Neighbor's internet/router won't allow torrent downloads?

So me and my mates moved to a new place and we pick up our neighbors wireless signal and have a full connection. However, when I try to download a torrent no data is ever downloaded, it just sits there at zero. I understand that you can block the p2p ports in your router but why would you do that and leave the router without a password? Since then we've gotten our own connection and torrents are downloading fine but I was just curious as to how the torrents might be blocked on the other router? Anyone know?

Well since they left it wide open, there's probably a very easy way to check. However, I won't share it (though it's rather obvious). Not only is your neighbor a careless idiot, you probably match their level in terms of respect due.

If you want to hijack your neighbor's bandwidth to download torrents, keep it to yourself. Being a dick is one thing, but a dick uninformed is a dick I don't want to hear from.

yeh brap respesct your neighbour?

How about talking to your neighbors

It's just a question. I am curious about how an internet connection can block the download of torrents.
Also, the router login page is password protected (not the default "admin") but the actual router ssid
broadcast has no password. I mentioned that we have our own connection now so get over it.

It's called traffic shaping / blocking. Bittorrent traffic or any other kind of bulk traffic can be shaped or even completely blocked with the right router / firewall. Some ISPs use traffic shaping to slow down P2P traffic, too.

There are some very knowledgeable 'idealists' out there who open their WLAN on purpose for outsiders. It's not far fetched to assume that while doing this, they also implement some restrictions to prevent abuse (and being held accountable for it).

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Originally Posted by shipwreck

It's called traffic shaping / blocking. Bittorrent traffic or any other kind of bulk traffic can be shaped or even completely blocked with the right router / firewall. Some ISPs use traffic shaping to slow down P2P traffic, too.

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This. Since handshake connections in the BitTorrent protocol follow a particular pattern (they begin with byte 0x19 plus, logically enough, "BitTorrent protocol"), it is pretty easy to detect and shape or block.

If they're opening the hotspot in purpose, it does make sense to block traffic that would slow things down for everyone and possibly get them into trouble if "you" get caught pirating.

Using large amounts of neighbors' bandwidth is a taboo for this community. I was actually surprised (and later relented) when I started a similar thread regarding a proposed plan I had been pondering regarding some antennas, amplifiers, and a load balancing switch (I was looking to use several open connections as my house has the vantage point over the city).

The end result was that people (including several of my respected friends) spoke out against my plan, and some were actually quite disgusted with the moral line I considered crossing.

My point (and lesson learned), is that such high-bandwidth, dubious use with other peoples' connection is a quick way to lose respect around here. The technologies are not so difficult to learn, but there are areas that the vast majority of this community find unacceptable. You found one here.

So it's ok to steal software and movies just not someone else's internet connection. Got it, thanks.

I don't see anything wrong with using someone else's Wi-Fi as long as you don't do anything stupid. Personally, I'd gladly share my connection if there weren't any abusers (and I had a wireless router).

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Originally Posted by roderick

So it's ok to steal software and movies just not someone else's internet connection. Got it, thanks.

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I would guess that it's a matter of degrees as one potentially has not as much effect on the people stolen from as does the other .

Of course that's just my own opinion and if your neighbours are likewise a bunch of rich, faceless heathens and not just some poor schmucks similar to yourself added an unfulfilling job , a kid or two and a sad ,sad puppy then have at them I say.

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Originally Posted by roderick

So it's ok to steal software and movies just not someone else's internet connection. Got it, thanks.

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Just because we are willing to cross the line of copyright- which is only in place to protect corporate interests, it does not mean that we are, as a group in general, willing to cross ALL legal lines. Personally, I see filesharing as a victimless misdemeanor. I can do the same exact things (read books, watch movies, etc.) legally at a public library.

There are plenty of legal offenses that one can do online (blackmail, commercial spamming, illegal porn, etc.- as well as filesharing) that could get someone else in trouble. There are also bandwidth caps that could cost others a substantial amount of money if you were to abuse their line through massive downloading. Ask a Canadian if you can borrow their wife, or their internet connection and they will tell you HELL NO, but have their wife home in time to do the laundry on Sunday- their nice, but their bandwidth is ridiculously expensive now...

If someone has left their line open, it probably is not a big deal to grab your email, or check the weather forecast. Outside of that, it is the fair thing to do to get your own line, OR ask their permission.

Excuse me, but I've got to get this Canadian woman back across the border... :shifty:

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Originally Posted by roderick

So it's ok to steal software and movies just not someone else's internet connection. Got it, thanks.

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I think everyone else covered what would have been my reply, so hopefully now you got it.

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Originally Posted by roderick

So it's ok to steal software and movies just not with someone else's internet connection. Got it, thanks.

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Fixed.

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Originally Posted by TONiC

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Originally Posted by roderick

So it's ok to steal software and movies just not with someone else's internet connection. Got it, thanks.

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Fixed.

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:lol: Why didn't I think of that? It could have saved me quite a bit of writing...

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Originally Posted by megabyteme

:lol: Why didn't I think of that? It could have saved me quite a bit of writing...

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Your post was the inspiration :P

But yeh Roderick, that there is rule one.

If I might be allowed to play the devil's advocate here ...

I think it might be good for P2P in general if more people - many more people- leeched a neighbor's wireless -- and did it strategically. I think it might put an end to P2P lawsuits if these sue-crazy companies knew there was a high probability that any given IP address might have been used by some anonymous wi-fi piggybacker, and not the account owner. Generate enough false alarms, and an IP address as an identification tool could become next to meaningless.

Of course, it would require an organized, concerted effort to share things likely to get all those careless neighbors sued.

But hey, every war has its share of "collateral" damage. (and could it be much worse than the people who run TOR exit nodes?)

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Originally Posted by zot

If I might be allowed to play the devil's advocate here ...

I think it might be good for P2P in general if more people - many more people- leeched a neighbor's wireless -- and did it strategically. I think it might put an end to P2P lawsuits if these sue-crazy companies knew there was a high probability that any given IP address might have been used by some anonymous wi-fi piggybacker, and not the account owner. Generate enough false alarms, and an IP address as an identification tool could become next to meaningless.

Of course, it would require an organized, concerted effort to share things likely to get all those careless neighbors sued.

But hey, every war has its share of "collateral" damage. (and could it be much worse than the people who run TOR exit nodes?)

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Where were you when I was arguing for my "plan"? :P I did say the very same thing, and I still find that to be a very sound strategy in a win-at-all-costs scenario. However (isn't there always one?), many very ethical, trustworthy members (my friends) pushed me back on the right path- casualties in war should NOT be innocent civilians, but the soldiers themselves who have chosen to take such a stand. (My thoughts, but very much in line with the arguments presented to me.)

I'm glad you know next to nothing about firewalls/routers, and to me it looks like your neighbour did you a favour opening up their wifi (maybe when they saw the place next door empty and then new people move in)