Ways an ISP could cap Bittorrent?

T

Tordek

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 9, 2003
Messages
1,765
My general connection speed is bad. 128kbps up / 128 kbps down. Nothing to be proud of there. And my torrent download upload speeds always were around 15kbps up / 13 kbps down. My client is azureus

That was a week ago. Now I cant get any speed at all. I left a torrent up all night and it only downloaded 11mb. 11mb!!!! I used to do 600mb per night.

Now, things that i have tried:

1) Connections limit fix for windows sp2 (did that a long time ago)
2) changing listening ports, ramdomizing them (always properly forwarding it thru my router and letting it pass thru my software firewall)
3) chaging clients, tried bitcomet, abc, etc. nothing
4) connecting my ethernet cable directly to my cable modem, bypassing the router.
5) reinstalling windows altogether (stupid idea but still did it....)
6) found many popular torrents in their middle life which should have given a lot of speed. and nothing.

i read somewhere that maybe my isp is running something called a transparent proxy... Do any of you people can help me here?

it is getting really annoying...
 
One thing you may want to experiment with is capping your BT upspeed. Because BT is so brute force, if you have limited upstream available to you, which is the case, you run the risk of flooding your upstream to the point that you can no longer make packet requests... Cap your upstream to around 5kbps less than what you max out at, and see if that speeds things up for you.

I've run into this as an issue in two locations now, so I'm not just blowing smoke.
 
Shaw, in BC Canada has started throddling bit torrent traffic. Layer 7 throddling. That's all I know (I'm in Alberta, but hear lots from what that ISP is doing). I didn't know it was possible but I think there is a chunk of hardware that can throddle traffic based on the content and not the port or IP or MAC, so it won't matter if you change your ports. You would have to change the entire way the program transfers data for it to open up again.

Heh, I guess they did this cause there was soo much torrent traffic that it cost a couple mil to get their network fixed from a monsterous crash caused by too much dataflow...hehe, funny
 
Karandras69 said:
Shaw, in BC Canada has started throddling bit torrent traffic. Layer 7 throddling. That's all I know (I'm in Alberta, but hear lots from what that ISP is doing). I didn't know it was possible but I think there is a chunk of hardware that can throddle traffic based on the content and not the port or IP or MAC, so it won't matter if you change your ports. You would have to change the entire way the program transfers data for it to open up again.

Heh, I guess they did this cause there was soo much torrent traffic that it cost a couple mil to get their network fixed from a monsterous crash caused by too much dataflow...hehe, funny
Click to expand...
so it is possible for my isp to have throttled bittorrent without actually throttling ports then?
 
SilenceEchoed said:
One thing you may want to experiment with is capping your BT upspeed. Because BT is so brute force, if you have limited upstream available to you, which is the case, you run the risk of flooding your upstream to the point that you can no longer make packet requests... Cap your upstream to around 5kbps less than what you max out at, and see if that speeds things up for you.

I've run into this as an issue in two locations now, so I'm not just blowing smoke.
Click to expand...
already tried that thanks..
 
chinoquezada said:
so it is possible for my isp to have throttled bittorrent without actually throttling ports then?
Click to expand...

Really? Anything is possible since they can throttle <spelled correctly this time> layer 7 traffic. Since not all traffic in torrents is illegal, you should ask them to see if they have throttled it.
 
I live in Ecuador, South America


The answer to my question just appeared on local blogs.

This idiots decided to block all p2p ports, actually block all ports. Besides de typical ones...

I'll keep posting on the followup of what happens with this idiocy people.

The battle begins tomorrow and believe me, it will rain fire con www.satnet.net (legal fire of course.... :D)

If anyone knows anything about international bandwidth laws. I would greatly appreaciate the help to smite this asholes...

Thx
 
Basically, you're paying to use their service - and if they don't want to let you use specific protocols (i.e.: BitTorrent), they really don't have to. I don't think there's much, legally, that you can do to try to get them to remove the packet shaper rules, short of asking nicely.
 
How do I limit upload in BitComet?
Also, which ports do I need to open in my firewall?

I have around 6-10 torrents going at a time, I am usually downloading 70-100 and uploading 35-50. I am behind a router.

When I DL torrents on my GF's computer, her dl is 200+ and upload is 100+. She is not using a router and only windows SP2 firewall.
 
PawNtheSandman said:
How do I limit upload in BitComet?
Also, which ports do I need to open in my firewall?

I have around 6-10 torrents going at a time, I am usually downloading 70-100 and uploading 35-50. I am behind a router.

When I DL torrents on my GF's computer, her dl is 200+ and upload is 100+. She is not using a router and only windows SP2 firewall.
Click to expand...


You'll have to look at your particular BT client, as within each you can ussually dictate which ports it will use, and then pass those through the firewall on your router. Most clients have pretty decent instructions on this, and a quick google will ussually yeild results on passing through for your particular router model. As for transfer speed differences, it looks like your gf just has the superior connection...

About the comments of ISPs blocking BT traffic... Not a ton you can do really if they are throttling. Like it's been said here, you're buying their service, and if you aren't happy with what they allow you have the right to stop paying them and go elsewhere. I know that in most areas, there really isn't an 'elsewhere' to go, but that's life. I'm personally keeping an eye on Verizon as they begin to introduce fiber lines to residential locations... Personally, I've yet to run into a tech support group from an ISP that didn't make me want to injure them.

I don't think there's much, legally, that you can do to try to get them to remove the packet shaper rules, short of asking nicely.
Click to expand...

I have found with most ISPs, that if you're willing to pay a lot more money and upgrade to a business account, that the restrictions they impose get lifted. This is going to be different from company to company though. If you have the money, it may be worth looking into.
 
now THIS sounds very interesting indeed... :D

good luck, chinoquezada, you might need it. here in the us, there's really no law against what they are doing... don't know about ecuador. still... it's utter and total stupidity.

my personal path would have been a little different: make a big noise about it and they will listen to prevent losing money. legal methods likely will not pan out, though.
 
of course. Packet Shaping is the name of the technology that is employed in these schemes.

chinoquezada said:
so it is possible for my isp to have throttled bittorrent without actually throttling ports then?
Click to expand...
 
only if its in the terms of service. If its not, and they start pulling shit, they will get owned if you take them to court. If you don't like their shit, don't pay for their offering.

UMCPWintermute said:
Basically, you're paying to use their service - and if they don't want to let you use specific protocols (i.e.: BitTorrent), they really don't have to. I don't think there's much, legally, that you can do to try to get them to remove the packet shaper rules, short of asking nicely.
Click to expand...
 
Whatsisname said:
only if its in the terms of service. If its not, and they start pulling shit, they will get owned if you take them to court. If you don't like their shit, don't pay for their offering.
Click to expand...

Until you get one of those lovely "We've changed our terms of service agreement" letters, in which case you're back to square one...
 
Your ISP may/may not be capping your torrent. I highly doubt it.

Are you on a router. If you are, you have to change some preferences in the routers in the Port Fowarding section to get nice speeds with torrent no matter what program you use for torrents


The ports that need to be forwarded is 6881-6889. This needs to be set in the router as well as the program you are using. It needs to be set to your IP that the router is giving you as well.

I hope this is clear
 
The isp admitted to be capping all p2p traffic. All of it...

The situation has be solved, since they removed there stupid policy due to massive demand from the users...

Thx for all the input people.
 
rahahaha....massive demand = lots of kids wanting that latest whatever album and some housewives wanting the latest episode of lost off some tv rip site

i find it hilarious they cracked under the pressure. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top