Viruses Uploading / Application To Measure Internet Usage For OSX vers. 10.2 - HELP!!

B

billylumby

Registered
Hey gang, :D

Excuse me if this has been done before, I couldn't find anything in the search. Sorry for the drudging content and its length but this is the backstory:

I just moved into a new place/new service provider and opted for the monthly 4gig limit rather than the unlimited. However my ISP is charging loads extra every month because we go way over that. It turns out we're uploading about 5 times as much as we're downloading (which is not possible).

Potentially, the reasons for this could be:

a) excessive upload-based gaming or a file sharing P2P program left on all the time (e.g. bittorrent, limewire) but this is not the case.

b) someone ILLEGALLY haha using my wireless although this is unlikely given I have changed the username/password, hidden the network etc and it's probably also unlikely that such an evil person would be using it mainly just to upload.

c) the ISP is at fault and owes me money/love

d) either my flatmate or myself have (unbeknown to us) a virus on one of our laptops that is uploading under our very noses. This is what my ISP conveniently suggested. So I'm trying to find out if we are, unfortunately both of us are too poor/reckless to afford anti-virus software.

I have OSX Tiger and have looked at Activity Monitor (Utilities folder) which suggests my downloading far exceeds my uploading so seems fine (unless there is a virus that hides uploading from this piece of software too??? -would this be likely? anyone have experience?)

...but we have been unable to establish dl/ul at all for her computer, an old iBook on OSX Jaguar (vers. 10.2) as Activity Monitor on this OS seems to come without the 'Network' tab where you can see your usage.

Is there an application (downloadable freeware or perhaps something i've missed on the computer) that measures internet usage for macs and that will work on this old beast?

I downloaded a widget for mine that reads from the Activity Monitor but as we know widgets are a recent invention. That was all I could find.

Any suggestions or help would be much appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Billy.
 
i think your isp is screwing up on something. as for the ul/dl, i have an app on my mac that puts this in the menu bar, but i am running 10.4.8, and don't remember the app's name. when i get home i'll see what it is and post again.
 
I also find it hard to believe that you are uploading 5 time more than you are downloading.
Are you running any peer to peer file sharing software?

Also, is it possible that you are using 5 times your "upload limit"?
Many service providers have a separate value for upload as well as download. Like 300k upload, 4gig download. In that scenario, you would only need to upload 1.5 gig to reach 5 times the base upload value.

Do you have wireless? Someone could be mooching your bandwidth through wireless, maybe?

Most basic internet services, like web browsing, iTunes, email,.. aren't going to upload nearly as much as they download.

just some ideas.
 
i'm back. i use menumeters. it can display all kinds of neat info at the top of your screen. i use it for cpu usage, and for network ul/dl rates. get it running, and see how much is moving away from your computer. if it stays mainly at zero, than your isp has some crossed wires. the only way to know for sure would be for you not to use your internet at all for over a month, and if they still charge you, then tell them you haven't even been on, then they will be caught in the ringer, and will have to do some real serious looking.
 
Little Snitch reports, and allows you to stop ANY outgoing activity from your computer, if you choose, without waiting for the next months billing. You should use this on your flatmate's computer, too. (you never really know...)
 
'... either my flatmate or myself have ...a virus ... This is what my ISP conveniently suggested.' - the ISP representative is ignorant of MacOS and its still non-existant viruses.

'So I'm trying to find out if we are, unfortunately both of us are too poor/reckless to afford anti-virus software.' - no need to waste your money.
All that MacOS X anti-virus software does - is look for Microsoft Windoze based viruses, that you may have acquired, and clean them - in the chance that you may forward them via the internet or other means.

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'Wouldn't Little Snitch, LS, be ideal for this?' - ideal, no; helpful, yes. Upon installation, LS would immediately asks one to decide whether to permit access by each and every application attempting an internet connection, for its first time. Such settings can then be edited / deleted (via 'System Preferences' 'Little Snitch' utility).

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Consider launching 'Terminal' ('/Applications/Utilities/' folder), entering ...

sudo bash

... an administrator password - with prompted, then the <return> key, followed by ...

tcpdump

... and finally, the <return> key.

Now view the transmissions / receptions.

A hint:
Select the 'Buffer' menu item in 'Terminal's 'Terminal, Window Settings' menu items' (upper most) popup menu . Then select the 'Buffer' menu items' panels' 'Buffer Size:' 'Unlimited scrollback' radio button, before closing the window.

Naturally, the above 'tcpdump' display results applies to any transmissions / receptions with respect to the specific Mac that the command was executed on, not that of your associated wireless network.

Also, 'tcpdump' is available on all MacOS X running Macs.
 
Hey,
Thanks everyone for their input and advice.

I didn't know viruses don't exist on OSX -wow.

I will check out all these methods just to double check but I think my ISP has some explaining to do.

Thanks,
Billy.
 
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