Windows 8 intros Internet usage controls
Anyone who hops online a lot while on the road doesn’t want to download a lot of extraneous data. With that in mind, Windows 8 has introduced a new metered connection function.
By using it, people can designate certain connections as metered, reports German computer magazine c’t, minimizing data transfers to the most necessary, only downloading key security updates, for example.
The option can be found in the menu, first under network connection and then under system settings. Right-clicking on the connection shows a menu with an option of turning it into a metered one.
The service is especially useful when surfing with a UMTS stick or an untethered mobile device. Such devices usually work with data plans, which means every megabyte often matters for charging.
However, the new service generally only works with mobile devices. Most surf sticks use the wrong driver.
In such cases, there are other methods for thrifty surfing. One can use the operating system’s integrated firewall to set up profiles that automatically block all outgoing connection attempts. That only allows programmes to access the internet if specifically allowed to do so by the user.
That trick doesn’t just apply to Windows 8, but also its predecessors, Vista and 7.
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