Comprehensive overview of my problem with configuring a static IP.

[Joonas]

Hello

I would like to get help with configuring a static IP for uTorrent. I took Ultima's stickied topic and pretty much followed it by the letter. Here is everything I have tried to get adequate speeds out of uTorrent. Here we go...

COMMON PROCEDURES

- Make 100% sure you read the setup guide properly and in its entirety

I did. Following with a breakdown of the setup guide:

1. Testing your connection speed

I tested my upload/download speed at http://www.speedtest.net/. I live in Estonia, so I used the Limbazi server from Lativia, which is about 200 km from my location. I ran 10 tests and the average speed is:

Download speed 313,25 KB/s = 2500 kbps

Upload speed 14,09 KB/s = 112 kbps

(I don't know how accurate that page is, because at local Estonian speed test pages I get download speeds ranging from 700-800 KB/s.)

2. Setting uTorrent for your speed

I'm confused about the second part of the uTorrent setup, where I had to select the listing closest to my upload speed result. Do I really select xx/128? As in 128 kbps? I know that actual speeds of downloads and uploads are always a bit slower than advertised by the ISP, however, they shouldn't be as much as 1000 times slower, since my ISP my ISP is 12 Mbit/s / 768 kbit/s., so this is ridiculous!

3. Tweaking the upload speed

Anyway, I set the connection type to xx/128 and edited the upload speed at "Global maximum upload speed rate" box to 12.

4. Enabling Protocol Encryption

Protocol Encryption enabled, incoming legacy connections allowed.

5. Authorizing µTorrent in your firewall

uTorrent is in Windows Firewall exception list. Router's Firewall is disabled. I also use Norton AntiVirus, but since it's a trial version, it doesn't have a firewall.

6. Trying it out

Tried downloading Open Office (had to increase the number of allowable downloads to 3 so my other 2 torrents could download to a degree). Perfect. Got up to 1 MB (800-900 KBytes average on final download stage) of download speed. Downloaded in a matter of minutes. However, my other two torrents dwindled on about 10 – 20 KB/s.

7. Resolving a NAT problem

Coloured dot is yellow. As far as I can remember, it has never, ever been green. Occasionally red, yes, but never green.

8. Using UPnP

UPnP enabled both on router and uTorrent.

9. Manually forwarding a port

Unchecked "Randomize port each time µTorrent starts." Current port is 53477.

10. Setting up a static IP

Ah, the point that's been giving me the hardest time. It seems no matter what I do, I can't get a static IP on my computer. My router model is the Thomson SpeedTouch 780 WL. The following is how I tried to set up a static IP:

1. Looked up my DHCP address range from my router's address, under DHCP Pools. The range is 192.168.1.64 - 192.168.1.253. However, I am unable to reduce the range by one as suggested in the uTorrent Setup guide, since I can't edit that pool.

2. So I go to portforward.com and follow the instructions on how to set up a static ip on my computer. From the cmd, I got the following info:

Primary Dns Suffix: None

Node Type: Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled: No

WINS Proxy Enabled: No

DNS Suffix Search List: lan

Connection-Specific DNS Suffix: lan

Description: Intel Pro/100 VE Network Connection

DHCP Enabled: Yes

Autoconfiguration Enabled: Yes

IP Address 192.168.1.64

Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway 192.168.1.254

DHCP Server 192.168.1.254

DNS Servers 192.168.1.254

3. Next, I insert the default gateway and IP address in portforward.com to get a static ip. I copypaste the first result in my TCP/IP properties, along with the subnet mask and default gateway I got from ipconfig. I only insert one DNS server because ipconfig only showed one. Click OK, and VOILA – no internet access.

4. So I reverted the changes and tried something else.

5. I know this is something very basic and I should be able to tell the difference, but when I went to portforward.com, the front page displayed my IP as 213.35.x.x. Furthermore, my router's homepage shows two totally different DNS addresses as well as a new default gateway - 213.35.x.1. So I tried to set up a static IP using this IP address, default gateway and both DNS Servers from the router. Exactly the same result.

