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Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link

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Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link

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Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-13 22:03:23 - last edited 2023-08-23 06:01:42
Tags: #Load Balancing
Model: ER605 (TL-R605)  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 2.1.2 Build 20230221 Rel.41247

I bought the ER605 to use a DSL router as the primary ISP and only use a Verizon 5G router as backup. The Verizon plan is unlimited bandwidth, but they slow it down from 300mbs to 3mbs when you go over 30G per month, so I only want it to be used when the DSL goes down.

 

However, even though my DSL has been working reliably with no down events show in the log, the 5G link was showing 30GB of usage after just a few days of uptime. At this rate, when I do finally need the Verizon for a true DSL outage, the throughput will be so throttled, it won't be very helpful.

 

What's going on here? Why is the ER605 allowing so much chatter on a link that should only be use when the primary is down?

 

Here are my settings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I cleared the usage unfortunately before taking a screenshot. Here is the usage after just half a day:

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#1
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link-Solution
2023-08-18 21:49:01 - last edited 2023-08-23 06:01:42

  @ScottStar 

 

Now with more time, it's still low bandwidth usage on backup WAN, thankfully.

 

I am still not sure how a cell phone connected wirelessly directly to the Verizon router and going out to the internet would cause the traffic count to go up in the ER605, since the traffic should not go through it. Maybe it was the ER605 firmware upgrade that fixed it.

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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-14 05:59:13

Hi @ScottStar 

Thanks for posting in our business forum.

Can you specify the firmware as it shows beta test?

As for the WAN/LAN1, which is your 5G router, 30Gbps plan is a home plan shared by other sim cards? If yes, is that possible that your other devices consume the data?

About the ER605, due to the WAN/LAN 1 using a private IP address, the data could be normal usage when WAN/LAN 1 is interacting with the 5G router. It may not be true data usage.

I suggest you take a look at the 5G router itself and its statistics. Is it using 30Gbps? Is it showing the ER605 using it?

 

Your config's fine. Nothing wrong with it. The backup WAN only gets activated after the primary is down. When the primary is up, the backup WAN is offline actually. It's not flowing traffic.

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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-14 06:37:50

  @Clive_A 

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

Yes, the firmware is the beta version as shown in my screenshot. 2.1.2 Build 20230221 Rel.41247.

 

My ER605 was bringing down the network frequently with the latest official firmware, so I installed the beta on the advice of this forum, which solved that problem. But it looks like there is an even newer version of the beta, ER605_V2_2.1.4_Build20230727 (Beta). I will install this one shortly. 

 

Everyone in our house uses AT&T phones that are not compatible with Verizon, so no one is able to share the data of the Verizon SIM card. I installed the Verizon 5G solely for the purpose of backing up my home office network since it has servers that need to be up 24x7. The Verizon device looks like this one.

 

I just logged into the Verizon device and it shows it's used almost 24GB in just a week, which is a ton of traffic. That's about 10 hours of continuous HD movie streaming with Netflix! 

 

I am going to completely turn off all WiFi access to the Verizon box to eliminate the possibility of any Internet traffic going directly through the unit instead of going through the ER605.

 

 

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#3
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-14 08:40:52

Hi @ScottStar 

Thanks for posting in our business forum.

I see. Does this Verizon 5G router support check client history? Or is the WIFI enabled on it? Can you make sure no one is connected to Verizon 5G router and use its data?

 

Quite strange. So before you clear the Statistics on ER605, how much data was calculated on WAN/LAN 1?

Best Regards! If you are new to the forum, please read: Howto - A Guide to Use Forum Effectively. Read Before You Post. Look for a model? Search your model NOW Beta firmware got some NEW features! Subscribe for the latest update! ☛Download Beta Here☚ ☛ ★ Configuration Guide ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Knowledge Base ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Troubleshooting Manual ★ ☚ (Disclaimer: Short links are used above solely for guidance to TP-Link subdomains and are safe and tracker-free. Exercise caution with short links from non-official members on forums. We are not liable for external content or damage from non-official members' link use.)
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-14 17:46:50 - last edited 2023-08-14 18:02:50

  @Clive_A 

 

No client history on the Verizon box.

 

WiFi was previously enabled on the Verizon box, but I disabled it last night. I also installed 2.1.4 Build 20230727 Rel.40308 which was exciting because I couldn't log in again to the ER605 after installing the Beta. It kept saying invalid password and was counting down the number of logins before I would be completely locked out. After googling that strange problem, I found out this is yet another problem with the firmware that can be fixed by doing yet another reboot and then clearing the browser's cache. Yikes.

 

Before I cleared the traffic stats on the ER605, it was just above 30GB. Since the Verizon box was showing 24GB, that means a lot of traffic was going through the ER605 across the Verizon link.

 

We'll see how it does over the next week with the new Beta software and the disabled WiFi.

 

 

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#5
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-15 01:51:38

Hi @ScottStar 

Can you monitor another day or half day on its data usage after your firmware upgrade?

Best Regards! If you are new to the forum, please read: Howto - A Guide to Use Forum Effectively. Read Before You Post. Look for a model? Search your model NOW Beta firmware got some NEW features! Subscribe for the latest update! ☛Download Beta Here☚ ☛ ★ Configuration Guide ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Knowledge Base ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Troubleshooting Manual ★ ☚ (Disclaimer: Short links are used above solely for guidance to TP-Link subdomains and are safe and tracker-free. Exercise caution with short links from non-official members on forums. We are not liable for external content or damage from non-official members' link use.)
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-16 16:58:23

  @Clive_A 

 

After turning off WiFi on the Verizon unit and updating the ER605 to the latest beta, the bandwidth consumption on the backup link seems to have calmed down. It's only using 6-7MB of traffic a day now, which is acceptable since it's such a small percentage of the 30GB allowance.

 

Thanks for all the help. I will update if the usage goes crazy again.

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#7
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link
2023-08-17 01:35:12

Hi @ScottStar 

Thanks for posting in our business forum.

This could be that your cellphone mistakenly connects to the WIFI of Verizon. I know this because I've done this forgetting to turn off my 4G router when I arrived home and browsed freely and watched videos as if I am using my fiber line. Yet my data reached a certain level and I got a message from my cell provider.

 

Feel free to update this thread if this occurs again. wink

Best Regards! If you are new to the forum, please read: Howto - A Guide to Use Forum Effectively. Read Before You Post. Look for a model? Search your model NOW Beta firmware got some NEW features! Subscribe for the latest update! ☛Download Beta Here☚ ☛ ★ Configuration Guide ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Knowledge Base ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Troubleshooting Manual ★ ☚ (Disclaimer: Short links are used above solely for guidance to TP-Link subdomains and are safe and tracker-free. Exercise caution with short links from non-official members on forums. We are not liable for external content or damage from non-official members' link use.)
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Re:Unexpected high bandwidth usage of backup-only link-Solution
2023-08-18 21:49:01 - last edited 2023-08-23 06:01:42

  @ScottStar 

 

Now with more time, it's still low bandwidth usage on backup WAN, thankfully.

 

I am still not sure how a cell phone connected wirelessly directly to the Verizon router and going out to the internet would cause the traffic count to go up in the ER605, since the traffic should not go through it. Maybe it was the ER605 firmware upgrade that fixed it.

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