Instead, the following method is intended as a quick, simple and efficient means of tracking your monthly data usage.ġ. Some ways of tracking usage incurred from all devices in the home involve flashing custom firmware on routers - a process that can be time-consuming, complicated and risky. If you download demos, games and updates on your games console, jot down the size of the files or updates in megabytes so you can add them to the final tally. We want to get a clear picture of your desktop usage, so if you download lots using mobile devices, either refrain from doing so for a month or switch to your network's 3G connection rather than your home Wi-Fi. This guide will help you track your data usage on a month-by-month basis on computers and laptops only. It will disappear faster than a leaky boat on a lake unless you regularly monitor and control it. New ways to stream content from the Internet - from online TV like the BBC's iPlayer to gaming services such as OnLive and Steam - mean data is an increasingly precious commodity. If you're a heavy data user, unless you're lucky enough to be on a plan with near-unrestricted usage, you'll find yourself faced with the threat of additional expenses on top of your monthly charge. Going over your monthly broadband data usage limit can be a costly lesson.