6. What's weird is that although my TCP/IP properties are currently set on obtaining IP automatically (right now, I would have no Internet connection if it were otherwise), the SpeedTouch router's homepage displays the following information:

TCP/IP Configuration

Auto-IP: Disabled

Use DHCP Server: Enabled

IP Addresses

IP Address/Mask Type

10.0.0.138/24 Static

192.168.1.254/24 Static

7. I assumed this meant that I already had a static IP, so I proceeded to forward the port to uTorrent. Used the Thomson SpeedTouch 780v6 guide for it, although all SpeedTouch guides look pretty much the same. On the guide, why must I paste the static IP in that box? Nothing happens, it doesn't appear anywhere else, unlike the uTorrent port. Also, the trigger port is empty. Is that supposed to be empty? After adding it to the application sharing list, I get the following:

Protocol Port Range Translate To ... Trigger Protocol Trigger Port

Any 53477 – 53477 53477 – 53477 - -

8. Obviously, uTorrent's port checker shows, that it is still closed. I am not using PeerGuardian2 or Protowall, so that can't be affecting it.

- Set your firewall up properly, if applicable

As already mentioned, uTorrent is in the Windows Firewall exception list and the router's built-in firewall is disabled.

- Select the correct upload speed in the Setup Guide

Set on 12 KB/s.

- If you already have a rule/exception created for µTorrent in your firewall, try removing and recreating it

Can't say that changed anything...

- Read the entire FAQ

Not much help there. All I did was allow "Destination Unreachable" on Windows Firewall to aid DHT. Again, no visible change.

- Search the forums for similar problems

Obviously, I did. Otherwise I wouldn't be writing this.

- Use the newest version of µTorrent

uTorrent 1.6.1. build 490

SLOW/INTERRUPTED INTERNET CONNECTION/OFFLINE TRACKERS

- Disable IP resolving in the Peers tab

Did.

- Try disabling DHT

Doesn't make a visible difference, so currently it's enabled.

- Try disabling UpnP

Ditto.

- Try lowering maximum global number of connections

Currently at 80.

- Lower net.max_halfopen to 4

Did.

- Patch TCPIP.sys and restart computer after patching

Did.

- Connect your computer directly to the modem to make sure the problem is not caused by the router.

Got no modem.

- Restart your computer, modem, and router after performing any of the above

Restarted.

SLOW TRANSFER SPEEDS

- Make sure you have a green network status light in the µTorrent status bar

Hell no! That's the problem!

- Try enabling Protocol Encryption

Enabled.

- Made sure peer.lazy_bitfield is enabled

Enabled.

- Check to make sure your ISP isn't listed here

It ain't.

To cap it all up:

- Color of the network status light in µTorrent's status bar

Yellow. Still yellow.

- What the port checker from the Speed Guide writes

Error! Port 53477 does not appear to be open.

- What the Speed Guide shows your settings to be

Upload Limit: 12 KB/s

Upload Slots: 3

Connections per Torrent: 55

Global Connections: 80

Max active Torrents: 3

Max active Downloads: 3

- Operating system installed

Windows XP

- Security software installed

Windows Firewall, Norton AntiVirus 2006 Trial.

- Exact router model

Thomson SpeedTouch 780 WL

- ISP (Internet Service Provider) being used

Elion Enterprises Limited. Packet being used is „Kodulahendus" - 12 Mbit/s / 768 kbit/s

- Connection type and speed results

Cable

Download speed 313,25 KB/s = 2500 kbps

Upload speed 14,09 KB/s = 112 kbps

Any help on how to get the port forwarded and how to get the download speeds up to level with my connection (which should be top-notch), is greatly appreciated.

Joonas

[Ultima]

Just a quick note... Test mirrors can become more inaccurate the further they are from where you live, so it's best if you test something closer -- do try testing your connection's upload rate with the one you mentioned above. The download rate is irrelevant when setting the Speed Guide. If you're really getting what you paid for, you should have something close to 768kbps upload. Indeed, selecting xx/128k seems almost entirely inappropriate for your connection type, so this should help somewhat...

Now, about the static IP... Try disabling the DHCP server in your router, then setting your static IP to 192.168.1.63. Subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server should remain as ipconfig shows. If this works (grr, I hope it does), then you should be forwarding the proper port to 192.168.1.63. If all goes well, the port should be forwarded.

[Joonas]

Thanks for the quick answer.

Well, since my upload rate is currently at a constant 500-600 kbps , I think setting the connection type to 768 kbps helped somewhat. The downloads aren't also THAT sluggish anymore. I have two running at the moment and their speeds are (on average) 25 KB/s and 200 KB/s, whereas the SLOWER one has more peers and seeds, as well as a better seed-to-peer ratio.

About the static IP thing, I set my static IP to 192.168.1.63 and entered all the other information to the TCP properties and disabled DCHP servers...

The good news is that now I have a connection and a static IP, which I couldn't get before.

