Slow download speeds while using torrents

Hi Friends,

Not sure whether you are getting maximum speed while downloading using torrents?

Just go through the following:

1. If you are having downloading speeds of around 60-70% of your bandwidth, it can be assumed that downloads are ok. you are uploading also at the same time while you are downloading.


2. If you have a 2 mbps line, you should be downloading at speeds around 1.5 mbps.


3. There is a slight confusion in the download speeds. normaly, the bandwidth are given in Mbps. ie mega bits per second and while you download the speeds are shown in KBps ie kilo bytes per second. the equation is 8 bit = 1 byte. so in a 2Mbps line if you are getting 170 KBps, it is quite ok, ideal being 256 kBps. i.e. you will not get 2 MBps in a 2 Mbps line as 2 Mbps = 2048 /8 KBps = 256 KBps


4. Further check your firewall. you have to forward your ports used for torrent downloads to firewall to get maximum speeds. Firewall can be of two types, one can be in your computer itself which you might have installed for security purposes. Other can be the firewall in your modem, if you are using an dsl line for internet.
5. Firewall in modem? this needs a little delibration. In an adsl modem you can connect to internet in two ways

(a) PPPoE mode: In simple words, this is the mode in which you don't give a username and password to computer to connect to internet. This is done by your modem. For browsing internet all you have to do is to switch on the modem.

(b) Bridge mode: In this mode, every time you have to connect to net you have to give a username and password in your computer after switching on the modem.

1. There is a firewall activated by default in PPPoE mode. This adds to your safety. For having maximum speed in torrent downloads you have to tell the firewall about the port that you will be using for downloading torrents so that the traffic through that port is made free. Ports can be thought like a tv channel. in a tv you have lot of channels. similarly, your computer also makes use of ports for communicating.
2. In bridge mode, all the ports are open by default. you just have to tell the firewall in your computer which ports you will be using for torrent downloads.
3. The act of telling firewall about the ports to be made free is called "port forwarding". How to do port forwarding will be covered later.

Till then bye