one for the computer techies!

[mrsrev]

Please, please could someone explain in words of one syllable how to distinguish internet usage from download allowance? and perhaps how to get one of those nice little meters which I saw once?

My home broadband package has a 2GB download cap, which I have never gone anywhere near because I don't tend to download things.

The work one was, so I thought, the same. But I have just had an email to say we are at 2.06GB usage this month and to purchase some top-up bandwidth. I very rarely download, only my AVG updates, but I do listen to the internet radio - though I asked someone about that and they said as it was streaming, it wasn't downloading. And I keep this and CBB open most of the day as well (though I only work 9.30-3.00). So, am I confusing usage and downloading, are my home and work packages different, does the radio, LJ and CBB count as usage or downloads? This is all too confusing for me.

And my friend is bringing in her 4 month old baby today - I am going to play her the Llama song, as I think you're never to young to love llamas.

Comments

[euphrosyna]

I think the CBB and LJ count, because you're downloading all the pages and the images and so on. But it shouldn't come close to 2GB, it should be rather tiny, there are no large images or anything. I don't think Internet radio counts, as it's streaming. Things are downloaded when you can view them (after you've seen them online) on a "work offline" mode, which you can do for websites, but not for radio streaming.

Could someone else be downloading large files, MP3s or something of the kind?

[mrsrev.livejournal.com]

There's only me here! I know we downloaded a lot of stuff a couple of months ago, when we got the new computers, to put AVG and other things on, but haven't done anything for ages. I'm a bit worried that I've confused just being on line type usage with actual downloading, in which case 2GB isn't going to be nearly enough when we have 3 staff back again in September. Although I'll be too busy then to be on here and CBB all the time - so it might be OK! Hmmm... will have to ask our ISP to clarify methinks.