Some claim that Windows 10 is turning your computer into a p2p update server

B00nie

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Some people who consider themselves IT engineers claim that if you install Win10 the included p2p services will make your computer a part of a p2p network for distributing updates. Sounds pretty wild, anyone have studied the data traffic more carefully already?

I know the p2p services exist at least but never studied further.
 
Thanks, but those screenshots lead you to believe that you're only downloading, not distributing. This could be a huge issue for people who have data caps or pay by Gb.

What about those screenshots implies that not distributing? The middle one explicitly has a selection for getting updates from other PCs on your network. What is unclear about that? If you're going to get the update from a local PC, then the other local PC has to distribute by definition.
 
Thanks, but those screenshots lead you to believe that you're only downloading, not distributing. This could be a huge issue for people who have data caps or pay by Gb. Not to mention the potential security issues of downloading updates from other users :eek:

i thought this was widely known?

I've seen other screenshots that specifically say your PC will upload to the internet windows updates with an option to turn it off.


(i dont use win10 atm)
 
What about those screenshots implies that not distributing? The middle one explicitly has a selection for getting updates from other PCs on your network. What is unclear about that? If you're going to get the update from a local PC, then the other local PC has to distribute by definition.

Ah you're right. This should make a number of people pretty unhappy if it's enabled by default :)
 
This feature can be disabled as I mentioned in my post cleaning the bloat from windows 10.

To Disable Windows Update Peer to Peer: Start -> Settings-> Update and Security -> Windows Update -> Choose how Updates are delivered -> Off
 
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/windows-update-delivery-optimization-faq


How is my PC used to send apps and updates to other PCs?


Delivery Optimization downloads the same updates and apps that you get through Windows Update and the Windows Store. Delivery Optimization creates a local cache, and stores files that it has downloaded in that cache for a short period of time. Depending on your settings, Windows then send parts of those files to other PCs on your local network or PCs on the Internet that are downloading the same files.

Delivery Optimization can’t be used to download or send personal content.
 
i thought this was widely known?

I've seen other screenshots that specifically say your PC will upload to the internet windows updates with an option to turn it off.


(i dont use win10 atm)

I also have only a very early preview on this laptop so can't use that as a reference. I imagined that you could get local updates only if you're in the same home group or domain + servers but if anyone can really become a p2p host for updates it sounds extremely worrying. So the whole insider preview thing was just an evil scheme to lure people into creating a p2p network to save MS bandwith lol.

I'll be sure to check that box out on my gaming machines once I get back home (if the preview even works anymore that is). I'll be installing at least 1 Win10 for my gaming boxes in any case.
 
it's ridiculous the number of stupid things Windows 10 enables by default and forces you to dig around to disable
 
it's ridiculous the number of stupid things Windows 10 enables by default and forces you to dig around to disable

I have found quite a few features in the is that I like but I agree with you assessment here. Making me do extra work just to have a straightforward PC (btw, have that forgotten that it is P for Personal) is just making me not want to bother.
 
I agree that it should probably have been disabled by default, but the amount of strain on their servers due to the Windows 10 update and everyone doing windows updates before and after is likely unprecedented. This would be an ideal case for P2P if there ever was one so hard to blame them for having it enabled.
 
Most ISPs - if you read their Terms of Service carefully 'cause it's damned sure a lot of fine print for any of them - prohibit the use of their service by an end user aka customers for "serving files outbound" or words to that effect. Basically if any computer outside your local network (if you have one) connects to your machine(s) over the ISP's connection you have and requests data to which your machine(s) provide it, that's being a server.

I know nobody gives a shit about the fine print and people use their machines as servers constantly (torrents basically require it, so does most anything else of a P2P nature, even running your own web or email servers from home is still against such ToS clauses) but this actually is a bit of a problem in most respects.

Microsoft knows better but what's happening is people are discovering a lot about Windows 10 that even the Insider previews didn't make all that clear in the first place. Now, after it's released, there's a lot being found and it's actually surprising to see the reactions from so many users about them.
 
Some people who consider themselves IT engineers claim that if you install Win10 the included p2p services will make your computer a part of a p2p network for distributing updates. Sounds pretty wild, anyone have studied the data traffic more carefully already?

I know the p2p services exist at least but never studied further.

Because it is...

that is part of the new way they are planning to do updates.
 
Because it is...

that is part of the new way they are planning to do updates.

It's only a matter of time before hackers find a way to exploit p2p to inject attacks. Not to mention the damage is done to peoples bandwith without most of them knowing.
 
It's only a matter of time before hackers find a way to exploit p2p to inject attacks. Not to mention the damage is done to peoples bandwith without most of them knowing.

Agreed that is actually the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this in the settings. Pretty big oversight for Microsoft.
 
Agreed that is actually the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this in the settings. Pretty big oversight for Microsoft.

I understand why they want to do this bandwidth is expensive if they can drastically reduce that bandwidth used to deliver windows updates that will save them tons of green.

but yes it will likely get either set to disabled by default or removed...

i turned it off pretty quick as I have enough issues with the updates from Microsoft i dont need corrupted or hacked updates from everything running on the internet...
 
Sorry for the n00b question, but is it possible to disable both the sending and receiving of p2p Windows data?
 
So is this actually distributing updates to other people's PC's or just ones on my own local network? For instance will my PC update some random guy in Philly or just my daughters? If it's behaving a bit like a WSUS server for people on a common LAN I see that as a nice benefit.
 
So is this actually distributing updates to other people's PC's or just ones on my own local network? For instance will my PC update some random guy in Philly or just my daughters? If it's behaving a bit like a WSUS server for people on a common LAN I see that as a nice benefit.

From the screenshots, I *think* it's just on your LAN. From reading them, there are two sources: "local LAN" and "Internet." Looking at it, it looks like Internet == Microsoft and "local LAN" is exactly what it seems.
 
yes I confirm the updates can be uploaded to Internet Machines and Local Machines, you have the option to select both or only LAN, and the option to turn off entirely. However according to the Description only "Parts of the updates and apps" will be sent to the internet an Local Machines, So just guessing Microsoft select which exactly parts of those updates can be shared (for security maybe?).. I have in my personal rig turned off immediately that option, But I have to say that's a very handy option in my Working machines as the first updated Win10 Machine Made the other 6 machines the update process just faster.. however I've also turned off the option in those machines as I don't want to spend Bandwidth Resources if isn't necessary specially if I'm Gaming online.
 
So is this actually distributing updates to other people's PC's or just ones on my own local network? For instance will my PC update some random guy in Philly or just my daughters? If it's behaving a bit like a WSUS server for people on a common LAN I see that as a nice benefit.

By default yes it serves update from your pc to any other pc on the internet or lan. You can toggle it to pull only from microsoft. Only from Microsoft and local machines. And it is set by default to pull updates from any available source.
 
the hackers and ransomware shits in east europe and india/pak have to be salivating right now.
 
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This feature can be disabled as I mentioned in my post cleaning the bloat from windows 10.

To Disable Windows Update Peer to Peer: Start -> Settings-> Update and Security -> Windows Update -> Choose how Updates are delivered -> Off
Thanks for this.

I skimmed the other thread but didn't catch this and wasn't too worried about combing the settings. Now I realize I have to go through that thread with a more careful read :eek:
 
Some claim that Windows 10 is turning your computer into a p2p update server
sounds like something Jeremy Clarkson would say..

keep going .... :D
 
If it worked more transparently it would probably be a great feature. But informing users about what's going on with the OS and their PC doesn't fit in MS's tablet UI vision.
 
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