data behind my back?
If DroidWall, Titanium, and AdFree are not enough, which other apps give me full control over which apps and services can use data?
Give juicedefender a try
Sent from my MB611 using XDA Premium App
ApnDroid, but kills all data by rewriting APNs. I use it all the time. You can still use wifi, text and call and, if you choose, use MMS. Otherwise...?
I'm curious as to what is taking your data. When I disable the data connections, I don't use a single byte of data. Even with data enabled but background data disabled, I don't use any data.
I know you asked for an app to kill the data...but I think it's best if you can find the culprit...sounds like either your deactivation of the data isn't working, or you have some nasty app that could be overriding the setting and still downloading data (I'm thinking the first)...
For starters, which rom are you using?
Juice Defender and ApnDroid are both sledgehammers that switch data 100% on or 100% off.
I'm looking an app that let's me control data per individual app and service, so that when I fire up my email program it can download my mail without letting other apps/services hitch a ride on the open data connection.
@darule_2011:
I don't believe something nasty is eating up my data, because my phone is hungry for data even after a factory reset without any 3rd party apps installed.
I'm using firmware version 2.1-update1, which came with the phone straight out of the box. I doubt Motorola would have pre-installed malware, unless we count Motoblur as malware.
On my old Nokia, each and every app could only go online after asking me for permission first. No permission, then no data. Not even a single byte. And it was up to me to choose between "ask me once" or "ask me every time."
Is there an app that forces Android to do the same?
rogier666 said:
Juice Defender and ApnDroid are both sledgehammers that switch data 100% on or 100% off.
I'm looking an app that let's me control data per individual app and service, so that when I fire up my email program it can download my mail without letting other apps/services hitch a ride on the open data connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understood. Can't see how that can work. If your data is on, everything that wants it is going to jump on it.
darule_2011 said:
sounds like either your deactivation of the data isn't working, or you have some nasty app that could be overriding the setting and still downloading data (I'm thinking the first)...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there an app that logs which app connects when and to what? The data meter in Android's built-in data manager is completely useless, and DroidStats counts the amount of data used but doesn't tell which app was using it.
Droidwall has a log function for blocked apps.
Sent from my MB525
I told DroidWall to block internet access for "MotoBlur Services" (I don't even have a MotoBlur account), and now the amount of unsollicited traffic is down to about 40 kb in the 30 minutes since rebooting my phone.
So it looks like I found the stowaway. Motorola tries to keep my phone hungry for data even though I never signed up for MotoBlur.
DroidWall's log told me it blocked some unsollicited packets from GO Launcher EX, so at least my firewall is doing its job. (Why would a launcher need to go online if you don't enable anything internet-related in its settings?)
Unfortunately DroidWall only logs what it blocks. It doesn't log traffic that it allows, so I can only guess about those 40 kb. Maybe even an unused data connection needs to talk a bit to stay alive?
You may also use AutoStarts to disable applications running automatically on background when specific events happen.
DroidStats has the possibility to watch for which app consumes data. Not only total amount. It is integrated in the donation-addon
There's an app to tell which programs and services been using data and how much, and it's on your phone already. It's way more informative than the disfunctional data meter in the data manager menu.
Dial *#*#4636#*#* (the 4636 part spells "info" on the dialpad) to launch an app called "Testing." Then hit "battery history->network usage->total since boot." It doesn't count the bytes of data that are pingponged back and forth to keep an idle connection alive, but it monitors everything else.
You can make a shortcut to "Testing" with Any Cut.
First offender: MotoBlur. Even without a MotoBlur account and every possible autosync option disabled the MotoBlur Service eats data. I blocked it with DroidWall so now it doesn't phone home anymore.
Second offender: GO Launcher EX. I also blocked it with DroidWall, because a launcher doesn't have to talk to the world outside my phone.
Third offender: An all-in-one package that's shared by GMail Storage, Google Apps, Google Search, Google Settings Provider, Google Talk Service, Google Talk Storage, and com.google.android.syncadapters.contacts. Doesn't matter if you tell your settings menus not to call Google behind your back, 'cos Big Brother doesn't listen unless you ram the message home.
