Seeds/Peers always read "0 (0)" on all torrents

[KZahhhch]

Hello all,

I have been a pleased uTorrent user for over a year on the same connexion. Download speeds are typically around 250-300 kbps. In general, I have had few problems downloading with uTorrent, but I have always been able to resolve the problems before now as it was due to router/firewall/3rd party software blocking me.

Recently a new problem (due to uTorrent I have become more and more convinced over time) I have never seen before has come up, and after three weeks of searching forums and guides and handbooks, I have found no solution or any clear example that anybody else managed to resolve the problem; in fact, I have not found the same problem on uTorrent servers at all. Here is the problem:

I was downloading a piece of software, it was going a bit slower than usual (about 120kbps) and was 43% done. I minimized window of uTorrent and began working in a separate window. But when I checked about an hour later, it was only forward 2% and showed "0 (0)" for both seeds and peers. Of course I was surprised; I found a conspiracy causing 400 seeds and 500 peers suddenly cancelling this one torrent at precisely the same moment unlikely. I therefore rebooted, as any faithful Windows victim will do at the first sign of trouble. But when I started the application again, the torrent did not pick up any seeds or peers. I tried downloading a different torrent in case; but every one I tried had the same problem. Naturally, with no seeds and as few peers I got no downloading done.

I have tried to resolve the problem on my own by following the guides here and on other websites. I ran the speed test and was told "Port is not open (you are still able to download)". However, I have checked my BitDefender firewall (my only one, as I never use any Windows-provided services with regards to something as important as security). There is port forwarding there, for uTorrent on any port it chooses, as well as a separate rule I created allowing anything through that specific port (I turned off port randomization). I also forwarded port on the router (D-Link). So the port is, apparently, open. And, I am in fact not able to download.

I also tried reinstalling uTorrent, to no avail. I downloaded BitTorrent but found to my dismay that the program is identical to uTorrent to the character, except for the word "uTorrent" being replaced everywhere with "BitTorrent". The executable is naturally a few bytes larger, but it created an identical result as uTorrent.

I have not found any solution in three weeks of searching, so it would please me if some wise and kind person here on the forums might aid me in resolving this problem. I will provide any information asked about my system and network short of its geographical coordinates.

Thank you,

-KZahhhch

[Switeck]

Remove all references to uTorrent in your firewall software and let it redetect the latest version of uTorrent.

After doing that, try the test torrents mentioned in 1st link in my signature.

Do you use a proxy or VPN?

Is your modem-router configured to act in bridge mode or DMZ mode?

[KZahhhch]

I shall remove the references in firewall, then test.

To answer questions: I do not use a proxy, or a VPN; and my router is a Dlink DI-624, not DMZed and not bridge mode (i believe, I am not as network savvy, I am a software guy) so I don't fully understand what bridge mode is, exactly; but unless that is the default, I did not actively set it up in bridge mode so I am confident that it is not, based on my Neanderthal-esque understanding of "bridge-mode".

If it's important, you are welcome to show me the light regarding this sort of networking thing; I certainly wouldn't mind appearing slightly more educated around my techy-friends.

Thank you-

KZahhhch

[KZahhhch]

Oh dear. I have run the tests and found this result:

I took two of the test links on your linked page. When I added them, they promptly connected to a few seeds but no peers showed ("0 (4)" and "0 (5)" respectively). However, I was surprised. So, I downloaded some more torrents from external sites. I found that all the ones from thepiratebay.org showed 0 (0) in both tabs; the ones from other websites downloaded around 15 kbps finding very few seeds and peers.

I thought the server might be down; so I called a friend (let's call him Watson). I called him and said:

"Watson, mind running a test for me? Try downloading a thing from ThePirateBay."

So Watson says to me: "Ok."

When he called back, he told me that he had downloaded a 7.18gb game from the site just fine, and had been downloading another few files since before my problem arose (although I have trouble imagining a file that would take his computer, which downloaded a 7gig file in about twenty minutes, over three weeks to download). This convinced me that there was some unique issue on my computer targeting TPB. Unfortunately, my primary use for torrents (although I have other uses as well) is to acquire software that are challenging or inconvenient to get from more secure locations; so the better portion of my actually needed downloads are prevented when TPB is blocked.

I hope that this doesn't invoke some uTorrent policy forbidding you from giving me aid in this matter.

I apologize in advance for inconvenience I might cause you.

Thank you-

KZahhhch

[Switeck]

I meant your modem is quite likely ALSO a router.

Your D-Link router is yet another router that connects to it.

