Increasing Download Speed

**topherus** · 11-30-2006, 04:32 PM

I'm sure this post is all over the site but can't find the answer to my specific problem/concern.
I use a DSL connection. I can download multiple files and the speed can get up to 130 Kb/s after I configured the router and firewall.
And I know download speed depends on how many seeds/peers there are.
But some of my downloads can vary in speed greatly from minute to minute without the number of seeds/peers changing.
For example: I'm downloading a file - connected seeds 11, connected peers 54. Connecting peers 0. Download rate: 3Kb/sec from 10 peers. Health 2529% These seed/peer numbers don't change, but sometimes my download speed can get up to 22 Kb/sec. for this file. But it doesn't last long. Doesn't 3Kb/s seem slow with the large number of seeds and peers?
In comparison: I'm downloading another file: connected seeds: 2, connected peers 4. Download rate: 25 Kb/s from 4 peers. Health 303%
There's no consistancy, so I'm thinking something's wrong.
I have my router and filewall configured properly, I think (one port opened).
Am I concerned about nothing?

Verizon DSL
Westell 6100 Modem/Router
Zone Alarm

Using BitComet (I've used uTorrent, Azureus in the past and BitComet has so far been the best for me).

**david02** · 11-30-2006, 05:49 PM

It is quite normal that the download speed fluctuates. many seeds does not mean automaticly that the download speed will be larger.

If you want to setup your system optimally please do the following things. I presume you have windows xp.

1) set your upload speed to 80% of its maximum in your pnp programs.

2) Install and run tcp optimizer

http://www.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe

quote
Instructions - Download and run. Under the "General Settings" tab select your Connection Speed (Kbps), which is your Maximum Download Speed. If you do not know what it is, contact your ISP and ask them. Make sure the value you get is in Kbps. (Exact capitalization is important, uppercase K, lowercase b ect...) Otherwise use the Speed Test and select the Closest City to get a rough idea of what it should be, then round this value (Download Speed) up to the closest size in TCP/IP Optimizer. Under "Network Adapter" choose the Network interface you use to connect to the Internet, select "Optimal settings", then "Apply changes" and "Yes" to Reboot.

Notes - Setting the Connection Speed higher then your Maximum ISP Download Speed will NOT improve performance and may actually hurt performance. Whatever your ISP claims is your Maximum Download Speed should always be used regardless of what the Speed Test shows. Maximum Download Speeds are theoretical and not always attainable for various reasons. It is normal for them to fluctuate. However, drastic differences in what your ISP claims you should get and what you are actually getting should be brought up with your ISP. It is your money after all and I would want to get what I paid for.

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3) Also change the number of simultanious connections if you did not do so:

http://home.comcast.net/~optimizexp/...tch223d-en.zip

quote:

Windows XP SP2 limits the number of simultaneous incomplete outbound TCP connection attempts per second to 10 from an "unlimited" number (16777214) in SP1. With the new implementation, if a P2P or some other network program attempts to connect to 100 sites at once, it would only be able to connect to 10 per second, so it would take it 10 seconds to reach all 100. In addition, even though the setting was registry editable in SP1, it is now only possible to edit by changing it directly in the system file tcpip.sys. Keep in mind this is a cap only on simultaneous incomplete outbound connect attempts per second, not total connections. Servers and P2P programs can definitely be affected by this new limitation. The purpose of this is an attempt to limit the speed at which Viruses and Worms spread. However this does absolutely nothing to improve YOUR security. It merely attempts to slow the spread of a Viruses and Worms from your computer to others AFTER you have been infected. Remember it is a limit on OUTBOUND not Inbound connections. I recommend installing this patch for optimal network and Internet performance.

Instructions - Download, unzip and run. To change it back to "unlimited" Type "C", then "16777214", press Enter, type "Y" and finally Enter again. A "Windows File Protection" window will come up, ignore this by selecting "Cancel" then "Yes" and Reboot. This warning is normal since you are editing a protected system file

Update - Windows Update (2/14/05) resets the TCP limit, if you installed this update, you will need to run the SP2 TCP/IP Slowdown Fix (Event ID 4226 Patcher) again.

Notes - AntiVirus programs may incorrectly detect the EvID4226Patch.exe file as a virus. This is a False positive. The file is perfectly safe but being incorrectly identified by your AntiVirus program as malicious. First make sure you are using the very latest version of your AntiVirus program and pattern file, if it does not go away contact the makers of your AntiVirus programs so they can resolve the error.

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