SeedNation [SCAM ALERT]

[antrax34130]

From FSF:

There’s a new seedbox provider in town, but it’s nothing at all like anything you’ve ever encountered before. If we’ve got our facts straight, we’ve just discovered the only provider in existence to offer free seedboxes - and a lot of them are available. By a lot, we’re talking in excess of 600 slots available right now. So there must be some sort of catch, right? Is it some 10GB shared seedbox with dozens of users per server? Nope. Is it a loss-leader trial account that’s available for a week, before a ‘paid’ version quickly replaces it? Not at all; and in fact you don’t even require a PayPal account, so it’s totally risk-free. You have nothing to lose by trying this service.


After some intense discussion with the owner SLDKluster of SeedNation.net (S|N), a brand-new seedbox forum that’s behind the free seedboxes - we can safely conclude this is not an elaborate hoax or scam. Naturally we had a plethora of questions, since it seems too good to be true.

Sharky: C’mon, who offers a free seedbox? And why?

SLDKluster: We got tired of seeing people pay huge fees for seedboxes, and thought it was time to create a new concept among seedbox providers.

Sharky: So how many free seedboxes do you have available at this time?

SLDKluster: For now there’s a total of 672 slots available, although 36 have already been snatched up. That leaves 636 open slots.

Sharky: How do aspiring members get an account with S|N?

SLDKluster: Easy, simply sign up on our seednation.net forums and fill out the application form. More info is available on site; viewers should refer to the appform here.

Sharky: How much $$ have you invested so far?

SLDKluster: Give or take $8,000 USD. I work remotely in a major datacenter, so I have access to lots of equipment & resources.

Sharky: Where are the servers located (geographically)?

SLDKluster: Some are in the U.S. in various datacenters, and some are located in NL & Germany.

Sharky: That’s a sizable investment. How do you expect to recover/monetize in order to break even?

SLDKluster: My thought is, if i can run a free seedbox company and put up a donation button, people will come in swarms. And they will appreciate it, and we hope that they will donate to keep us up. I dont want to force payment. I would rather people decide if they like the service, to donate.

Sharky: Donations are mandatory, then?

SLDKluster: Not per user, no. Members aren’t required to donate, but if we don’t receive any donations, this service won’t last long. If we start getting months of 0 dollar donations, then we shut down. Our monthly donation target is quite low: But we’re hoping for $5-$10 per month from each user, when averaged out. I figure we’ll meet this target, after people see our services in action.

Sharky: How long does each member have the slot for? Will they eventually be kicked off the service?

SLDKluster: I’ve not imposed hard limits for allowable time. Play fair, don’t go in excess of your HDD storage and you’ll be fine.

Sharky: Ah, yes. That brings me to my next question about abuse. How do you intend to monitor this, and can members lose their accounts for using up too much resources?

SLDKluster: Yes, they can lose their seedbox privileges at any time. After all, it’s free. If we see a guy running the box into the ground, and donating 0 dollars, but ripping the ass off bandwith, then he’ll be removed. Above all else, we want members who are appreciative of our service, rather than be here only to take advantage of it.

Sharky: What’s the average HDD storage? Users per server?

SLDKluster: It depends. I have 1Gbit (GigE) and 100Mbit-connected servers, but most are 2TB storage w/ 12GB RAM each. For both 100Mbit & 1Gbit these are shared between 3 or 4 total users, maximum (but usually it’s just 3). Storage varies between 200GB and 700GB for each account here, with the smaller sizes being allocated to the 100Mbit servers.

Sharky: Can applicants request a 1Gbit instead of a 100Mbit seedbox?

SLDKluster: Not particularly, no. We hand-pick each member based upon their application. The more impressive the application, the better the server they get. Having said that, there are equal numbers of both types split 50/50 (we have 336 accounts of each for both 1Gbps and 100Mbps). If it was just good then they get a 100Mbit, but if it was outstanding, plus they are offering alot to the community, then 1Gbit they get.

Sharky: Is there a ‘hard limit’ on available storage for each slot? For example, there are 3 total users on a 2TB HDD server; what’s the maximum that a user can go?

SLDKluster: S|N doesn’t impose any hard restrictions of any kind. Unlimited torrents, unmetered bandwidth, the works. We could have set up ‘hard limits’ but we don’t believe in limits. However, if you’re on a 2TB with 3 users, try not to surpass your 1/3 share (ie - 700GB). Go up to 1TB and we have a major problem.

Sharky: Are all your seedboxes ready-to-go with rTorrent/ruTorrent on them?

SLDKluster: Yes, all of them. All our 100Mbit ones are instant browser-based rT/ruT installs. However, some of our GigE (1Gbps) boxes are SSH-based (with rTorrent) so users will need to SSH into their box in order to use it. We’re currently working to convert these to the ruTorrent GUI, but until then, users get WinSCP (FTP) access in order to upload .torrent files to the seedbox where they start in rTorrent. We also provide 1-on-1 assistance for those who require it.

