The excess data charges if I go over my tethering data limit are ridiculously. Fennec already stated the question well.

Because of this, and on general principle, I'd like to have some tools which permit me to do things like:

• Monitor the amount of bandwidth that I've used I think I can do this from Sprint too, but on-the-computer is nice too on-the-computer gives me a possibility of breaking it down by application
• See what sort of programs are using the Internet connection I could use, like, Wireshark, but that's a bit too micro-level to be practical
• Keep those programs, and the operating system, from doing things like "downloading an operating system update" while on the mobile hotspot

Related

I want to monitor and limit OS X's data transfer while I'm tethering via my iPhone