Orange says I have downloaded too much and I have breached their "fair usage" policy. How can I keep track of the usage between the four computers we can have in the household? Ron Spencer
You may already have the information available. Some firewalls keep a running total of the bandwidth you have used, and some "ADSL modems" also keep the information: check your router management software, if any.
I think all internet service providers who have "fair use" policies or cap bandwidth should also provide this information via an online home page for your account. I'm told that Tiscali provides daily figures, perhaps more, but it does not seem to be common.
Otherwise, you can download software that will track usage on each PC. Free examples include NetMeter, Codebox Software's BitMeter II, and the open source FreeMeter Bandwidth Monitor For Windows. You can find other options at http://www.nonags.com/nonags/monit.html.
You should also check that you don't have any malware using your connection, and that if you have a wireless network, it is secured using WPA2. Someone else may be using your bandwidth, though file sharing and streaming internet radio and/or video are the usual suspects.
