Bandwidth Allocation - am I doing something wrong?

[jeffonthego]

Okay, I've read the FAQ, I've searched for forum posts on Bandwidth Allocation, I think I've followed the instructions, but bandwidth allocation just doesn't seem to be working for me the way I'd expect it too. I'm not that torrent savvy, so apologies in advance if I've missed something.

Okay, here's my question . . .

I would like to prioritise one upload as High - with the goal that it uploads as fast as it can. All other uploads can divy up the rest of the upload bandwidth however they wish, as long as that one High priority one gets maxed out to its full potential.

If I pause all my uploads except the high-priority one, it seems to max out right now at 20kbs based on current number of downloaders and their downloads speeds (I presume). So I've achieved my goal of maxing out this upload to its potential, except that by pausing all the other uploads I'm wasting 45kbs of bandwidth. So what I want is to keep this 20kbs for my high-priority upload and let the other uploads divy up the other 45kbs.

Now my maximum upload based on experience is about 65kbs (hence the 20kbs plus 45kbs mentioned above). So I've gone Options > Preferences > Network > Global maximum upload rate and changed this to 65.

Then I've selected my priority upload as High and all the others as Low.

However, when I do this and the low-priority uploads kick in, they seem to eat away at the high-priority one's upload, which is falling to 15kbs or even 10kbs. Sure enough if I pause all the others again, the high-priority one bounces back up to 20kbs.

Have also tried this awhile back with a different set of torrents and same problem.

Am I doing something wrong? Or is uTorrent not able to achieve what I'm trying to do?

[Ultima]

How many torrents are you starting at a time?

[jeffonthego]

Right now I have 12 torrents going of which seven are active. All of these are at 100% and seeding or ready for seeding.

[Ultima]

Run the Speed Guide.

[jeffonthego]

Okay, but what is it telling me?

For 60kbs, it says no more than 4 uploads and 3 downloads.

So bandwidth allocation isn't working because I have too many active torrents?

[Ultima]

Basically ;P

When you have so many torrents started, you spread your upload thin, and because µTorrent tries to guarantee each upload slot a certain upload speed if possible, it cuts into that allocation.

[jeffonthego]

Hmmm, I see. Okay, I'll test the recommended settings.

Seems a bit of a shame though to limit my active torrents so much. Can understand wisdom of not wanting to spread uploads thin, but my current practice of many more active torrents than is recommended has not been affecting my ability to keep good ratios.

Anyway, I'll give it a go and see what happens. Thanks for your help.

[jeffonthego]

Well, I've capped my upload, changed to the settings in recommended in Speed Guide and only have a few active torrents. Right now I've got three as High priority and two at Low priority, yet one of the low seems to keep squeezing out the High ones. And if I stop the Low one in question, then sure enough the upload speeds of the High ones shoots back up. Doesn't seem like Bandwidth Allocation is working or at least the way I expect it to work.

[Switeck]

Something I have to do when I want to priortize torrents is set a torrent to low priority AND manually set its upload slots to only 1. Then the 'fast' torrent gets HIGH priority and typically 2-6 upload slots. I've even gone so far as limiting terrible torrents to 1 KB/sec upload. (You know, the ones where your ratio is 3+:1 and you're at >50% with everyone about that same % and a slow-as-molasses seed that thinks 20+ upload slots will make the torrent go faster.)

It's a pain to manually set individual torrents, but if it's something that needs to run for 10+ hours I don't mind the 1 minute hassle.

Watch out that you're not trying to use too many upload slots overall. There shouldn't be more than 1 upload slot per every 1 KB/sec upload speed you're giving out. Priority doesn't work very well if every torrent has lots of upload slots -- because EACH upload slot is given a minimum upload speed if possible.