> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nodemaven.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# I think my traffic is burning faster than it should

> A repeatable test: download a known 10MB file through the proxy, then compare it against Breakdown by domain in your dashboard.

To check real-time traffic consumption and compare it against our metrics, run a download of a known size and see what the dashboard records for it.

This applies to Residential and Mobile proxies. ISP proxies carry unlimited traffic and are not metered.

## The test

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your dashboard">
    Go to the [NodeMaven dashboard](https://dashboard.nodemaven.com/).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Note your current usage">
    Find the **Breakdown by domain** section and set the time filter to **24 hours**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download a file of a known size">
    Open your anti-detect browser, connected through the proxy, and go to a sample file host such as [testfile.org](https://testfile.org/all-pdf-sample-test-file-download-direct/).

    Download the **10MB** file and wait for it to fully open.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Close the browser">
    Close the anti-detect browser completely.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait 20 minutes">
    Traffic is not deducted instantly. See [Why did my traffic drop after I closed my browser?](/troubleshooting/traffic-deduction-delay)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compare">
    Return to the dashboard and check **Breakdown by domain** again. The top line should show the `files.testfile.org` domain, with the bandwidth used and the number of requests.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What a correct result looks like

For a 10MB download, the dashboard should show **around 10MB** against that domain.

**A reading of 11-12MB is normal.** Page loading generates additional traffic of its own on top of the file itself, so the figure is expected to run slightly above the file size rather than matching it exactly.

If the figure is far higher than that, something else on the machine is also routing through the proxy. Check **Breakdown by domain** for domains you did not expect to see.

## Related

* [How is traffic usage calculated?](/residential-mobile/traffic-usage) - what counts as traffic, in both directions
* [Proxy usage statistics](/residential-mobile/usage-statistics) - how to read the charts and the domain breakdown together


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