High data usage

Mobile Apps Home Assistant Companion for Android
#1

Since I started using the app, I’ve noticed my battery usage is much higher, although I can’t really notice that in the battery stats. What I could notice is that the data usage is high.

Version = 1.1.2

This is the screenshot when I go to settings > wifi > data usage. Home Assistant is the top app there.

Screenshot_20191208-131037
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Translations:
Totaal: total
Voorgrond: foreground
Achtergrond: background

Anyone else noticing this? I haven’t captured my network traffic yet, so I don’t know any details. Just checking if this is a known issue before I dive into this.

#2

Over 2 days, I’ve seen about 13 MB of data used

#3

Yeah i noticed that it used just under a gig of mobile data in the first week I had it installed. I definitely didn’t use it that much and that was version 1.0 with no location tracking.
As for battery… didn’t look. My phone is old and battery life stinks anyway. I charge a lot.

#4

Depending on how I lookup the usage in Android (10). I get different results. When I go trough Settings > Apps > Home Assistant > Mobile data and wifi, I get other results.

Screenshot_20191208-143801
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Maybe there is a background service that isn’t included in the app totals? I have no idea.

#5

I had similar issue and had to switch off background data for home assistant app. Which disabled device tracking in background as well.

Mobile app trashed my mobile data monthly package of 10gb in just couple of days.

I have several cameras and use picture entity live mode to display them.

I believe mobile app continue to update camera pictures in background.

1 Like
#6

I noticed the same, after my povied sent me a text message telling me I have almost used my complete dataplan for this month. In 18 days the app has used more than 1,5 GB of data. I think that is is very high, giving the fact I hardly use the app when not connected to a WiFi network.

I suspect that the camera stream(s) are the issue here, just what @Alt said before me. I hope this can be fixed anytime soon!

#7

We’re tracking this issue here. We assume it’s because the frontend isn’t being shutdown when the app goes into the background and you left a camera streaming.

2 Likes
#8

This just happened to me. used up 2.73 GB in 2 days.

I also have live cameras on my frontend, first page… but even if it wasn’t on the first page, i would still be going to whichever page they are on.

in user settings i have the option “Automatically Close Connection” enabled.

#9

This happened to me today too. On my Galaxy Note 9. Burned 6 gigs in a day. Not cool :frowning:

#10

this happened to my father’s phone today with the companion app.
9 GB used in one day.
Pixel 4XL
He never opens the app. its used for location tracking only.
“auto close connection” has been on for months with no issue until today.
I do have some live view cameras on a lovelace page, but no issue until today on 1 phone, not all.

#11

I’m getting this high data usage too but have only just started using the app.
I also have a streaming camera and didn’t know about the “auto close connection” setting.
I checked and it is on but I see it takes 5 minutes to take effect so in my case this could be at least part of the reason?
(Maybe that could have been a user configurable time?)

image

I’m going to try removing camera_view: live and see if that helps.

I’m also trying with nearly all the sensors disabled but I doubt they could have caused such high data usage?

#12

Mine has used 239 MB the past 30 days.
I have a camera on the lovelace page and the app is set to NOT close the connection.
:man_shrugging:

#13

Do you mean ‘the app’ or your user config in HA?
Is there setting in the actual app? (I don’t have my phone here at the moment to look).

#14

Yes user account.

#15

If you look at the issue posted above you can see its due to camera streaming. Sensors updating is just a text string being sent home, in no way will it ever result in high data usage like a camera can. Just remove live view cameras and it will fix the issue.

1 Like
#16

my phone did it once in november, been fine since.
happened to my father couple days ago, been fine for months before, been fine since, but 9 GB data is a killer. hes got unlimited but throttled after 10GB.

A data warning message from the cell carrier was the hint that something was up in both cases.