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June 29th, 2014 17:00
What is AWCC downloading?
I've recently noticed that the Alienware Command Center is downloading something like 10mb per hour.
That seems incredibly odd to me considering what the program does.
I can't think of a single reason for the AWCC to be connecting to the net, beyond checking for updates; so I'm wondering, what is the AWCC downloading?
I'm running it on an Alienware Aurora R4 ALX with Windows 7 x64, though I don't think that really matters.
EDIT: it's also uploading at about ~300kb per hour
EDIT 2: OK, this is interesting: it's specifically the thermal controller (fan controller) that's doing the downloading/uploading.
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Mnethses
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June 30th, 2014 23:00
OK, I think I've figured out what's going on!
I've found the AWCC_Service_Controller as a separate object and:
it's download rate is equal to the ThermalController's upload rate
and it's upload rate is equal to the ThermalController's download rate
so my assumption is the communication between these two processes (the ThermalController presumably either reporting temperature sensor readings and receiving fan speeds or vice versa) is being misinterpreted as network traffic, probably due to the proprietary MIO board.
Tesla1856
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June 29th, 2014 17:00
It's not really downloading or uploading (says Alienware engineers).
There is a (very old) thread about it.
Mnethses
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June 29th, 2014 17:00
I don't tend to like coming off as a tinfoil-hatter, but it kinda sounds like they're doing something they don't want us to know about, and have packaged it in something we really can't remove. Also explains why they seem to have gone to such extremes to prevent people from being able to control the fans with any other program (believe me I have gone to some pretty ridiculous extremes to try and control the fans with anything other than AWCC).
Mnethses
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June 29th, 2014 19:00
Well protecting their IP is certainly a more rational explanation, but I'm still baffled by the idea that, out of all the online games I'm playing, the thing taking up the most bandwidth is the fan controller.
Tesla1856
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June 29th, 2014 19:00
I'll try to find the old thread.
The secrecy is mainly about protecting the IP behind the MIO-Board hardware and the matching Command Center software. It's unique to Dell in the marketplace. Can't think of anyone else who has gone to such extremes.