upload speed gradually declines

[dudeyew]

Hi all.

Would someone be able to explain why i can only seed to a peer for a brief amount of time, before losing the connection? Upon connection to a peer the upload speed increases normally, usually peaking at 100kb/s, before rapidly declining to 0kb/s, after which the peer diconnects. This process takes less than a minute or two.

This happens whether I download a torrent or create my own to seed. I have forwarded ports and tested them so no trouble there and im not using a firewall. Ive also done a glasnost test and it doesnt seem to be a problem with my isp.

Hopefully there is a simple explanation / something in the advanced settings to resolve this. Ive had a pretty good look around the net for an answer, done lots and lots of searching and experimentation, yet still not fixed/improved the problem.

Thanks

[Switeck]

Sadly, Glasnost is not a reliable test -- because ISPs know ways to confuse/fake it.

1st and 2nd links in my signature for troubleshooting this.

Currently we know very little about your connection's type and limitations or the settings you're trying and failing to get to work well in uTorrent.

[dudeyew]

Is there an alternative test than glasnost? (I doubt vey much my isp is the cause but just to be sure)

Some further information:

Im fairly confident my speed configuration is setup correct (I let utorrent configure itself via setup guide).

278 kbit/s up - limited to 34 kb/s.

upload slots = 4.

cons (per torrent) = 70

cons (global) = 200

Here is what speed test.com shows:

Im running on xp and have patched my tcpip.sys to 100. In utorrent advanced:

net.max_halfopen = 50

bt.connect_speed = 30

protocol encrypton enabled.

peer.lazy_bitfield is enabled

Im not using anti virus software. My router is a netgear dg834gt.

Any ideas?

(Probably forgot some important info but if you need more let me know)

[Switeck]

"Is there an alternative test than glasnost?"

None that I know of.

For uTorrent settings, set:

upload max = 28 KB/sec

upload max while not download = 30-34 KB/sec

Global Connections Max = 70

Connections Per Torrent Max = 30

upload slots PER torrent = 3

Max Active Torrents = 3

Max Downloading Torrents = 2

(Increasing max active torrents further splits your upload too thin, making peers quit uploading to you.)

In utorrent advanced, set to this:

bt.connect_speed = 2

net.max_halfopen = 8

[dudeyew]

Thanks. Ive set everything as youve recommended and there is an improvement to the 'declining speeds' problem. Im at least staying connected to peers more consistantly now.

Can you tell me why I set the net.max_halfopen to 8? Every guide ive read recommends 50. (Dont worry about it if its hard to explain)

Also, I read that net.outgoing_port and net.outgoing_max_port uses the default port range of 1024 - 5000. Does that mean I should open those ports on my router?

[Switeck]

Every guide you've read is probably out-of-date by this point.

bt.connect_speed is how fast to attempt new peer/seed outgoing connections. That's overkill even at 10, just because uTorrent doesn't NEED to attempt 200-600 outgoing ips per minute and will take a speed hit trying to do so.

net.max_halfopen only concerns outgoing TCP peer/seed connection attempts and the very brief non-udp tracker updates. The predominate peer/seed connection type with uTorrent is uTP...and that uses uTP which is unaffected by net.max_halfopen and half open connections. Even the old default value of 8 is more than enough *IF* you're not firewalled in uTorrent, because most of your connections should be incoming ones. A possible exception to that could be a 100 mbit/sec seedbox trying to host 100's of torrents to 1000's of people...it might gain a little extra performance setting net.max_halfopen = 50.

You don't forward outgoing ports, which means you shouldn't have to "open those ports on my router".

[dudeyew]

Ok thanks for explaining. Due to other guides ive read, I thought that, setting net.outgoing_max at a higher value had a more than minimal affect. Thanks for clearing that up.

Im still a little confused about the ports part though. When I do a test via https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 they all show as stealth. Even if I open all ports on my router (which i know is not wise). Surely this would hinder anyone trying to probe/connect because they cant see me. At the same time, I have absolutely no problem connecting to seeds. My only problem is outgoing.

... Im getting a damn seedbox.

[Switeck]

You are FAR better off to be unfirewalled than have net.max_halfopen and bt.connect_speed set very high. Both settingss have absolutely minimal effects (even NEGATIVE effects) about 5 minutes after first starting uTorrent. By then, they're probably just retrying as fast as they can all the dead/gone/firewalled/repeatedly-disconnecting peers and seeds. Better to let the still active peers and seeds connect to you by being unfirewalled.

"My only problem is outgoing."

Howso? Usually if there's a 1-way connection problem, it's incoming peer/seed connections you can't get...ESPECIALLY if your ports show up as stealth in grc.com tests.

Your ADSL modem probably is a modem-router that has to have the router side configured (port forwarded) or disabled (bridge mode/DMZ).