Fourth offender: WinAmp. Play an mp3 from your local SD card and WinAmp still tries to go online to do things, even with scrobbling etc disabled. It probably sends out usage statistics without asking for permission first.
Fifth offender: NQmobile Anti-virus. Even if you disable all automatic connections in the settings the program phones home anyway. Most of the traffic is outgoing, so apparently it's collecting hundreds of kilobytes worth of usage statistics, even if you're not installing new apps or doing manual scans. A day of launching offline apps can easily make NQ burn a full megabyte of data where it shouldn't have been using any.
Sixth, seventh, etc. offenders: apps that go online for the sole purpose of downloading ads. All DroidWalled, of course. I'm not gonna pay international data charges to see the junk from AdMob.
I've firewalled MotoBlur, GO Launcher EX and the Google package away from the web and everything on my phone still works. Even Google Search can live without the all-in-one service, because it sends the search queries to the web browser. I guess it only needs to go online for web suggestions, which I don't use anyway. The Google Talk app is dead, but I never use it because fring and Nimbuzz are much better and they only go online after I tell them to do so. But just leave it to Google to make GoogleTalk dependent on a piece of code that phones home even when you're not using GoogleTalk.
But DroidWall is not a convenient way to tame NQmobile (NetQin), because then I'd have to manually unblock it everytime I want to update the virus database. Is there another antivirus app that only goes online when I tell it to instead of calling home on its own?
ABC_Universal said:
You may also use AutoStarts to disable applications running automatically on background when specific events happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They'll probably just restart and in the end you will slow down your phone and drain your battery as you go through the kill-restart cycle.
scrannel said:
They'll probably just restart and in the end you will slow down your phone and drain your battery as you go through the kill-restart cycle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Freezing 'em with Titanium makes more sense.
But those are all workarounds, not solutions. As Android matures we should get an option to control the data behaviour of each and every app in full detail. If other operating systems can do it, why shouldn't Android be able to do the same?
If you think about it, it's totally ridiculous that you need to root your phone and jump through hoops to make sure that your phone bill doesn't explode when you set foot across the border. Didn't the inventors of Android ever hear of international data roaming rates?
Thanks for the useful info. I use Go Launcher too. I wondered how they moneterised their apps - probably collecting/selling usage stats.
Is roaming data being used even without the option checked?
When the G1 came out those of us who travel soon found out that certain apps would over-ride the option to prevent data roaming, thus programs like apndroid.
rogier666 said:
If other operating systems can do it, why shouldn't Android be able to do the same?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because that's not how it's designed to operate.
Pu simply, you've picked the wrong OS for your needs.
That's hardly Google's fault.
rogier666 said:
Is there another antivirus app that only goes online when I tell it to instead of calling home on its own?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try Lookout - that's what I use and it only updates when you allow it too (at least mine does).
What do you think about flashing a blurless rom? There is a barebones rom in the dev section (haven't tried that one yet), this will allow you to add back in apps that only you want...this might do the trick. I'm using Pays rom and loving it.
Thanx darule_. Lookout indeed doesn't phone home behind my back, even with automatic scanning enabled and a couple of new apps scanned.
Over two hours since last boot and not a single app has squeezed a byte through my open data connection without my permission. Looks like I've got Android tamed and fit to travel.
All I can say is, all the contemporary smartphone OS use background data stupendously.
Shut down data roaming if you don't want a hefty bill.
I have a big problems with my new ARC. I hope, somebody of you guys can help me.
I have a limited data traffic per month (250 MB). On this reason, I have monitored my traffic with WatchDog 3G. I was really surprise, as I saw, that I have between 3-5 MB data traffic per day without any synchronisation of Facebook, Push Mail etc. So I was wondering which App / Service is responsible for that.
I can see on my WatchDog monitor, that two applications are always "on line" and down- or upload data. Please see at my attached screenshots. The capture was done after the phone was rebooted and used for 10 minutes. The two applications / services are called "Diagnostics Tool ..." and "Tastenfeld" (keypanel, keypad). If I have activated the data connection during the whole day without a wifi, the data traffic of both apps is between 3 - 5MB.
