Torrent help please

[Colin]

When I'm downloading torrents my internet connection keeps cutting off  - anyone got any ideas what could be causing this ? It only seems to happen when I'm not actually using the pc at the time - which is really annoying as the only time I seem to get a decent d'load speed is overnight. I've turned my screensaver off, so it's not that causing it.

[Cob-Web]

Do you have an idle setting, Colin - we used to have the same problem when we were on dial-up; the modem kept cutting out as there was no two-way traffic.........

[Colin]

I don't know.  Where would I find that ? I've set my emails to check every 5 mins in the hope that might keep things running but it hasn't made any difference.

[Gilly]

What ISP provider are you with? have you tried switching to UTorrent  it's by far superior to any of the others. You could aslo be flooding your connection with too many max connections...hard to say. I would try phoning your ISP 

[Colin]

I'm still with Tiscali - hence the slow daytime d'load speeds.  I've been using Utorrent, after seeing you recommend it on another thread - I like it, so thanks for that tip. 

I think you are right about the number of connections causing the problem - I Googled and read somewhere to limit them to 100 - I took  the dogs out for a walk and everything was still running when I got back, so fingers crossed that's done the trick. Yer such a clever clogs.   

[Gilly]

I'm not that clever...I can't spell ALSO...see above post 

[biggles]

yeh use u torrent is by far the best. If possible use a router rather than a modem.

Also get PEER GUARDIAN, this is a free prog you can google it, stops prying eyes from see what you are doing, basically it blocks 1000s of third parties who trawl the web to see whats going on, not that you are doing anything naughty

[Colin]

yeh use u torrent is by far the best. If possible use a router rather than a modem.

Also get PEER GUARDIAN, this is a free prog you can google it, stops prying eyes from see what you are doing, basically it blocks 1000s of third parties who trawl the web to see whats going on, not that you are doing anything naughty

Of course not, I wouldn't dream of doing anything naughty. Honestly.    I'm already using Peer Guardian, it's amazing to see who's spying on you. 

I'm still losing my connection occassionally though ( and not just when d'loading torrents ) and think you might be right about the modem/router, Biggles. I've just got the modem that came with my Tiscali broadband package and am always having to unplug everything and then plug it all back in again.  I don't know anything about routers - are there any particular recommendations ? Are they compatible across all ISPs ? I'm planning to change provider soon, so don't want to get one now if it means having to get another one when I switch ISP.

[Simon]

Azureus is the best, in my humble opinion

[cazza]

someone give me bit more info on  Peer Guardian  never heard of it but sounds interesting

[Colin]

Hi Cazza

Peer Guardian is a firewall to prevent certain organisations getting your IP address when you are downloading Torrents or other peer2peer filesharing applications like Limewire... if they have access to your IP there's always a small chance they could prosecute you for copyright infringement - if that's what you are using p2p for. You can download it HERE for free.

I've got a torrent running at the moment and in the last minute Peer Guardian has prevented access from Time Warner and get this - the University of Medicine and Dentistry Of New Jersey.  You see all kinds of weird organisations blocked, I think they are bogus fronts for somebody else.

[Miss Poohs]

At the risk of sounding like a complete donkey - what's a "Torrent"?

[biggles]

Colin there can be comptability problems with some ISP but the Belkin router has been very good for me, my zoom modem was forever a problem.

Some one asked what a torrent is, bless.

Its a device for rearing baby donkeys 

[biggles]

Someone said Azureus, believe me utorrent is the best by far and uses the least system resources.

Peer guardian is more of an IP blocker as opposed to a fire wall and wont conflict with your current firewall.

TORRENT?  Basically a movie or MP3 (music) is split into tiny fragments, these fragments come down the phone line and are reconstructed on your puter using a tool like utorrent .

All you need to start things off is a source for torrent files, try, ISO HUNT for starters 

[biggles]

Colin just another thought has your modem got a timer option in setting menu, so that it turns off connection after 60 mins and so on ?

Maybe wortha look