Monitoring mobile data usage is becoming a critical skill for every user who regularly uses their smartphone as a hotspot. When you connect your laptop or tablet to your phone via Wi-Fi hotspotBackground operating system processes and app updates can consume gigabytes of data in a matter of hours. Understanding how much data remains on your MTS account helps avoid unexpected blocking or activation of paid options.
Modern operator tariffs often offer large data packages, but the terms of their use may vary. In particular, operator may set separate limits for internet sharing with other devices, different from the main package. This means that even if you have 50 GB of data on your account, the volume available for modem mode, may be limited to 3 GB or 10 GB depending on the terms of your tariff plan.
There are several ways to obtain up-to-date traffic balance information, from official apps to USSD requests. Each method has its own characteristics for displaying data, especially when it comes to separating packets into "main" and "share." In this article, we'll take a detailed look at all available monitoring tools and suggest where to find the most accurate figures.
Using the official MTS app
The most convenient and informative way of control is to use a proprietary application. My MTSThis tool provides detailed statistics that are impossible to obtain through simple USSD requests. After installing the app on your smartphone, you need to log in using the phone number you plan to use for internet tethering.
The main interface menu displays a pie chart showing your total traffic volume. However, checking your Wi-Fi data usage requires careful consideration. Carriers often separate packages, and information about them may be located in different tabs or menu sections. Click the gigabytes icon or go to the section Tariff and optionsto see a detailed breakdown.
Within the detailed report, you'll see a breakdown of "Internet" and "Internet when sharing." It's the latter figure that's important for creating a hotspot. If your plan doesn't allow for separate data metering, the app will show the total remaining data, which will be used equally whether you're browsing your phone or sharing. WiFi on a laptop.
⚠️ Attention: Application interface My MTS Updated periodically. Button layout and section names may vary slightly on different versions of iOS and Android. If you don't find the information you need right away, use the in-app search or update to the latest version.
One of the app's useful features is the ability to customize notifications. You can set a threshold, for example, 1 GB, and when the remaining data available for sharing reaches this value, notification will appear on your lock screen. This eliminates the need to constantly check your balance manually while you're actively working.
Verification via USSD commands and SMS
For those who prefer speed and don't want to waste mobile data on loading app interfaces, there are time-tested USSD requests. They work even without internet access, using the operator's signal network. universal method, available on any phone, from a push-button Nokia to a modern flagship.
To find out the total remaining traffic, enter the command on your phone keypad *100# and press the call button. You'll receive a response via SMS or a pop-up window with information. However, to get detailed information on specific distribution packages, the standard command may not be informative enough. In such cases, the command *100*1# or *100*2#, which displays extended information about connected services.
An alternative method is to send a free SMS message. Send a blank message or word Internet to the number 111The operator will send a detailed report in a reply message. It's important to read the text message carefully, as it may contain separate limits for different types of traffic.
- 📱 Team
*100#— the main way to get a quick balance. - 💬 SMS to 111 – convenient if you need to save your verification history.
- ⚙️ Team
*100*2#— to obtain detailed information about the packages.
Please note that data in SMS and USSD requests may be updated with a slight delay. If you've just used a large amount of data, the displayed balance may not reflect the actual balance in real time. For critical transactions, it's best to check with personal account.
☑️ Check your balance via USSD
Personal account on the operator's website
The web version of your personal account provides perhaps the most comprehensive overview of your account status. It's especially convenient if you plan to share WiFi from your laptop and want to monitor the process from a larger screen. Access your account through a browser at mts.ru or via direct link to lk.mts.ru.
After logging in (via phone number or password), the main page displays summary information. Here you can often see graphs of traffic consumption by day. This is a useful feature for analysis: you can see which days of the week or what time of day the most activity occurs. data distribution.
In the "Rates and Services" or "Expenses" section, you can find detailed information. Look for the subsection related to internet. It may list "Main Package" and "Share Package." If you have a single rate plan, you'll see one combined figure. The website also allows you to quickly upgrade to additional data plans if you're running low.
| Verification method | Internet access required | Detailing | Speed of receipt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Yes (or WiFi) | High | Average |
| USSD *100# | No | Basic | High |
| Personal account | Yes | Maximum | Average |
| SMS request | No | Average | Low |
A key advantage of the web interface is the ability to manage services in the background. While you're checking your balance, you can immediately disable heavy updates or change your plan without switching between windows. This makes the website a powerful tool for administration your connection.
Monitoring Android traffic while sharing
In the Android operating system, hotspot features not only allow you to share the internet but also monitor its usage using built-in tools. This is useful for understanding how much data is being consumed by connected devices if you can't check your carrier's balance right now.
To access statistics, go to Settings → Connections → Mobile hotspot & tethering. In some versions of the shell (for example, on Samsung or Xiaomi) The path may vary slightly. The access point menu often includes a "Settings" or "Device Management" option, which displays the amount of data transferred since the last reset.
