Port - router - NAT - speed problems

[The Metalist]

I have used uTorrent for a couple of years now and I'm very pleased with it. Some days ago I changed ISP to ADSL 24 mB/s through a router and now I experience some problems.

First of all I have problems to upload torrents to some trackers. Some is ok but the upload speed is slow (max 120 kB/s if everything works smoothly) and some doesn't work at all and it has really hurted my share ratio.

On Dime I get this error message: "Connection timed out - Stealth firewall or overloaded bandwidth". I was googling and everyone said that I have to open a port and change my NAT settings. Well, that's easier said than done. I visited portforward.com and they didn't have my router listed. I have tried to compare mine to others by the same brand but it doesn't even look close.

My router is called XAVi 5258. Please, I need some help here.

/Chris

[Switeck]

You may only have 1 megabit/sec upload bandwidth. So 120 KiloBYTES/sec max upload speed in µTorrent would be hammering that limit really hard. If you set upload speed max higher than that, it might cause connection timeouts.

[The Metalist]

Thanks for your reply Switeck. That's very stupid of me. I was so sure it was 120 kbit.

Well, the port forwarding problem still remains. I can't get any incoming connections. I have tried to find more detailed information how to do with my router but without luck. I'm feeling kind of helpless. I'm totally a newbie to this. Not even the XAVi support replies to my e-mails.

Looking at other similar router it seems like I should look for something called "Add Reserved Mapping"?

Anyone here familiar with XAVi 5258?

[Switeck]

Have you tried a test without the router to see if even the modem will allow µTorrent to run unfirewalled?

[The Metalist]

I could connect with my old modem without problems.

What I have now is what the ISP sent me, a wireless modem/router in one. So, it's not one modem and one router, it's a built-in router.

[Switeck]

Then you may need to ask your ISP how to configure it if you cannot find any info about it online.

[The Metalist]

Trust me. I have asked my ISP, 4 times(!), but none of those guys couldn't help me at all. They told me to go to my router's log in but they couldn't tell me how to fix the problem. That's why I contacted you. I was hoping to find someone else here with the same modem/router who could help me out. Seems like a dead end unfortunately.

By the way, at the bottom of uTorrent it says "NAT error".

I wish I could write to the guys at portforward.com and ask them, but they doesn't seem to have any e-mail.

[Switeck]

Try their forum at:

http://forum.portforward.com/

If no one else in this forum has made posts on the subject, you'll need to keep looking...like the manufacturer's website. (...ask there somehow, they should know.)

[The Metalist]

Allready done that.

Nothing about my modem in the Port Forward forum. I tried to be a member to make my own thread but I'm still waiting for my activation e-mail. I will probably never get it.

I also contacted the XAVi support (manufacturer) a week ago. Still no reply.

Seems like a dead end to me.

[The Metalist]

Finally! Without any help from my ISP or the manufacturer I have solved the problem. I asked a friend of mine who is like a computer genius and he told me what could be the problem. For anyone with the same modem/router (XAVi 5258) as me. This is what you can do:

Open the router configuration by typing 192.168.1.1 in your browser.

Log in. Admin, Admin.

Go to Advanced > Port forwarding > DMZ > Enable DMZ.

Enter your IP.

Save configuration. Restart the router. Done.

Now uTorrent say "Network OK" again. The ports are open and the error message: "Connection timed out- Stealth firewall or overloaded bandwidth" is gone.

Remember, before you will be able to do this you have to change your IP from dynamic to static. Otherwise it won't work. Go to http://portforward.com/networking/static-xp.htm to learn how to do that.

[Switeck]

Do note that running in DMZ *WILL* make your computer exposed across-the-board to any incoming connections. (It basically port forwards EVERYTHING to your computer.)

Unless you have a decent software firewall enabled, your computer will be compromised probably within an hour of enabling DMZ.

[Firon]

not if you actually keep your Windows updated. I've run DMZ for years without a problem.

[eigger]

why don't u just forward the port that you are using in utorrent? there should be an option for that in your router somewhere? if not maybe switch hardware

[Switeck]

Firon,

Do you have Windows Firewall enabled?

[milnet]

I have been using uTorrent for a couple of months now and it has been working great. Better that Azereus. I wanted to try out installing a proxy server and so installed Proxy+. I have a network running at home and my brother is connected to the internet through my PC. He is using uTorrent as well. uTorrent works perfectly from his PC but on mine it won't connect to any peers / seeds. It has a yellow icon (no incomming connections). I have uninstalled Proxy+ but still no joy.

I thought of doing a system restore but for some unknown reason that fails no matter what date I try and restore to. Any ideas on how to fix this?

[milnet]

Oh yes, I have Norton Internet Security and Windows XP, but like I said that it worked perfectly before I installed Proxy+.

[Switeck]

Almost sounds like how you have internet connection sharing set up that may be the cause of the problem/s.

[milnet]

That just the thing. I can't be because it was working fine before. Everything is the same except for having installed Proxy+. I suspect that it has changed something on my side but I can't pin point what and further to the point don't know how to fix it other than a complete re-install of Windows which is a bit drastic.

[Switeck]

Try fully uninstalling Norton Internet Security then...after reactivating Windows Firewall (and allowing µTorrent full access through it both directions.)