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What the crap is wrong with my internet? Do torrents affect me this much?
Organichu
poopspeesRegistered User regular
poopspeesRegistered User regular
Ok guys, here's the issue.
I have a new router I just purchased (Linksys WRT54g2). I brought it home, plugged in the router to the modem, and just my computer into the router. All cool, all good, 5 bars wireless signal, speed fine, etc.
However, as soon as other people plug in it seems to go to shit, especially when they use torrent programs. At first I discounted the torrent issue because they never get an aggregate of more than 40 or 50 kbps... definitely not enough to impact overall web browsing speeds... right?
However, after hours and hours spent configuring the router for Verizon, getting Verizon to set up a 'bridged' mode for my modem. They told me this was a 'better configuration for a router'. I spent hours on the phone configuring my router for that... and Linksys telling me it wasn't bridged properly, and reconfiguring it AGAIN... I got a connection. I was super fast! Then I plugged in the other computers and was slow... hm!
Then I decide, what the heck, and ask my uncle to turn off his Azureus (with his paltry 20-30 total kbps download). Suddenly I'm lightning fast again browsing!
How does this make sense?
When I used to connect directly to my modem, even downloading torrents WAY faster than he is (like, Open Office at 700 kbps), my browsing speed was hardly bothered.
So I guess this all leads back to my round about question:
Why is it that when connected directly to my modem, my computer's basic internet speed (for connecting to IM programs, for browsing the internet, for downloading files from webpages, etc.) is hardly affected by my torrent downloads... but when connected through a router- in several different configurations- a far smaller torrent downloading strain will so severely stunt my browsing speed?
I have a new router I just purchased (Linksys WRT54g2). I brought it home, plugged in the router to the modem, and just my computer into the router. All cool, all good, 5 bars wireless signal, speed fine, etc.
However, as soon as other people plug in it seems to go to shit, especially when they use torrent programs. At first I discounted the torrent issue because they never get an aggregate of more than 40 or 50 kbps... definitely not enough to impact overall web browsing speeds... right?
However, after hours and hours spent configuring the router for Verizon, getting Verizon to set up a 'bridged' mode for my modem. They told me this was a 'better configuration for a router'. I spent hours on the phone configuring my router for that... and Linksys telling me it wasn't bridged properly, and reconfiguring it AGAIN... I got a connection. I was super fast! Then I plugged in the other computers and was slow... hm!
Then I decide, what the heck, and ask my uncle to turn off his Azureus (with his paltry 20-30 total kbps download). Suddenly I'm lightning fast again browsing!
How does this make sense?
When I used to connect directly to my modem, even downloading torrents WAY faster than he is (like, Open Office at 700 kbps), my browsing speed was hardly bothered.
So I guess this all leads back to my round about question:
Why is it that when connected directly to my modem, my computer's basic internet speed (for connecting to IM programs, for browsing the internet, for downloading files from webpages, etc.) is hardly affected by my torrent downloads... but when connected through a router- in several different configurations- a far smaller torrent downloading strain will so severely stunt my browsing speed?
Organichu on
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Ok, I got ya. Upon reflection I'm thinking that the speeds I'm getting right now are very similar to those even with the old router. So, I guess it's not so much that I'm having a 'problem'... but that I'm confused.
Though the problem you describe is usually due to your connection's upload capacity being saturated; back when I lived with multiple roommates, I made them all install netlimiter and cap their uploads to 5-6kb/s; helped fix the problem to some extent. Though that number may vary depending on your connection.
PSN: LucidStar_BC
Why this is happening:
Even if a torrent only appears to be using up a small fraction of your total bandwidth, it is still making hundreds of connections all at once to different peers, and these need to be forwarded by the router in both directions. That adds up to a lot more work than one $50 router can handle, so when you try to download an image or page from a web site, that single connection request can get lost amid the tens, hundreds, or even thousands of connections that are being generated by the torrent. And Linksys routers are notoriously shitty. The best way to deal with this is to ask the people who use the network to only torrent at night. Ban anyone who disobeys.
