Another confused user

[matlock_50]

I've been using bittorrent clients for a couple of months using different clients (bittorent 3.3, experimental, burst, and abc). I've looked at several different forums for ways to speed up my downloads, but my fasted speed has never exceeded around 25kb/s, with an average of 5-15 kb/s, usually on the low side. I have cable broadband that's supposed to have 2 Mbps download speeds and 256 Kbps upload speeds.

I have a P4 1.8 processor with 1 gig of DDR ram, Windows2000 SP4 OS. I am currently using ABC. I have set it to 3 max downloads, 20 minimum peers, 100 maximum open files, 60 maximum peers, 2 MiB/s allocation rate, and a global 3 maximum uploads at 20 kB/s upload speed. I do not have a router but am running Zone Alarm as a personal firewall, but ABC has access rights.

Are my settings off and what are the optimal settings for my situation? Will leaving a different completed seed file open help other downloads?

A torrent I'm currently downloading has 2 seeds and 24 peers with 3.997 copies - I have averaged around 8 kB/s (now at almost 50 % downloaded) while others some in the swarm have gotten around 100 kB/s - one getting peaks around 200 kB/s.

I have left different completed seeds on but this doesn't seem to help, or have I just not left them long enough? Would it be beneficial to leave a completed seed open overnight on nights I am not downloading anything? My only concerns there are bandwidth limits by my ISP.

Anyway, I'm sure everyone is tired of posts like this, but any help would really be appreciated.

[matlock_50]

I forgot to add that I currently have two other torrents open in addition to the one I talked about in my previous post. They get about the same speeds as the other.

[Mels_Smileys45]

I have not been using BT at all lately but the last time I did I noticed it just wasnt as fast as it once was. I think this can be caused by the popularity of BT. When a program becomes popular with good files the leeches will follow. I would note that alot of trackers dont like the experimental client so you might noticed "connection refused" in the log window. Finding a good tracker is key.

[shawners]

this looks like a job for malicious intent.. Wait till he gets here and ill just bump the thread to the top =)

[Miniver]

Quote:Malicious Intent
If you are even slightly concerned about your bittorrent speeds.

http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=208105#post208105

[matlock_50]

I haven't had many problems with "connection refused".

Also, I already read MI's post on speed. Note from my original post, I have limited my max peer connections to 60, my max uploads are at 20 kB/s, and I am behind Zone Alarm which the clients have had been granted access (not to mention that I checked the open ports through a DOS ["command"] window).

Thanks again for any help.

[zaphodiv]

You say you have granted access in zone alarm. Have you got the allow to be a server option ticked?

[Malicious Intent]

Thanks for covering me Miniver!
I'm sorry that my thread hasn't helped. Can you confirm the torrents are showing green?
You say in your first post that you are leaving completed torrents open. Although this is good for the network and encouraged, it won't help you with your speeds. Whilst downloading a file you swap parts of the file with other users. The faster your upload, the more people you can upload to, the more will send you parts in return. You arn't given credits which can be used to "buy" other parts - it is a direct swap. This swap isn't kb for kb, you are either swapping or not. You can be downloading at 8 and uploading at 1, or visa versa.
By seeding once you have finished downloading, you are helping the nework be spreading the file faster and making all parts of the file available. However, you are not given credits to spend on a different torrent later.

[matlock_50]

1) Both the allow as server and grant access options are checked in Zone Alarm.

2) My connections are green.

3) You say the more people you upload to the more people will download back to you. Am I correct then that its better to have more uploads per torrent than to have a greater upload speed?

4) What would be my ideal settings?

[Malicious Intent]

"3) You say the more people you upload to the more people will download back to you. Am I correct then that its better to have more uploads per torrent than to have a greater upload speed?"
Yes. If you are limiting the number of people that you upload to, then this could be your problem. There is no reason to limit the number of people that you upload to. You may limit the number of peer connections if you are having CPU problems, but 60 will do the job. Don't go less than that. The latest BT client releases claim to deal with CPU problems anyway. I couldn't help but notice the latest Azureus limits to 100 by default.

[matlock_50]

I just downloaded the new Azureus client, so I'll give it a try to night with a greater number of connections. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow.

