Torrenting Advice Thread

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Ok so I have been using Bitorrent for a while now without having any decent idea of how it works, how to get quicker downloads, when not to bother clicking on a link cos it'll take too long etc...

Since I got my new laptop and attempted using links say things like "not enough seeds connected to the tracker" or something, when I try and download them, to the point that I thought maybe something to do with my firewall was stopping all torrents. But tonight one finally is working, albeit at 5kb/s. Could take 4 days or so at this rate. Is this just the way it is with torrenting? I know sometimes with Lost torrents they'd speed up a lot somewhere around the middle...again no idea why.

Also when I've got some stuff and can share more it'll be quicker right?

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 29 January 2007 21:20 (eighteen years ago)

What you're sharing shouldn't influence your d/l speed (other than uploading too much, or ratio issues if you're using a specific tracker).

If the torrent site lists plenty of seeds and leechers but it's still not working, you're probably still having problems with your wireless. Search for "port forwarding" and BitTorrent, there should be a guide that works with your computer/router/etc..

― milo z (mlp), Monday, 29 January 2007 21:26 (eighteen years ago)

Most BitTorrent issues are firewall/router configuration issues. If you don't have control over these there's not much you can do to improve dl speeds.

Some ISPs have started blocking/throttling BitTorrent traffic - if you've got one of these then you're really hosed!

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 29 January 2007 21:32 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.azureuswiki.com/index.php/Bad_ISPs

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 29 January 2007 21:33 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.azureuswiki.com/index.php/NAT_problem

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 29 January 2007 21:34 (eighteen years ago)

I do have control over my firewall and router config....

A torrent is now working, albeit very slowly, does this mean my firewall stuff is fine? It had very few seeds so that might account for the snails pace it's downloading at.

I checked my firewall and it's allowing bitorrent to access the net.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

What trackers are you using? Often, public trackers like Demonoid and Pirate Bay do have really slow d/l speeds because people aren't obliged to seed properly.

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:18 (eighteen years ago)

at the moment piratebay...I used to use iso hunt but it's down at the moment, tho I did have trouble using that before it went down...

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:19 (eighteen years ago)

Very few seeds generally = slow d/l, basically.

― God Bows to Meth (noodle vague), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:20 (eighteen years ago)

Mmm, really you want to be using private trackers to get the most of your torrenting - because you're forced to keep a good ratio (i.e. upload as much as you download) people tend to seed more, hence much faster download speeds. They're not always easy to get into though, and often involve schmoozing in irc.

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:23 (eighteen years ago)

public torrent sites generally suck, sadly (x-post).

― toby (tsg20), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:25 (eighteen years ago)

I need some help, actually. I previously had my ports forwarded properly through my cheapie standard-issue Linksys router, and then suddenly one day, without touching a single setting, the ports are not forwarded correctly. I've tried using another port and then telling the router about it, but that doesn't work. Neither does changing the firewall settings or turning off the firewall. uTorrent still checks it out and says, nope.

Weirder still, right around the same time, my modem got twice as fast. I was topping out at 512, not I get a meg a second regularly. Is this related in some way? Still, uploads from uTorrent are slow as hell, and I don't know what else to try.

― Thumpy Screamy (kenan), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:28 (eighteen years ago)

1. Get uTorrent

http://www.utorrent.com/

2. Pick a random high port (not 6991 etc)

3. Set uTorrent to use this port

4. Forward this port from your router to your laptop

5. Don't be dissapointed by initial slow downloads thing generally pickup after you get more of the file, leave it overnight.

6. No need to tip.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:29 (eighteen years ago)

If you're on ADSL, then your max upload speed generally tends to be 1/10 of your max download. As far as configuring your router, your best bet is to use google to find a tutorial on your specific model. I'm led to believe that there are loads out there.

xpost

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:31 (eighteen years ago)

Pick a random high port (not 6991 etc)

The reason for this being that ports 6991-6999 (I think) are the standard ports bittorrent uses, and so are more likely to be slowed down by yer ISP. uTorrent has a setting that picks a random port when it opens. If you set your firewall to allow uTorrent to use any port then that should sort you out.

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:34 (eighteen years ago)

I'm on cable, and the upload speeds seem to be limited by not having the port forwarded properly.

http://portforward.com/ has detailed instructions on how to set specific routers with specific programs, and I've done all that. Like I said, the ports were forwarded properly, then one day they just stopped being so. It's mysterious.

― Thumpy Screamy (kenan), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:34 (eighteen years ago)

I'll check the firewall setting more carefully. Something tells me this is a Windows Vista thing.

― Thumpy Screamy (kenan), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:35 (eighteen years ago)

That could be it. I've not used Vista, but XP's firewall runs in conjunction with your own firewall and can be responsible for slowing things down without you knowing about it. So turn that off.

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

Maybe dog latin can help you?

― UART variations (ex machina), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

Generally your upload will be limited yes maybe not by 1/10 usually it will be 256Kb/s or 768Kb/s, however you want to throttle your upload for BT as using too much will affect your download, leave 7-10KB/s room.

Note the Bytes / Bits distinctions your DSL will be rated in bits per second but your BT app will talk in bytes per second.

Remember the golden rule for BT is forward the port you are using on your router and make sure your software firewall is not blocking it and make sure you can upload.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

make sure your software firewall is not blocking it
lol

― UART variations (ex machina), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:43 (eighteen years ago)

I'll check the firewall setting more carefully. Something tells me this is a Windows Vista thing.

probably, I didn't even know that was out yet. expect nothing to work correctly for another two years

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:50 (eighteen years ago)

It's a beta tester.

Yes, I am a fool.

― Thumpy Screamy (kenan), Monday, 29 January 2007 22:57 (eighteen years ago)

Ronan, which network are you using? I have heard of one or two (Smart is the first that leaps to mind) that limit the amount you can download.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 11:29 (eighteen years ago)

Eircom...think I'm ok in that respect.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 11:31 (eighteen years ago)

I'm out of ideas so!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 11:38 (eighteen years ago)

How exactly do ISPs throttle bandwidth for P2P, and is there any way around it? I'm on PlusNet and Slsk is virtually unusable from about 10am-midnight. During the night it rocks, but that depends on people in my queue being online at night. BitTorrent seems to be OK all the time though.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 11:51 (eighteen years ago)

Once you've exceeded your Level 3, whatever it is, PlusNet just kills bittorrent dead. 0 up, 0 down from 4PM to midnight. Only 11 days left until the counters reset for me!

Way around it = dude, don't exceed what you're paying for.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 11:59 (eighteen years ago)

No, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm nowhere near exceeding any usage limits, it's the beginning of the billing month anyway, and I get less than 1kB/sec on Slsk, it's worse than dial-up. Until after midnight, then it goes crazy 200kB+. But it's not just during peak times (which is 4pm-midnight) that it sucks - it's useless all day as well.

But this only affects Slsk - I can download off websites fine - is it a port issue, how do they determine what kind of traffic it is?

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 12:02 (eighteen years ago)

What are some of the good private torrent sites? Esp for music. www.uknova.com is good for UK tv.

Demonoid is pretty good public torrent site, I find. Plus if you sign up then you can access all their old files too.

Soulseek has been a shambles for me for months now. I'm using 156c but about 10 seconds after loading it goes offline (the green button in top left turns purple), I click it to go back online and it turns green again but all my userlist remain offline and the search doesn't work. I've pretty much given up on it. Has the same happened to anyone else?

― Affectian (Affectian), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 13:15 (eighteen years ago)

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