uTorrent blocking browser traffic

[egoiste]

I have never had any problems with uTorrent. However, yesterday I have acidentally <b>clicked the Install IPv6/Teredo button</b> in Preferences and since then I cannot open any website in any of my browsers when I am downloading in uTorrent.

This occurs only when there is an active torrent. I am using Vista SP1 with Eset Smart Security and uTorrent 1.8 8682. As I said, until yesterday everything was perfect even when downloading.

However, the connection is live even when the torrent downloads, because:

- the torrent keeps downloading,

- I can ping any external address,

- there are no events in the system log (except for reaching the security limit of TCPIP, but that is normal)

I can also ping my router and my modem, but I cant open their configuration pages in the browser.

Nothing helps but two things: Restarting the computer (restarting the router or disabling and enabling the network adapter does not help) or waiting about 10 minutes. There are no unusual programs running in the background, everything as it was before.

I also noticed one more thing since I started using the latest 1.8 build (8682). Some torrents do not download individual files but put all the traffic into the .dat file in the download folder that keeps growing as the torrent downloads. This is something beyond my understanding, I have no idea what could be the reason.

Any ideas what might be of any help?

Thanks, Miro

[DreadWingKnight]

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=15992

[egoiste]

I have followed those suggestions and excluded uTorrent from Eset HTTP checking. Now it seems everything is working as it did before. I just wonder... won't it compromise my security? The data flowing through uTorrent are not always safe... Anyway, I guess the AV should find a virus (if any) through the realtime protection, shouldn't it?

[jewelisheaven]

... uT doesn't do anything outside what you tell it to. It is as safe as the data you choose to download with it. If you worry about downloading viruses be sure you scan it before you run it. You can scan the file when finished downloading using properties -> run program when completed. The problem is that the scanner does not let uT continue downloading while it is actively scanning.

[prop99]

I too have got this problem after upgrading to version 1.7.7 build 8179.

Every once in a while, firefox just can't load the web pages.

I normally hit the 'reload' key, check the result, hit it again if it didn't work, and this often works, at least after 10-20 retries.

But sometimes the browser seems really dead and then I kill uTorrent and everything works again.

I have never seen this behaviour when using previous versions of uTorrent. (But the problem occurrs only once in a couple of days or so...)

So: I think something bad has happened in the latest release of uTorrent...

//jan e

[jewelisheaven]

During this time, is your internet connection actually up?? (meaning does your uT continue to transfer in the background) You can check this with Windows Task Manager (WTM for short, accesible with Ctrl-Alt-Del on Win2K and above iirc)... or is it just the browsing which slows down. As usual I'm thinking that the overhead is a bit more than your connection is used to so it needs to be re-set. If you go Ctrl-P -> Advanced -> net.max_halfopen what is it set to? Is there a * next to the number?

In WTM, if you go to the Networking tab, what is the "bytes received per interval"... does it match with uT's registered traffic UPLOAD (U: in the status bar / title bar)?

[prop99]

Yes, uTorrent runs both up- and download at "normal" rate. (Meaning it behaves like five minutes ago or five minutes later.)

The problem appears (as I've seen so far) at any uTorrent "load". I have seen it at maybe 5%-80% of my total dsl bandwidth (download).

So the problem seems to be more of a software problem.

Can the IP stack get "confused" somehow?

Edit: net.max_halfopen = 8 (no *)

Edit2: I think this problem appears when I haven't rebooted the pc for 1-2 weeks. Just a feeling I have...

//jan e

[jewelisheaven]

I have been alerted to the fact that for some DSL connections have a shared bandwidth. So theoretically as one increases the other decreases... Have you tried lowering your upload limit in increments of 10% to see if that makes a difference. If indeed your connection is being bottlenecked by the uploading this should resolve it. Alternatively I thing you can instantly recreate this behaviour while uploading as you are, and then start up OpenOffice Torrents to instantly max your download, there by restricting the upload to its lowest.

[JustinSane]

I have the same problem right now. Started last week. Other computers on my network can access web pages but whenever I start a new torrent on this Vista machine I can't access web pages for like 5 mins.

[tontsa00]

I'm using uTorrent 1.7.5 and i'm having same problem.

I can't go to any web site while downloading and all my advanced setting are in default, meaning i haven't changed anything.

So if someone cleaver one figures this problem, you have my thanks?

I installed newest 1.7.7 and now i can use web and utorrent same time.

[GTHK]

Justin, sounds like your half open limit is too high.

[prop99]

The problem for me must (?) be software related and not bandwidth related because:

1) If I use firefox on an overloaded internet connection, the browser tries to connect to the page I request. A few seconds later it gives up and shows the "Could not find the page" (or whatever 404 msg)

2) If I use firefox together with uTorrent, the browser returns immediately when I press enter. I.e. it doesn't even try to connect..?

That is why my guess is that uTorrent somehow makes the IP stack reject 'open' requests.

//jan e

[CharmLord]

I'm expierencing exactly the same problem, that's why I came here.

In my impression, it became worser with every new version. Some months and versions ago, everything was fine, but by now, browsing and using utorrent at the same time nearly became impossible.

[jewelisheaven]

If your halfopen is too high, and / or you are uploading near your maximum throughput this type of behaviour is to be expected. Follow the steps in the How-To to see what helps.

[prop99]

I am using default 'halfopen' and experience this problem when up/downloading a 5-10% of capacity, i.e. low load...

//jan e

[jewelisheaven]

OH Then I recommend going through the How-To (pay attention to post #2) and if that set of procedures doesn't help copy-paste the logfiles requested at the bottom into a post below. If you have any trouble with the How-To please summarize or list steps you were and were not able to complete.

[CharmLord]

I set net.max_halfopen to *4. The * was added automaticly, dunno what it means. It helps a little bit, but it's still pretty annoying.

But I also gave TCPOptimizer a try. Just selected "Optimal Settings" and as far as I can tell by now, this seems to help a lot!

[Switeck]

TCPOptimizer uses DANGEROUSLY MANY connections per website by default!

You'll probably need to lower it closer to the original values to avoid future, temporary overloads when uTorrent + web browser website access exceeds window's half open limit.

[prop99]

My conlusion is that there is something strange happening to the ip stack when running uTorrent for longer periods of time. Been trying to pinpoint what (netstat++) but with no real luck.

I switched to bittorrent and the problem went away.

So: I think you really should look into the possibility, however remote, that there might be something wrong in the code.

Looking forward to test v1.8!

//jan e

[Ultima]

BitTorrent *is* µTorrent with extras tacked on. If there's anything wrong with µTorrent's code, you'll have noticed it in BitTorrent as well.

[prop99]

Ok, then it was my installation of it that was f**ked-up.

Maybe I'll try to reinstall 177 - because I really like the way it looks and feels.

//jan e