How To Reduce Your Internet Data Usage

This is to help you reduce data usage on your PC. When browsing on my PC with my modem, I hardly spent enough time when the Data will be completely used up. I later got to find out the reason: I’m not the only one browsing, even some softwares are busy browsing! LOL!!!

 Browsing the internet with a modem usually comes with limited data cap size that costs so much, and needs to be managed effectively if you want to enjoy the internet connection for so long. Here is what you need to do to reduce your data usage and ensure it lasts for you. 

1. Turn Off Windows Update:

Windows Update will always try to connect to Microsoft website and download recommended updates. I turned this off because it usually uses  up a large chunk of my 1 GB of Data subscription.

2. Turn Off Antivirus Update:

I have Avast antivirus on my PC. This antivirus, just like Windows, will always want to collect some updates from avast.com, thereby using up a portion of my data subscription. I turned this one OFF as well.
  
3. Turn Off Other Software Updates:

You may also want to check other software on your PC for the likelihood of auto update feature being turned ON. Then turn them OFF.

When I accomplished especially the first two of these tips above, my data usage normalised and lasted much more than it did previously. Try these out and tell me if it helped you as well.

Enabling Click-to-play Plugins in Google Chrome Browser

Have you ever opened a webpage only to have all sorts of multimedia on the page just start playing? Chrome has a hidden setting that was designed to prevent situations just like that. Read on to find out how to enable it.

Steps:

Click on the settings wrench and select the settings menu item.



Then you will need to click on the advanced settings link.



Scroll down until you can see the privacy section, then click on the Content settings button.



A new Window will pop-up, scroll down until you see the Plug-ins section. Then change the plug-ins option from Run automatically to Click to play.



Now navigate to any website that requires a plugin, like YouTube, and you will have to click on the content to activate the plug-in.



That’s all there is to it.

Enabling Click-To-Play Extension in Mozilla Firefox Browser

Have you ever opened a webpage only to have all sorts of multimedia on the page just start playing? Firefox has a hidden feature that was designed to prevent situations just like that. Read on to find out how to enable it.

Steps:

Open Firefox and navigate to about:config.



You will be sarcastically warned that you about to void your warranty, just click on the “I’ll be careful, I promise!” button to move on.



Now search for:

plugins.click_to_play

Next you need to toggle the setting so that the value is true.



Once you are done restart Firefox. To test it out, head over to YouTube and click on any video, you will notice you will have to click on the plugin to activate it.



That’s all there is to it.

How To Make Your Computer Use Less Data When Tethering

Websites – at least the desktop versions – are designed for broadband connections and are larger than ever. This isn’t normally a problem, but what if you’re tethering your computer to a smartphone with a limited data plan?
These tips will help you use less data and come in under your data cap. They shouldn’t be necessary if you are on a decent, wired Internet connection with unlimited data or a high data cap.

1. Enable Click-To-Play Plugins

Many websites include embedded Flash content, often for videos or advertisements. This Flash content can be fairly large in size. To prevent Flash content from loading, you can enable the click-to-play plugin feature in your browser. When you access a page containing content that needs plugins – usually Flash, but occasionally Silverlight or something else – you will see placeholder images\. Click the placeholder and the content will download and play.
With click-to-play plugins, plugins won’t run automatically. They will only download and use your bandwidth if you actually want to view them.

We have covered
>> how to enable click-to-play plugins in Google Chrome and
>> how to enable click-to-play extension in Mozilla Firefox


You can also whitelist websites, allowing them to always load plugin content without asking you. This can be useful for websites like YouTube, although you should consider using low-quality settings on YouTube and other streaming video websites to limit data usage while tethering.

2. Disable Images

Images still take up quite a bit of bandwidth, and this has only increased as websites include images that are larger and more detailed. However, most websites can be used without images.
Follow these instructions to prevent your browser from loading images automatically:

• Chrome: Open the Settings screen, click Show advanced settings at the bottom, and click the Content Settings button under Privacy. Select Do not show any images.
• Firefox: Open the Options window, click the Content icon, and uncheck Load images automatically.
• Internet Explorer: Open the Internet Options window, click the Advanced tab, scroll down to the Multimedia section, and uncheck Show pictures.
• Opera: Open the Preferences window, click the Webpages tab, and select No Images in the Images box.

3. Use Opera Turbo

Opera Turbo is a unique feature not available in other popular browsers. When you enable Opera Turbo in Opera, web pages you visit will be routed through Opera’s web optimization proxy. The proxy compresses images and other parts of web pages, shrinking them and making them take less bandwidth. This is similar to what Opera Mini, one of Opera’s mobile browsers, does.
To enable Opera Turbo, click the Opera Turbo icon at the bottom of the Opera browser window and select Enable Opera Turbo.
Opera will never route secure HTTPS pages through their proxy. This helps preserve your privacy when viewing sensitive data, but it means that some pages won’t be compressed.

4. Disable Automatic Browser Updates

You should update your browser regularly — automatic updates are the ideal way of doing this. However, if you’re tethering, you probably won’t want your browser to suddenly download a large update over your cellular data connection.

• Chrome: Google provides instructions for disabling Google Update on Windows.
• Firefox: Open the Options screen, click the Advanced icon, click the Update tab, and temporarily disable automatic updates.
• Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer updates itself through Windows Update. See below for more information on tweaking Windows Update’s settings.
• Opera: Open the Preferences window, click the Advanced tab, select Security, and select the Notify me about available updates setting in the Auto-update box.

Note that leaving automatic updates disabled is a security risk. You should re-enable automatic updates when you have access to a proper Internet connection.

5. Disable Other Downloading and Uploading Applications

This isn’t a browser tip, but if you are tethering your computer and using a mobile data plan, it’s crucial. Many other applications use the Internet and will chew through your data allotment if you let them.
You will probably want to tweak Windows Update’s settings. Set Windows Update to prompt you to download updates, not download them automatically. (Open the Windows Update control panel and click Change Settings to access these settings.)

You should also close any other data-hungry applications you use, including Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Steam, iTunes, or anything else using data – even an application that just downloads automatic updates for itself. Keep an eye out for these data-hungry programs.

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You will probably want to undo many of these tweaks when you get back to Wi-Fi, as Opera Turbo will slow things down on fast connections and browsing the web without images can be obnoxious.

One Way To Reduce Internet Data Consumption On Your Windows PC

Firstly, you need to understand that turning off windows update is not enough to reduce data consumption as several other apps on your PC could still have auto-update features programmed to start using the internet immediately certain actions are initiated. The following steps would guide  you through the process involved in taking full control of data usage on your PC. Enjoy

Step 1: Launch task manager (Right click on Taskbar - at the bottom of the screen - select "start task Manager")

Step 2: Click Services

Step 3:  Select background intelligence service ( see screenshot below)

Step 4: Click Stop towards the top left corner as seen in the screenshot below

Step 5: Exit

NOTE: Make sure you do this whenever you are to use the internet on your PC but in case you wish to make this a permanent action check the BONUS tip below but keep in mind that it is cool to update your applications in order to keep your PC secured and less vulnerable. 

BONUS TIP: Instead of clicking stop, right click on the intelligence.... >> Properties >> Change startup type to Manual

I hope this was helpful, your questions and other comments as regards this post are highly welcomed. Kindly take few minutes to share this post as well.

You may also read
>> How To Make Your Computer Use Less Data When Tethering and
>> How To Reduce Your Internet Data Usage