Mystery of LG washing machine using 3.6GB of data daily could have a simple explanation

[trgz]

Router data report error aside, my pihole tracks this more accurately and found my Sony android TV doing this 24/7 to google servers. Most of it was endlessly pinging if the server was there but I was glad to be able to block most of it just the same. (Obviously the TV needed some access to stream shows. )

Found similar things with my pihole, though naturally I switch my TV, amp, PC etc., off at the mains when I'm not using them ;-)

 

[Gastec]

For another anecdote about the Internet-Of-Things, in our village we experience constant power cuts, mostly during weekend and holydays, which seemed to have no logical explanation, as they were happening even with good weather outside. Until a neighbour told me that the power cuts happen when the hordes of city-dwellers turn on their IOT smartphone-controlled heating and/or air-conditioning appliances, when they are getting ready for their mass-migration to their holyday homes.

 

[Gastec]

There are some good reasons to have a washing machine connected. I have the washer and the dryer connected. It means I get notified when they complete their cycles and I can go swap all the clothes over. The time cycles are not specific (could take and hour, could take 3) because the monitoring system checks for water soiling and weight, moisture, etc. (they like to call it AI but it’s not). I can also check on its progress and perform other cycles if it reports things. So there are positives, and as the article showed, they OP’s machine was not using the data he showed.

But you didn't specify which are the good reassons to have an Internet-connected washing-machine. The "I get notified when they complete their cycles and I can go swap all the clothes over" doesn't compute for me. All relatively-new washing machines notify the gospodar when they complete their work, some with bips and whistles, some even with a jingle.
So I'll give you an example of a good reason: smartphone notifications might be helpful for deaf persons.

 

[FaTaL]

ASUS really has gone to sht.... I can speak firsthand from buying their new mobo..

 

[scavengerspc]

I never thought about this before. Is there a way on a PC to find what is using data and how much it uses?

 

[ScottSoapbox]

I never thought about this before. Is there a way on a PC to find what is using data and how much it uses?

Yes.

 

[redgarl]

I never thought about this before. Is there a way on a PC to find what is using data and how much it uses?

You need to access your router IP address. It will tell you what devices are connected and which were connected in the past.

If you ask the question, then it is probable that you never changed your router password. I strongly recommend doing so.

 

[RandomWAN]

Router data report error aside, my pihole tracks this more accurately and found my Sony android TV doing this 24/7 to google servers. Most of it was endlessly pinging if the server was there but I was glad to be able to block most of it just the same. (Obviously the TV needed some access to stream shows. )

I've seen similar from some devices and also use a PiHole to block DNS for all devices that have no business accessing the internet. TVs are terrible for the number of server calls they send out and they never give up either (no timeout).

Personally, I'd rather have a washer and dryer from the 80s or 90s. It'll get the job done, last forever, and minimal electronics without the need to connect to a network.

I never thought about this before. Is there a way on a PC to find what is using data and how much it uses?

There's a number of ways to determine this. Resource Monitor in Windows will give you a simple view of totals with monitoring. The Network tab will give you a data usage by process and totals for the up/down data. There's 3rd party apps that can give you even more information depending on what you want to know about the traffic. WireShark can give you very in depth information about what is coming and going and it is pretty easy to sort through once you understand the basics of what information is what and how to use the built-in filtering.

 

[nnguy2]

Before the AI hype, there was IoT hype.

 

[scavengerspc]

You need to access your router IP address. It will tell you what devices are connected and which were connected in the past.

If you ask the question, then it is probable that you never changed your router password. I strongly recommend doing so.

Thanks much. I'm going to get on that just to be sure.
But I do change my router passwords at home and at work every 6-8 weeks.

 

[wiyosaya]

Doing technology risk management, and out of dozens of companies we audited only one accounted for IoT security and actually took it seriously. The rest of them ranged anywhere from blissfully unaware to maliciously negligent. So yeah, I can say with a degree of confidence that IoT is a security and privacy nightmare.

It has been known for a while that IoT devices are security holes. As I understand it, its IoT device manufacturers themselves that give device security barely a rung on the lowest step of the lowest ladder of priority.

IMO, until IoT device manufacturers are forced to take security seriously, nothing will change.

 

[wiyosaya]

But I do change my router passwords at home and at work every 6-8 weeks.

IMO, changing passwords frequently is not a necessity and only leads to password fatigue - which typically leads to minor password changes that might make the password more hackable.

The better thing, IMO (and supported by CERT guidelines for many years now), is, assuming the devices support it, to use a 16+ character pass-phrase that is easy to remember - for instance, "MyR0uter5ouT3sData." (including the period) Its memorable to you because it relates to the device, but its complex enough, even though it contains dictionary words, to be basically unhackable even by "brute force" attempts to hack it.

 

[ZedRM]

Here's a bizarre idea: DON'T connect your appliances to the internet!

Wow, shocking idea, right? Washer's & dryer's have existed for over a century and never needed the internet before. They don't need it now. TAADAA!! Problem gone.