[Malicious Intent]

Cool. Tell us if it works as well as if it fails. If it works then I will update my thread and we can have a round of beer! You used to have the limit set at 60, which in theory should have been enough, especially since there are only 26 people to connect to.
Anyway, download a nicce big file and wait half an hour or so, then report your results.

[thongsai]

limit ur upload 5 kb per torrent and download only 2 or 3 at a time

[mmmousetrappp]

dont let your upload speed reach its maximum. otherwise it will affect your download speed. set your total upload speed at 75% of its maximum capacity.

[matlock_50]

Sorry I didn't get back to you all yesterday, but I got called out of town on work. Anyway, With Azureus 2.0.8 newly installed, along with the Safepeer plugin, torrent X (1.3 G) and torrent Y (2.4 G) were left on starting shortly after my last post. My Azuresus configuration was as follows:
Trasnfer:
max connections per torrent: 0
max uploads per torrent: 3
max upload speed: 14KB/s
Tracker:
max peers returned: 200

All other settings were left at default for cable modem speed xxx/256 MB/s download.

Tracker X downloaded 259.1 KB while Tracker Y downloaded 227 KB. This morning tracker X had 3(6) seeds and 29(80) peers while tracker Y had 4(13) seeds and 31 (133) peers.

After reading your posts, I am making the floowing adjustments:
Transfers:
max upload speed: 5 KB/s
Tracker:
max peers returned: 60

I would love suggestions. I'll post my results tonight or tomorrow morning.

[Malicious Intent]

I would disagree with thongsai. Maximum upload speed could be increased to 12 kb/s. (75% of 128 kbits/s). 24 for a 256 connection. There is conflict between your first and last post in this area.
60 peers returned is a setting assuming excessive CPU usage, otherwise leave at the default 100. Same with maximum connectins, although this should have little to do with speed - again it is CPU usage.
Have you tried BT without Safepeer? I'm a little unsure as to what it is (it is too late to google). If it is to help avoid getting sued, try BT with it switched off. It you are worried about lawsuits, download a large TV program. I doubt any action will be taken, at most a warning to stop seeding it.

[matlock_50]

Sorry, I got busy then my roommate logged me off so I don't have any results to report -- so, I am again starting over. Now with Azureus 2.0.8.2:

max open connections: 60
max uploads per torrent: 5
max upload speed: 5KB/s
max peers returned: 100
max simultaneous downloads: 4
max active torrents: 6

Two torrents are open:
torrent x - 2.4GB 65.5% complete - 2(4) seeds 38(166) peers
torrent y - 564.8 KB 61.1% complete - 29(357)seeds 20(903) peers

Its now 22:56 my time. I'll post my progress tomorrow a.m.

[shawners]

I changed my settings to only upload to one and download unlimited.. And when im finished i change it and leave it on for while.. I get greater speeds by doing that.

[matlock_50]

OK, it is now 8:34.

Torrent Y just finished, so I guess it took about 9 h 41 m to download 219.702 MB, for an average of roughly 6.45KB/s.

Torrent X is at 67.2%, so it downloaded roughly 41.772 MB or 1.22 K/s (grantd the margin is off quite a bit when allocating percentages to GB vs MB, this is still a lot less than Torrent Y).

I've got to free up resources to work on the computer today, so my experiment will resume tonight with just torrent X. Any ideas for what to adjust for tonight?

Also, MI, you suggested shutting off safepeer (an IP filter plugin). Torrent Y was a TV show and Torrent X is not a file the recording industry or RPAA would be interested in. Do you do anything other than uncheck enable to shut it off (if you simply move the plugin you get an error message).

Thanks again.

[Malicious Intent]

If it is nothing that the RIAA or MPAA are interested in, then try switching it off. Nothing to lose and you can rule it out if you are still having problems.
I have no ideas except those which I have suggested. Someone else has posting in my slow torrents thread. They are also green with slow downloads.

[matlock_50]

If it is nothing that the RIAA or MPAA are interested in, then try switching it off. Nothing to lose and you can rule it out if you are still having problems.
I have no ideas except those which I have suggested. Someone else has posting in my slow torrents thread. They are also green with slow downloads.

How do I switch it off? Uncheck the enable button?

[Malicious Intent]

Sounds like a plan.