The bad news is, that the port is still not forwarded. When I run the uTorrent port checker, it says that it is checking the port on my 213.35... IP and it's not open. Why is it checking it THAT IP in the first place?

What I did to forward the port:

I got to the game and application sharing at my router's address.

I copy-pasted the port number three times in the necessary boxes and added the application.

I got an error message when trying to click "apply", so I just skipped that, and went on directly to assigning the application.

I chose "Utorrent" from the drop-down list, "user-defined" from the device list (192.168.1.63) and left "log" unchecked, then clicked add.

Utorrent now shows under "added applications" but the network status light is still yellow.

So the main problem of forwarding the port still remains, although I now finally have a static IP address.

[Switeck]

"The bad news is, that the port is still not forwarded. When I run the uTorrent port checker, it says that it is checking the port on my 213.35... IP and it's not open. Why is it checking it THAT IP in the first place?"

The Port Checker checks your internet connection to make sure everything is forwarded to there correctly. And if that's NOT your real internet ip...you probably have a BIGGER problem, and I don't mean a bug in µTorrent! (...more like your ISP doing transparent proxy crap.)

Unfirewalling µTorrent can involve more than just your router/modem. Some antivirus/antispyware software contains mini-firewalls of their own that blanket-block LOTS of incoming traffic...like traffic meant to go to µTorrent. They need to be configured or removed. (and possibly replaced with better!)

"What's weird is that although my TCP/IP properties are currently set on obtaining IP automatically (right now, I would have no Internet connection if it were otherwise)"

If you're telling your computer to automatically assign an ip...it's not a static ip even if the ip never seems to change. That's utilizing the DHCP features in your router, and will probably not work at all if you disable DHCP in your router!

On your computer when using manual ip address setup, your Default Gateway and possibly even your DNS Server ip should be set to your router's LAN ip address...or you won't be able to connect to the internet with that computer! You can use the DNS server ip found by your router if you KNOW it for certain and know your ISP doesn't rotate its DNS servers...or some other crazy networking stuff.

Also, your router's LAN ip MUST use the same first 3 numbers in its ip address as your computer's LAN ip. So if your router's LAN ip is 192.168.0.1 then your computer's LAN ip must be something between 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.255 (Once again, if it's not set this way, you won't get internet access on that computer!)

[Joonas]

Thank you for your answer. I really appreciate all the help.

The Port Checker checks your internet connection to make sure everything is forwarded to there correctly. And if that's NOT your real internet ip...you probably have a BIGGER problem, and I don't mean a bug in µTorrent! (...more like your ISP doing transparent proxy crap.)

This is what is listed as my ip in different places:

http://whatismyipaddress.com/ - 213.35.xx xx

Router - Broadband Connection - Internet Services - Internet - 213.35.xx xx

Router - Home Network - Devices - (My network name) - 192.168.1.63

ipconfig/all - 192.168.1.63

TCP/IP Properties - 192.168.1.63

Which IP is for what, I really don't know.

Unfirewalling µTorrent can involve more than just your router/modem. Some antivirus/antispyware software contains mini-firewalls of their own that blanket-block LOTS of incoming traffic...like traffic meant to go to µTorrent. They need to be configured or removed. (and possibly replaced with better!)

I had it set a long time ago at Norton AntiVirus:

Options - Internet - Internet Worm Protection - Program Control - Custom Internet access settings for individual programs - uTorrent - Permit all.

I currently don't have any other antivirus/antispyware software installed nor have I ever installed any other such software.

If you're telling your computer to automatically assign an ip...it's not a static ip even if the ip never seems to change. That's utilizing the DHCP features in your router, and will probably not work at all if you disable DHCP in your router!

Yes, I know. That's why I changed it, like Ultima suggessted. My DHCP is currently disabled in my router and the TCP/IP is set to use 192.168.1.63 as my internet access, not obtaining it manually.

On your computer when using manual ip address setup, your Default Gateway and possibly even your DNS Server ip should be set to your router's LAN ip address...or you won't be able to connect to the internet with that computer! You can use the DNS server ip found by your router if you KNOW it for certain and know your ISP doesn't rotate its DNS servers...or some other crazy networking stuff.

I have internet connection at the moment (a duh, I'm writing this, ain't I ) and my router's address, default gateway and my only DNS server are all identiacal (as per ipconfig) . My router does indeed list it's own DNS, but I haven't inserted them to setup anywhere else.

Also, your router's LAN ip MUST use the same first 3 numbers in its ip address as your computer's LAN ip. So if your router's LAN ip is 192.168.0.1 then your computer's LAN ip must be something between 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.255 (Once again, if it's not set this way, you won't get internet access on that computer!)

