Trouble with BitTorrent speeds

  • Thread starter TSN79
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In summary, the person's bandwidth was greatly reduced when they changed their line from a 16 meg connection to a 3 meg connection and a 0.5 meg connection. They also suggest that bit torrent shouldn't be used to download copyrighted material.
  • #1
TSN79
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I recently had 6 Mbit line (down) and 1 Mbit up. I never experienced that all of my download capacity was utilized, seldom as much as half even. So I changed my line to 3 (down) and 0.5 (up) Mbit instead. This had an unexpected effect in that my download speed was cut pretty much in half. I don't see how this should happen since my bandwidth should still be large enough to cope with the speeds to which I'm accustomed. Any ideas on why this is happening?
 
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  • #2
I have a 16 meg connection but very rarely achieve 3 meg download speeds with bit torrent but can easily exceed 10 megs when downloading from other sources.

With bit torrent i believe you have to give to receive but at the same time you have to restrict how much bandwidth you are prepared to give to those uploading from you as you require a certain amount of upload speed for yourself as data needs to be sent backwards and forwards to be checked for errors . In other words give to much and you slow down your downloads. I generally allow half of my upload speed to used for uploads to others .

obviously bit torrent should not be used to download copyrighted material
 
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  • #3
Dude, that totally worked! Thx!
 
  • #4
No problem
 
  • #5
Another problem with torrent downloads is that all of the open connections will eat up CPU time. If you use another program that is intensive on your CPU in addition to the torrent downloader and you end up eating all of your CPU bandwidth up, your downloads will slow. If you have a multi-core computer and are running into this problem, you can increase the priority of the bittorrent downloader to achieve faster speeds without too much interference with whatever else you want to do. (I wouldn't recommend this on a single processor computer though as it will slow your system to a crawl)
 
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What is BitTorrent?

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol that allows users to download and upload large files, such as movies or music, from multiple sources at once. It is popular for its ability to distribute files quickly and efficiently.

Why am I experiencing slow BitTorrent speeds?

There are several reasons why you may be experiencing slow BitTorrent speeds. It could be due to a slow internet connection, a low number of available seeders (users who have the complete file and are sharing it), or a firewall or antivirus software blocking the connection. It could also be a problem with the tracker, which is responsible for connecting you to other users.

How can I improve my BitTorrent speeds?

To improve your BitTorrent speeds, you can try the following steps:

  • Make sure you have a fast and stable internet connection.
  • Ensure that you have enough seeders for the file you are trying to download.
  • If you are using a firewall or antivirus software, try temporarily disabling them to see if they are blocking the connection.
  • Try using a different BitTorrent client.
  • Consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass any network restrictions.

Is it illegal to use BitTorrent?

No, BitTorrent itself is not illegal. However, it is often used to download copyrighted material without permission, which is illegal. It is important to only download and share files that you have the legal right to.

Are there any risks associated with using BitTorrent?

Yes, there are some risks associated with using BitTorrent. Since the files are shared between users, there is a potential for malware or viruses to be attached to the files. It is important to have up-to-date antivirus software and to only download from trusted sources. Additionally, downloading copyrighted material without permission can result in legal consequences.

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