Digital Home Thoughts: Keeping an Eye on Your Bits and Bytes

"Bandwidth caps are all the rage these days, in North America and around the world. We're talking about the notorious ceilings on how much broadband data you can use before your ISP starts charging you extra, or slowing down your connection, or shaping your traffic use (eg, blocking your access to certain applications)."

So your ISP has told you that you are now on the meter. No more all-you-can-eat buffet for you! Now that the unlimited ride is over, you have to wonder just how much do you use. Lucky for you, your ISP has graciously decided to provide a website that allows you to track your usage. For those of you networking geeks out there, be aware that what your router tracks, and what your ISP tracks may not always match exactly and you can only hope their tool is reasonably accurate. The unfortunately truth is that with caps becoming more commonplace, as tech of your household, you now have one more duty placed upon your shoulders, especially if your data cap is low, or your overage fees are high, or both! Welcome to the NEW Internet!