However, it's important to remember: Android's built-in data counter only shows the amount of data transferred through the access point since the phone was turned on or last reset. It doesn't know your MTS plan. Therefore, these figures should be compared with the data provided by your operator. If the phone shows 500 MB allocated, but your operator's data usage was 2 GB, this means some of the data was used for other purposes, or the counter has been reset.
⚠️ Note: Resetting statistics in Android settings deletes your consumption history. Do not press the reset button if you want to analyze your consumption over a long period. It's best to do this at the beginning of a new billing period (billing month).
For a more in-depth analysis, you can use third-party traffic monitoring apps like GlassWire or NetGuard. They allow you to see which apps on connected devices (if visible) or on the phone itself are consuming the most data. This helps identify data-hungry apps that may be silently draining your data. mobile Internet.
Why are the phone and operator counters different?
Differences in readings often arise because the operator counts traffic down to the byte at the gateway, while the phone may round off the values or ignore service packets seen by the operator's network. Data update delays on the MTS side also play a role.
Controlling distribution on iPhone (iOS)
Device users Apple also have the ability to track data usage, although the iOS interface is less detailed in this regard compared to Android. In the section Settings → Cellular (or "Mobile Data") scroll down to the list of apps.
There you'll find the "Personal Hotspot" option. The number next to it shows how many megabytes or gigabytes have been transferred via the hotspot since the last reset. Important: iOS doesn't reset this counter automatically at the beginning of the month, like your carrier's data balance. You'll need to do this manually.
To reset your statistics and start counting again (for example, on the 1st of the month), scroll to the bottom of the "Cellular" page and click Reset statisticsAfter this, the "Modem Mode" counter will show 0, and you will be able to accurately track how much traffic was used for Wi-Fi distribution during the current period.
- 🍏 Path:
Settings → Cellular. - 📉 Look for the "Modem Mode" line for distribution statistics.
- 🔄 Reset statistics manually at the beginning of the billing period.
iPhone owners should also pay attention to the "Data Saver" feature. Enabling it in the cellular settings can limit background app activity, which indirectly helps conserve data when actively sharing data with other devices.
Setting up MTS routers and modems
If you're using a dedicated 4G/LTE router or MTS USB modem with its own SIM card for Wi-Fi sharing, rather than a smartphone, you can control it through the device's web interface. Typically, you need to connect to the router's Wi-Fi network and enter the address in your browser. 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.8.1.
In the router menu (often the Huawei, ZTE, or Zyxel interface), there's a "Statistics" or "Traffic" section. Modern models can automatically count the gigabytes consumed. Furthermore, you can set this in the settings. traffic limitOnce the router reaches the specified number of gigabytes, it will automatically turn off the internet or WiFi, preventing your data package from being completely depleted.
To set the limit, find the "Traffic Statistics" section. There, you can select "Traffic Limit" and enter a value, such as 3000 MB. You can also set a "Time Limit" if you only need to share the internet for a couple of hours. This is especially relevant for hourly plans or smaller packages.
⚠️ Note: For some router models, the traffic counter can only be reset by rebooting the device or manually using the "Reset" button in the interface. Make sure the counter is reset at the beginning of the month, otherwise the data will be accumulated from the previous period.
Some advanced routers allow you to send SMS messages directly from the web interface. This means you can send the command *100# directly from the router while using your laptop and see the response in the logs or a special message window without removing your SIM card. This is very convenient for fixed access points.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why does traffic use up faster when sharing WiFi?
When connected to a laptop or tablet, these devices behave differently than a phone. They may run automatic Windows/macOS updates, sync cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox), and stream video in higher quality. A phone often saves data in the background, while a computer does not.
Does the network type (4G/5G) affect the speed of traffic debiting?
No, the network type only affects data transfer speed, not capacity. One gigabyte is one gigabyte, regardless of whether it's received over 3G, 4G, or 5G. However, the high speed of 5G may mean you can download a large file or watch a 4K video faster, which will cause your data usage to run out faster in time, but not in capacity.
Is it possible to bypass the WiFi sharing restriction?
Officially, no, unless the plan includes tethering. Carriers determine tethering based on the TTL (Time To Live) value of packets. When data is transferred to another device, the TTL changes, and the MTS billing system automatically blocks access or charges it under separate, often less favorable terms. Using third-party programs to change the TTL may violate the terms of the contract.
What happens if the distribution package runs out, but the main one remains?
It depends on your plan. Most modern MTS plans (Tarifische, MTS Nearby) offer shared packages. However, if you have an older plan or a special option where packages are separated, once the tethering limit is reached, internet access for connected devices may be blocked, suspended, or charged for data. Check the terms in the app.