Member Avatar for scyph

I'm setting up a TruConnect 3G mobile internet on my laptop so that I can check email from anywhere. I have free wifi at school, and I went with TruConnect because it's cheap and I only need it for emergency backup when I'm not on campus.

Thing is, it's $5 a month and 4 cents per megabyte--which, at 3G speeds, can cost me up to $7 a minute in the minute it takes me to turn 3G on, check my email, and shut it down again. I already set up one of my browsers to not display pictures and other bandwidth hogs, but what I'm worried about is applications deciding to download updates.

I don't want to shut automatic updates down completely. I still want them to download while I'm on the school wifi. I just want to ban them from using 3G. If I have to click a button every day to "check for all updates to all applications," that's fine. I just don't want to update them one by one by one.

Is there an easy way to do that?

Or is it easier to just get Linux?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by harinath_2007

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Short answer: treat the 3G link as a different network profile and block updaters on that profile. That gives you automatic protection on the mobile link while leaving updates allowed on your campus Wi‑Fi.

A practical, reliable approach (works with Windows 7 and later)

  • Make the 3G connection show up as a Public/metered network (use your connection manager or Network and Sharing Center).
  • Create outbound blocks that apply only to that network profile in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (open wf.msc). New Outbound Rule → Program → point to the updater executable → Block the connection → choose only the Public profile → name the rule. Repeat for each updater process you want blocked. To find the executable path, right‑click the updater process in Task Manager and choose “Open file location.”

If your Windows edition supports “metered” connections (Windows 8/10/11 and many modern apps obey it), mark the 3G link metered so Windows Update and many app updaters avoid large downloads automatically. If you don’t have that feature, use per‑app firewall rules or a third‑party firewall/bandwidth manager that supports per‑network rules (this is the same idea behind ’s firewall suggestion, but scoped to the 3G profile).

Notes and cautions

  • ’s msconfig tip helps stop background updaters from starting at boot, but it won’t stop on‑demand updates when you connect — combine both methods for best results.
  • Don’t blanket‑block antivirus definition updates or critical OS patches unless you will explicitly check for them on Wi‑Fi. Test rules while on campus Wi‑Fi to confirm allowed apps still update, then test on 3G to confirm blocks.
  • If you want absolute separation for emergency use, a live Linux session (as suggested) is a safe alternative.

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Member Avatar for flagstar

You can disable any auto updates apps when they run at startup. Type msconfig and hit Enter. Click on Startup tab and there should be a selection of programs that run on startup. Disable any unused program but be sure not to uncheck programs from System32 folders...

You can disable automatic updates for windows as well and you can manually download it when you were on wifi.

Member Avatar for caperjack

you can disable all updates manually ,but i don't know of any way to stop all with just the bush of one button ,most upadtes can be turned off in the tool/properties of each program
as for linux you could try one of many live cd's to use just when you are using the G3.
i use from time to time Puppy Linux dvd i created a few yrs back ,it is burnt onto a open secession disk and, im able to save files and setting like browser bookmarks back to the dvd automatically when i shut down.

Edited by caperjack because: n/a
Member Avatar for harinath_2007

Get ZoneAlarm firewall(free version). It will warn you when a application tries to connect with internet .
So that way you can avoid those applications not to download anything or download updates.
You can easily turn on and off the updates.

I think this is the best way in my view.....

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