1.) I'm not sure how much he uploads. I know he sets his 'upload' cap on Azureus to unlimited so it's probably quite a dramatic amount.
2.) Limiting how much he uploads sounds like an awesome idea. I know this sounds slimy (but seriously, he can be a real jerk) but I would be ecstatic at the idea of a program that auto-limits his uploading capability (assuming that's, as you guys say, the bottleneck). I would like to do this without even telling him. I think it's really unfair that I pay the internet bill (and I purchased the router) and the only things I really enjoy doing with my computer (browsing the net, posting on forums, watching youtube vids etc.) becomes quite impossible because of his habits. It literally takes me about 20-25 seconds to render www.google.com. No exaggeration here- to render a site with java or flash, say... something like the interactive menu on the acer or asus site... quite literally about 3-4 minutes.
3.) What would be a better option to accomplish this, an external program or this third party firmware a couple of you mentioned?
This is bizarre because, say, if I'm using a download manager like DownThemAll I can still browse, etc but if I use something like Flashget, forget about browsing.
Same with comparing uTorrent to other programs, with uTorrent I generally can do other stuff but some others just rape my connection. I think it also depends upon the config as I've had uTorrent do this as well but it generally doesn't.
It's a mystery, an annoying one.
It is possible that you have one of the models that they [Linksys] raped in terms of installed memory, in which case I don't think you'll be able to use a custom firmware. You could try looking at the WRT54G wikipedia page and see if you can locate your model. I have the WRT54GL model, so the Tomato firmware that works for me is the WRT54G_WRT54GL.bin file.
Ah yes, on the Wikipedia page it'd seem there is no third party firmware available for my particular router.
This is 'up shit creek without a paddle' time. Other than the horribly awkward roommate confrontation, your only real solution is to buy a router with QoS or buy a router that would support third party firmware.
Speed Test #51814318 by dslreports.com
Run: 2008-05-31 18:48:29 EST
Download: 112 (Kbps)
Upload: 16 (Kbps)
In kilobytes per second: 13.6 down 1.9 up
Boost: 115
Latency: 1403 ms
Tested by server: 9 flash
User: anonymous
User's DNS: verizon.net
Compared to the average of 985 tests from verizon.net:
* download is 97% worse, upload is 98% worse
So, there is some QoS in my default firmware... I see my first option as:
"Upstream Bandwidth: (drop down menu with 'auto' or 'manual'). So, if I select manual what is a reasonable rate? I'm pretty sure my upstream is supposed to be 768 kbps. Some people say 'around 85%'. I'm going to set it for 650 right now. Will report back.
Thanks a lot, guys. I have it set to 650 and while not 'blindingly' fast, I'm actually able to load an image heavy page inside of a minute.
Does that actually let you QoS based on certain clients, or is that an overall setting? Just clarifying before you gimp yourself.
You tested it with porn, didn't you?
Hey Satan.
That's the overall upstream bandwidth, not for a particular device/port/application. So far I can browse the net fine, but I'll definitely have to look at getting more particular and finding a more comprehensive solution if I find that this begins to mess up things.
Get out of my head.
My Verizon DSL connection: 3 Mbps down, 768 Kbps up (price $46.99/mth)
My Verizon phone: all features included, free long distance, 3-way, etc. (price $49.99/mth)
Potential Comcast connection: 16 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up (price first 6 months, $22.99/mth, after, $42.99/mth)
Potential Comcast phone: all features included, free long distance, 3-way, etc. (price first 6 month, $22.99/mth, after, $39.95/mth)
I'm looking at a savings of around $300 over the first 6 months and then another $13/mth thereafter... for a better internet connection.
What say ye, Arcadians? Am I missing something?
it's still Comcast :P
they'll lower your prices and/or bump up your service to compete
Ah. The QoS we've been mentioning will allow you to gimp his connection and allow you access to the full pipe. It sounds like this has fixed your problem, so that's just an FYI I suppose.