Completely stumped!

[robbo_rules]

Please don't get mad regulars, but I need a bit of basic help, I have been reading posts on the site for days now and have tried all the methods suggested to get through what I assume is my firewall. I have tried just about every program recommended and opened various ports. I trawled through pages of information at portforwarding.com but am still having no luck. The basic premise of my problem is that I am living in some private student halls and have paid for a private line to my room, it's only 512kb/s but this should allow me up to 50 kb downloads or so? Every program I have tried to run, regardless of which port i have tried putting it through maxes out download speeds at no more than 10kb/s. Does this sound like a firewall problem? I found the stuff over on portforwarding.com complicated as it was all router specific. Are the routers in question part of my computer or something to do with the isp providing my line. I have an private ip address so I'm not just another student trying to cheat the network, just trying to work out the problem.

thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

[napho]

You should check with Google to see if your isp is using bandwidth limiting techniques like this for example http://www.ellacoya.com/

[robbo_rules]

I hadn't thought of this, but when i download direct from a site i get upwards of 40kb/s download speeds

[napho]

I hadn't thought of this, but when i download direct from a site i get upwards of 40kb/s download speeds


They usually leave that kind of downloading alone. I can download at maximum speed with any program but my isp severely limits upload speeds on BitTorrent to 32K/sec but I can upload privately at 98K. They select which programs to bandwidth shape. Cable companies have upload problems so they usually choose to limit only that. I guess dsl providers might limit ul and dl.
This is presuming that it's NOT your router of course.

[robbo_rules]

is the router of which u speak part of my laptop or something that the isp has, i am plugged straight into the wall with a lan socket but i have my own line... how can i find out about the router?

[napho]

It sounds like you don't have a router . What's the name of your isp. Maybe it's mentioned on a site like this http://www.dslreports.com/

[robbo_rules]

it's called 'ubroadband'

[napho]

Application Policy
To ensure the FUP is policed on the managed internet access service we have implemented an application policing policy to ensure that the performance of normal internet packages e.g. HTTP, FTP are not degraded by bandwidth hungry applications, such as the peer-to-peer networks.

A list of primary applications can be found at www.ubroadband.net. We may change or update this list from time to time to ensure the policy is managed in line with the ever-changing nature of the Internet and applications. Click here to download them

Changes
Changes to the list of primary applications may be requested through the helpdesk by completing the Application Change request form to be found at www.ubroadband.net.

The helpdesk will respond to requests within 5 working days.


http://www.unite-students.com/ubroadband/images/popups/fairusage.htm

[zpman]

A router is a packet trafficking device that connects networks. You would know if you have one. Router devices are not part of laptops. If you had one to connect your laptop to the internet, you would connect it to your ethernet port.

You obviously have some sort of bandwidth restriction for certain TCP protocols. What OS are you running? What firewall software? Have you tried other ports besides the defualt ones in your (app) config?

Perhaps the files you are downloading have low upload/download ratio. Also don't confuse bandwidth with throughput.

[robbo_rules]

i am using xp w/ sp2 and i have turned off the windows firewall 'cos it's rubbish anyway. Can u guys think of any easy way of getting round this problem without telling my isp I wanna use it for downloads?! lol! also does anyone have any good links for direct site downloads of tv episodes, films and the like, just in case!

thanks for all the help so far

[Sparky9]

get a buddy on the outside to send them via http://www.yousendit.com/

[robbo_rules]

cheers sparky i will look into it, in the mean time any other ideas would be greatly appreciated also!

[robbo_rules]

I have maybe come up with the beginnings of a solution to this problem, however i need some help in setting it up. The website for my broadband provider has a limitation on what programs can be used through it, however, there is a list of programs which are exceptions to their policy and have opened ports. Is there any way I can use this to my advantage? Please help me as I have 512k broadband and a very irregular download speed of 3-4kbps dropping to zero for long periods of time!!!!

[White Crow]

DON'T tell us to get mad, because that is a very good question. My answer might not be guarnteed to be right, but I'll do the best I can. I run Azuereus and Limewire, and they both have built in uPnP features that state they automatically forward the router. Mabye if you ran one or both of the programs, or any other programs that support these features it MIGHT eliminate your problem. Also the router has a small possibility it doesn't support uPnP, if it doesn't than my advice is totally useless. Lastly don't forget to make sure your personal firewall is configured properly and such. Hopefully my advice proves beneficial to you robbo_rules, and that it fixes your problem. Thankyou.

[White Crow]

Limewire rules Robbo man, get it today!