Both my router's ip and computer's ip start with 192.167.1. and have different last numbers.

My uTorrent network status would really look much better if it were green, so please, keep the help coming.

[Ultima]

As far as I can tell, you're not behind a transparent proxy. It's checking 213.35.x.x because that's your public/external WAN IP address. When you set your static IP, you were setting your private/internal LAN IP address.

For the moment, can you try disabling worm protection entirely in NAV to see if it helps?

[Joonas]

Well, the worm protection has been turned off, but the port is still not open.

That unforwarded port is really bugging me, because right now I have a torrent with about 52000 peers and 30000 seeds and only a dozen of them, total, are connected. I know I could get far better speeds, but it seems that nothing I do can open up that port. Have I done everything correctly so far? For example: (these are my current settings)

1. Should the UPnP be enabled both in the router and uTorrent?

2. Should the log switch be unchecked?

3. Should the port be forwarded to User Defined - 192.168.1.63? When I do this, the device reverts to my network name. Should it do that?

4. Should the port range be 53477 - 53477 and translated to 53477 - 53477?

5. Should the trigger port and protocol both be undefined?

I just can't see what I am doing wrong

[Switeck]

Just to clarify things, is it your router or your computer or both that is set to 192.168.1.63 ?

If they are different, can you list what each one is again?

[Joonas]

Well, my IP address is 192.168.1.63 if I look it up under "ipconfig/all" or in TCP/IP Properties or from my router's address under Home Network - Devices - (My network name), where it displays as "Static" (IP Address Assignment: Static). This is the address I set up in TCP/IP and the address I manually chose to forward my Utorrent port to.

My IP address is 213.35.xxx.xxx if I look it up under http://whatismyipaddress.com/ or from my router's address under Broadband Connection - Internet Services - Internet. This is the address Utorrent's port checker tries to check.

So no, I don't think both my computer and router have the same IP, but I don't know which IP is for which and I'm pretty sure I got them mixed up somehow.

[namxob645]

Im confused on portforfoward.com u went to Thomson SpeedTouch 780v6 right? In that guide though under tanslate to... there is only 1 box so u only put ur port in once. but u have ur port in there twice. Does ur router have 2 seperate boxes for that? Or are u putting the port in as 53477-53477 ?

[Joonas]

Im confused on portforfoward.com u went to Thomson SpeedTouch 780v6 right? In that guide though under tanslate to... there is only 1 box so u only put ur port in once. but u have ur port in there twice. Does ur router have 2 seperate boxes for that? Or are u putting the port in as 53477-53477 ?

I put it in as "53477" and that's it. My router simply displays both the Port Range and Translate To... as "53477-53477".

[Switeck]

Joonas,

I meant the LAN IPs for both your computer and router.

Apparently (at least) one is 192.168.1.63

But what is the other one, and which is which?

[Joonas]

Joonas, I meant the LAN IPs for both your computer and router.

Apparently (at least) one is 192.168.1.63

But what is the other one, and which is which?

Computer - 192.168.1.63.

Router - 213.35.xxx.xxx

[TBO]

Joonas switek is after the default gateway address (thats your routers ip)

For example:

My pc: 192.168.1.65

Router: 192.168.1.254

213.35.xxx.xxx is your wan ip

[Joonas]

Man, sorry, I got confused. Should've said gateway..

So, yea, then it's:

PC 192.168.1.63

Router 192.168.1.254

[Switeck]

Ok, so far so good.

Now are you forwarding both TCP packets and UDP packets from your router to your computer?

This may require 2 separate forwarding rules, 1 for TCP and 1 for UDP.

(UDP is only used for DHT in µTorrent, so if you disable DHT you don't need the UDP forwarding rule.)

[Joonas]

Ok, so far so good.

Now are you forwarding both TCP packets and UDP packets from your router to your computer?

This may require 2 separate forwarding rules, 1 for TCP and 1 for UDP.

When I set up the port forward at my router, I chose "any" under protocol and entered 53477 in both "port range" and "translate to". Trigger protocol was also set to "any" and the "trigger port" was left blank.

[kurahashi]

Ok, I assume you used "Create a new game or application" from Game & Application Sharing menu. The values you entered seems correct, but did you use "Assign a game or application to a local network device" link later?

Also, make sure that firewall in your router is disabled.

[Joonas]

Ok, I assume you used "Create a new game or application" from Game & Application Sharing menu. The values you entered seems correct, but did you use "Assign a game or application to a local network device" link later?