I have tried to avoid this by deactivating Google Backup Option and SE usage infos., but no change.
Can anyone help me with my problem? Thanks.
I faced similar problem. I've 100mb 3G plan and have done normal surfing over it but both my data upload and download has been 50mb each.
I don't understand how data uploaded could be as high as data downloaded. I've not uploaded any picture or video. I use data services for few minutes and then disable data traffic to save on battery.
Will try data monitor tools to understand the cause but it seems a weird issue.
I'm trying to check to see if the APN workaround to bypass throttling with my 2GB unlimited data plan, but when I call #932# to check my data usage, I get a different amount of usage than the usage shown on my my-tmobile page.
On my my-tmobile, I have ~30mb used, whereas when I use #932#, it shows around ~130mb. The 130mb is closer to my "true" usage (the actual amount while using the modified APN). I don't know if the trick is working for me or not. Can someone explain to me why the two measurements don't match up?
Thank you for your time.
Possibly lag between the network and the my-Tmobile Web page.
You can download Traffic Monitor from the market and it will give you fairly accurate data usage numbers. You can even monitor what uses data and how much. Set it up so it resets on the same day as your Billing cycle.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
I'm using a data manager that I downloaded from the market. It matches up with the #932# data. The problem is, it's been like this for a couple days, so the possibility that it is simply lagging is becoming less and less plausible..
I think the apn trick doesn't show up the website.
Not too sure though.
That could be true, but why would it be monitored via #932#? I really don't know if the APN trick is working for me or not
So I caved and got a whopping 10MB limit data package from UAE's generous Etisalat. To manage so much data I found some very useful money saving apps.
Onavo Count | Monitor Data
http://appaware.com/app/onavo-count-monitor-data/com.onavo.android.onavoid
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onavo.android.onavoid
Stats Free
http://appaware.com/app/stats-free/com.sebastian.stats
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sebastian.stats
Traffic Monitor Plus
http://appaware.com/app/traffic-monitor-plus/com.radioopt.tmplus
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radioopt.tmplus
Data ON-OFF
http://appaware.com/app/data-on-off/it.miabit.android.dataonoff
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.miabit.android.dataonoff
If you guys know some apps that timeout and disable the data connection, please share.
incidentflux said:
So I caved and got a whopping 10MB limit data package from UAE's generous Etisalat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
10MB? Did you mean 10 GB? If you did mean 10MB you will bust that in no time. Rogers gave me a 6GB data plan and I use about 2GB every month on normal usage. OK so I do use You tube in the HD settings and upload some files to drop box. But I think with 10MB even email can bust it if you get sent a few pictures.
dudejb said:
10MB? Did you mean 10 GB? If you did mean 10MB you will bust that in no time. Rogers gave me a 6GB data plan and I use about 2GB every month on normal usage. OK so I do use You tube in the HD settings and upload some files to drop box. But I think with 10MB even email can bust it if you get sent a few pictures.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's no joke, it's just 10MB for AED25 per month with my prepaid line, with an additional AED20 per MB surcharge if I breach my quota.
I usually keep data turned off, and it's okay so far with IM+ Pro and WhatsApp, which is why I got it, mostly text. The Facebook app seems to be the biggest data hog.
Let's see how this experiment turns out
incidentflux said:
It's no joke, it's just 10MB for AED25 per month with my prepaid line, with an additional AED20 per MB surcharge if I breach my quota.
I usually keep data turned off, and it's okay so far with IM+ Pro and WhatsApp, which is why I got it, mostly text. The Facebook app seems to be the biggest data hog.
Let's see how this experiment turns out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well good luck...Hopefully this will work for you. I guess you will have to Keep Data off and enable it only when you need something. I would be careful though when you enable it as I have heard some users say that the phone at times can download a lot of data in the background.
10 MB, dang! I think my phone uses more than that just booting up! I feel sorry for you....
And I thought 200 MB was bad... (I have 3GB with att.)
I believe you should use 3g watchdog pro, because it shuts the data off at the limit.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927 using XDA
android gives a good variety of data management applications though I cannot recall what was my favorite the last time I used my android phone, I used to give me feedback here and learned a lot about it.