Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

what is causing recent mac data use spike?

I have a Hughesnet internet data use limit of 15Gb per month which typically for my family is sufficient. As of last Thursday April 10 around 7AM my data use shot up and continued consistently high every hour. It started at 200 - 300 Mb / hour, jumped to ~550Mb / hour at 2AM 4/11/14, jumped again to 1 - 2 Gb / hour 7AM 4/11/14 and continued until all the data had been used ~9AM 4/12/14. I am using the Hughesnet utility to show what was used (after the fact) and I use Activity Monitor to what real time data use. I think it would be helpful to have a way of graphing the data use by process realtime if that exists so I can see what exact process is causing the data use. I do not have any virus software running.


As of Sunday 4/13/14 having no data left I contacted Hughesnet and began to troubleshoot the problem. I disconnected everything from the internet and shut down my wireless modem. All that has been connected since then (today is 4/16/14) is my iMac which is directly connected to my Hughesnet modem. I was given an additional 2Gb for troubleshooting. I left my iMac alone for 2 days. Very little data was used and almost no programs were running when I started using it again around 11:30AM 4/15/14. Unfortunatly, as my wife started using the iMac for a few hours that data use went up again and used up all the data. One thing i noticed was that the data use coincided with iMail being on.


How can i identify the problem and stop it?

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Apr 16, 2014 9:02 AM

Reply
7 replies

Apr 16, 2014 2:11 PM in response to rgsmith14

Gmail is an intentionally broken implementation of IMAP that often causes problems with Mail. The problem seems to have gotten worse in Mavericks. Google has no incentive to make Gmail work well, or at all, in any mail client, because the company makes money by delivering targeted ads via the Web. The Gmail servers analyze your messages to glean information about you and your contacts that Google can then sell to marketers, or to anyone who will pay for it. You agreed to those terms when you registered a Gmail address.

I suggest either not to use Gmail at all, or to access it through the website as Google intends. You might get better results with another email client. I don't recommend any one in particular.

If you insist on trying to make Gmail work with Mail, the following links may help:

Configuring OS X Mail For Gmail Without Duplicates

Setting up Apple Mail to Rock and Roll with Gmail

Apr 16, 2014 7:03 PM in response to Linc Davis

I was worried that iMail might be the culprit since I have had problems with it in the past and had to change some settings to get it under control. I will check out the links you attached. Do you know of any app that would track data usage by process so I can be sure I have identified the cause? I have done a lot of searching and most of those available only monitor overall volume and don't break it down by process. It looks like Rubbernet may be a good choice but its reviews are not great and it is $19.99! Thanks

Apr 17, 2014 6:06 AM in response to Linc Davis

I have been using Activity Monitor religiously but I am still having trouble with it maybe because I don't know how to read it completly. I cannot find a way to show cumulative data use and identify the process which is the problem. For example, I restarted yesterday at 3:01 and have had the Activity Monitor up tracking all night. It shows 316MB downloaded but the processes don't add up to an equivalent amount.User uploaded file

what is causing recent mac data use spike?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.