Also, make sure that firewall in your router is disabled.

Yes and yes.

I hope the people who answered in this post earlier haven't forgotten about me.

I'll give every possible bit of necessary information in this post so all of you would have a clear overview of my settings. Maybe something in this will jump out as I'm pretty sure the answer is somewhere in these settings. If it isn't, please try to help anyway, I've been messing around with this port forwarding for ages and I would like to finally get it done.

As soon as I get the port forwarded properly, I'll write a quick, clear tutorial on this forum on how to forward ports, using my router model as a reference point. Firstly, however, I have to GET the port forwarded. Here are my settings:

ISP

Elion - 12 Mbit/s down / 768 kbit/s up (cable connection)

Software

- OS: Windows XP

- Anti-virus/adware/spyware: Norton AntiVirus 2006 (Internet Worm Protection turned "Off")

Run - cmd - ipconfig/all

- Windows IP Configuration

Primary Dns Suffix: (None)

Node Type: Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled: No

WINS Proxy Enabled: No

- Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection

Description: Intel Pro/100 VE Network Connection

Connection-Specific DNS Suffix: (None)

DHCP Enabled: No

IP Address 192.168.1.63

Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway 192.168.1.254

DNS Servers 192.168.1.254

µTorrent (1.6.1, build 490)

- IP Resolving (under Peers tab): Disabled

- Speed Guide

- Connection Type : xx/768k (default settings for that connection type)

- Port: 53477

- Encryption: Enabled

* Port Checker message: Checking port 53477 on 213.35.xxx.xxx...

Error! Port 53477 does not appear to be open.

- Connection

- Randomize Port: Unchecked

- UPnP Port Mapping: Unchecked

- Windows Firewall Exceptions: Checked

- Proxy Server: None

- Global Max. Upload rate: 72

- Global Max. Download rate: 2000

- BitTorrent

- Max. Global Connections: 450

- Max. number of connected peers per torrent: 100

- Max. upload slots: 5

- Every box on this menu is checked

- Advanced

- No values have been changed in here

- TCPIP.sys patch has been applied, value set to 50

Router (SpeedTouch 780 WL)

- Toolbox

- Firewall: Disabled

- Dynamic DNS: Disabled

- UPnP: Disabled

- Internet

- IP Address: 213.35.xxx.xxx

- Default Gateway: 213.35.xxx.x

- Primary DNS: 194.126.115.18

- Secondary DNS: 194.126.101.34

- Network (Ethernet)

- Auto-IP: Disabled

- Use DHCP Server: Disabled

- IP Address Assignment: Static

- IP Address: 192.168.1.63

- DHCP Range: 192.168.1.64 - 192.168.1.253

- Gateway: 192.168.1.254

Router's LAN IP - 192.168.1.254

Computer's LAN IP - 192.168.1.63

WAN IP - 213.35.xxx.xxx

My port forwarding attempt

* Go to Router's LAN IP address (192.168.1.254)

* Toolbox - Game and Application Sharing - New Game or Application

* Name - Utorrent

* Define - Manual entry of Port Maps

* Next

* Add

* Edit

* Apply

* Assign a Game or Application

* Choose "Utorrent" from drop-down menu

* Choose "User-Defined" as a device, set value to 192.168.1.63

* "Log" box unchecked

* Add

Can't think of anything else that might be of help right now, just let me know.

Thank you all for you patience, people.

Edit: after changing the protocol type from "any" to "TCP" (see first picture), the status light turned green for a few seconds. Then it turned yellow again and has remained yellow ever since, even if I tried the same thing again. Does this information help?

[Joonas]

Apparently you have forgotten about me, but no matter...

I found the problem.

Obviously, it was something so obvious, that I obviously couldn't guess the obvious problem in its obviousness.

My connection.

That was the problem. When my father ordered the connection, it was set up as the default connection. That would be the "closed ports connection". I guess that term doesn't need any further explanation, because that's exactly what it is. I called the advanced technical support of my ISP, and they said that with this type of connection, port forwarding won't do jack and any torrent programs will not be running at full efficiency.

On to upgrading my connection to an "open ports connection". Thanks go out to all who at least tried to help me.

Peace :cool:

[Ultima]

It actually wasn't so much a problem of me forgetting as it was a problem of me not knowing what the issue was. Indeed, since it was an ISP-side issue, that would explain why I couldn't figure it out (it rarely crosses my mind that ISPs block port forwarding, as I rarely see that happen).

Glad to see that it's fixed, though