TPB has severe tracker issues. Their old trackers are completely dead-and-gone. OBT tracker is udp-only and only works part of the time in my experience.

ADD at least 1 of these trackers to all your TPB torrents:

http://tracker.publicbt.com/announce

http://tracker.prq.to/announce

http://tpb.tracker.prq.to/announce

REMOVE the dead trackers!

Your friend may have no trouble at all with TPB torrents because his DHT is working fine.

Yours...probably isn't.

[KZahhhch]

Regarding the router, the D-Link is a subset, so to speak, of a 2WIRE router-ish device provided directly by AT&T. However, my private IP address is provided by the DLINK:

2wire address: 192.168.A.B

Dlink address: 192.168.C.D

My address: 192.168.C.E

A moment, however--

When I added the three recommended trackers to the first TPB torrent, baszillions of craziness occurred. The following description:

Progress! Now shows 3 (72) seeds but 0 (82) seeds [none of the other torrents, including your testing ones, managed to connect to a seeder -- maybe I am just lucky on my timing).

But the Trackers tab went nuts. First, the second of your two trackers instantly said: "No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it."

Next, all my trackers, including both my old ones and your new ones, suddenly started countdowns to various times saying, "Update in #m #s".

At least I am now downloading, although it is bizarrely slow (~10.kbps).

OHO I got a peer.

Anyways, how do I know which trackers are dead so that I must remove them?

Also, what might be wrong with a DHT that I can fix, or (with less optimism) what might be wrong with it that I canNOT fix?

Thank you for all your help so far and forthcoming-

KZahhhch

[Switeck]

You have to disable or configure the router part inside the modem.

Look it up on portforward.com

If you're firewalled on UDP, DHT almost certainly won't work.

[KZahhhch]

The following rule has been in place since before the problem arose. What should I change?

Enabled

Name: uTorrent.exe

Private IP: 192.168.C.E (My static IP)

Protocol Type: Both

Private Port: 50666 (uTorrent's port, does not randomize each start)

Public Port: 50666

Schedule: Always

[Switeck]

The modem must be forwarded to the router's WAN ip rather than your computer's LAN ip.

[KZahhhch]

So where/how would I do that?

You mean I should change the 2WIRE settings (the highest-tiered device, directly connects to the ISP) rather than the DLINK settings (just below the 2WIRE, provides local IPs)?

KZahhhch

[Switeck]

Yes, you must specially configure the 2Wire also!

...Which may have other issues as well:

http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?pid=515308#p515308

[KZahhhch]

Ok, so if I understand correctly, I need to do 2 things:

1) Set up a similar rule as to the one I have on my DLINK, except on the 2Wire this time; that it will route TO the dlink.

2) According to this link you posted, I need to manually lock my DNS servers in the TCP/IP settings on my COMPUTER to whatever AT&T's DNS servers are.

Is that correct?

If so, there is a problem: my 2Wire, like every AT&T service I have ever encountered, has an extreme case of EUUF; that is, End-User UnFriendliness. I have yet to discover a way to make such firewall rules exist; all I can find so far are DMZmode and notDMZmode. What then?

-KZahhhch

[KZahhhch]

Ok I have resolved the problem. Here is the explanation:

I actually had two different problems which miraculously coincided. Here they are, with their solutions:

1) "Port is not open." This came because of my stacked routers. My DLINK was not in bridge mode and was assigning IP addresses, so the 2WIRE did not "see" my PC and therefore could not forward ports for it. I resolved this by temporarily connecting the PC's line into the 2WIRE directly, and setting up a rule there. This however disconnected me from all devices plugged into the DLINK such as my printer; so once I set up the DLINK to stop assigning addresses and act as a switch I will return the PC line to its original location. This problem had no effect on the lack of download, although when I did it it improved speed.

2) My trackers were all dead. I used the trackers provided by Switeck and that solved my inability to download.

-KZahhhch

[Switeck]

Sorry for getting away from this post...

You can probably use the router's LAN ip as the DNS server as it should mirror AT&T's DNS servers...or use 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2 as DNS servers.

I'd have used DMZ mode on the modem to bypass most of its port-forwarding ugliness. Do note that modem DMZ is to the router's WAN ip (how the modem sees it.)

Or if you already got it working just run with that.

"2) My trackers were all dead."

I expected as much. BUT...if DHT and PEX were working, that should not matter.

[KZahhhch]

Is totally, cool man? I mean, nobody has all day. Hell, without your guiding hands I would still be stuck. You are without a doubt the best tech advisor I have seen. Most willing, too. Tell uTorrent that I said you aren't getting paid enough.

-James Quintana