How to check bandwidth usage: router, Windows, Mac, phone

By Zakaria Z., updated . 3 min read.

How to check bandwidth usage: router, Windows, Mac, phone
In short The quickest way to see who is using your bandwidth is your router's app or admin page, which lists usage by device. On a computer, use Task Manager or Resource Monitor (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) to see usage by app. Then run a bandwidth test with and without the suspect device to measure its impact.
Contents
  1. 1. Your router: usage by device
  2. 2. Windows: usage by app
  3. 3. Mac: Activity Monitor
  4. 4. Android and iPhone
  5. 5. Your provider's usage meter
  6. The usual bandwidth hogs
  7. Measure the impact in five minutes
  8. Keep one device from slowing everyone

Internet slow when everyone is home, or only at certain hours? Before blaming the provider, find out what is using the bandwidth. Here is where to look, from the whole network down to a single app.

1. Your router: usage by device

The router sees all traffic, so it is the best place to start.

  1. Open your router's app, or its admin page in a browser (often at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1; see how to access your router's settings).
  2. Look for a section called Connected devices, Traffic meter, Bandwidth monitor or QoS.
  3. Sort the devices by current usage. A device using tens of Mbps while nobody is watching anything is your suspect.

Many provider and mesh Wi-Fi apps show usage per device; some basic provider routers only show the device list. In that case, use the methods below on each computer, or pause devices one by one.

2. Windows: usage by app

  • Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) > Processes: the Network column shows which app uses the connection right now. The Performance tab graphs your Wi-Fi or Ethernet traffic.
  • Resource Monitor (type resmon in the Start menu) > Network tab: bytes sent and received per second for each process, more detailed than Task Manager.
  • Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Data usage (Windows 11): total data used per app over the last 30 days.

3. Mac: Activity Monitor

Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities) and choose the Network tab. Sort by Rcvd Bytes or Sent Bytes to find the apps moving the most data. Cloud sync, backups and software updates usually top the list.

4. Android and iPhone

  • Android: in Settings > Network & internet (or Connections on Samsung) > Data usage, many phones list Wi-Fi and mobile data per app.
  • iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service (Cellular in the US) shows mobile data per app. iOS does not list Wi-Fi usage per app, so use your router's app to see the iPhone's Wi-Fi traffic.

5. Your provider's usage meter

If your plan has a monthly data allowance, your provider's app or account shows the total used this month. It does not show which device is responsible, but it tells you whether a sudden jump is real.

The usual bandwidth hogs

CulpritTypical useFix
Cloud backup or syncFills the upload for hoursLimit its speed or schedule it at night
Game and system updatesTens to hundreds of GBSchedule them, pause during calls
4K streaming15 to 25 Mbps per screenLower quality on small screens
Security camerasContinuous uploadLower resolution or record locally
File sharing appsEverything availableSet an upload and download limit

Measure your connection now. Start the test

Measure the impact in five minutes

  1. Run the bandwidth test with the home as it is.
  2. Pause the suspect device or app, then run it again.
  3. Compare download, upload and especially latency under load: a big drop in lag means you found the culprit.

Keep one device from slowing everyone

Turn on QoS or smart queue management in the router so heavy transfers cannot crowd out calls and games (bufferbloat test explains how), connect fixed devices with Ethernet, and plan big transfers for the night. If the whole line is still slow with everything paused, the problem is the line or the provider: see slow internet: causes and fixes.

#BandwidthTest#WiFiDiagnosis#Troubleshooting

Sources and further reading

Frequently asked questions

How can I see what is using my bandwidth?

Open your router's app or admin page and look at the list of connected devices and their usage. On a computer, Task Manager or Resource Monitor (Windows) and Activity Monitor (Mac) show usage by app.

Can I see bandwidth usage per device without router access?

Only partly. Each computer and phone can show its own usage, but not the others'. Pausing devices one by one and running a speed test each time also finds the culprit.

Why is my bandwidth usage high when nobody is using the internet?

Background tasks: cloud backups, photo sync, game and system updates, and security cameras. They often start when devices are idle, for example at night or when you come home.

Zakaria Z. Guides written and reviewed by a telecom engineer specialised in fibre optics (FTTH), with more than 8 years of hands-on network maintenance and measurement. Editorial policy.

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