Sharky: Can inexperienced members request a 100Mbit seedbox if they have no clue about CLI, PuTTY, WinSCP etc?

SLDKluster: Sure! Put it in your application form that you’d like a preconfigured seedbox with GUI.

Sharky: So what is the catch, really?

SLDKluster: Guilty as charged; there is one small catch. Torrents are automatically deleted after 6-7 days. We do this to ensure that members aren’t abusing both the storage and the bandwidth, and to keep things fair across the board.

Sharky: So all torrents are auto-pruned after 7 days, but the user on the account can still use the box to upload different torrents?

SLDKluster: Yes, of course.

Sharky: Seems fair enough. Is there a method in which members can download the completed torrent contents?

SLDKluster: Yes, we include FTP access with all accounts. If approved, new members will receive a PM on the forum in this fashion:

Congratulations! You have been accepted in to SeedNation’s seedbox program. Below are your credentials to access your seedbox:

Link: http://xxx.196.98.107/slot1/
Username: slot1
Password: slot1
Users On Your Server: 3
Ftp Server: xxx.196.98.107
Ftp Port: 53xxx

Login for the FTP is the same as your seedbox login.

Your seedbox has a 2TB HDD with 12GB of RAM. Please be respectful to other users by using this set of resources in an appropriate manner. If you feel you cannot handle this then please refrain from using our services. Also, if for any reason we see you are abusing the services (Using 1TB of HDD when there are 3 users on your box), then your privileges will be revoked.
(In the example above, a member would be able to use up to 650GB storage, since there are 3 total members on the server).

Sharky: How do you prevent abuse from users trying to get more than one seedbox? What about if members decide to try to privately sell their free seedbox to someone else?

SLDKluster: We use an IP Checker script in place, on both the forums and on the servers. If someone is found using more than one seedbox (with the same IP), then they’re instantly banned. In reference to selling/transferring the box, this is grounds for a ban as well. We match IPs from the forum to ensure they’re logging into the server/seedbox with that same IP; if there’s no match, then they’re gone.

Well, that’s about it for now. Good luck to those who apply. TIP: Take your time with the application - the better it is, the higher the chance you’ll be accepted in (and get a better server). SeedNation is also looking for tech-minded individuals and graphic designers - feel free to apply if you can contribute somehow.

We tested out a 100Mbit box and speeds were quite handsome, indeed. Screenies of speeds can be seen below:

http://**************.com/2010/10/20...-now-available

I tested the service and it's very good for the moment.

[Duron]

lot of negative comments on the article

[antrax34130]

there are some reviews from customers: http://seednation.net/forums/forumdi...eedbox-Reviews

[lmn8r]

I'll take a look at it and post anything I find.

From user comments it appears they are indeed giving away free seedboxes. Their staff is pretty immature though, and become evasive and choleric when myself and other users questioned them about offering free seedboxes. They appear to be heavily centered around private torrent sites. I wouldn't expect these free seedboxes to last very long, I don't see any clear goal, motivation, or structure of their community.

They appear to give seedboxes to pretty much anyone who requests and is active in a private torrent site they're familiar with. It's looks rife for abuse.

[Thelen]

They are stealing passkeys and paypal accounts and the like.

The owner, SLDKluster is dhruv from leechbox. He is a 15yo who is using stolen credit cards. These 2 scams have been in attempt to 'launder' the money. He's also done it before under different names.

Reason I know all this is I'm one of the first people dhruv contacted to help him with leechbox, along with lots of other companies like knowin. There is a lot of evidence we have and it will be released in due course.

Believe me or not, you'll find out in the next day or two either way.

[Cabalo]

What you said is indeed true.
I recommend stay the hell away from such a site.

[heiska]

Wtf, any proof of them actually stealing anyone's precious passkeys/paypal?

[dhruv]

Haha, this is hilarious, everyone thinks i own this place.
Thelen has no life, he just cant take that another site is taking over his users.
Thelen come on, enlighten me though, if you have something on me specifically like you've been posting everywhere, come on, make it public, big man.
Your a joke. You make sales based on ill-speaking about other companies.
Honestly Just relax and run your business. Dont get on everyone else's backside's about their companies.
Prove something wrong with me and ill commit to it.
Also i helped with scenenation at the start cause i got paid to set it up, so what , big deal. lol. Ive done nothing wrong so i got no issues disclosing that information.
Cabalo do you even know what is wrong with seednation. This is a joke.
Seednation has tons of happy members. If you dont believe me, check the irc .

[Aebiux]

Thelen, really, I'd love to see this proof you speak of linking S|N to Dhruv. Honestly, it's all negative speculation until you do. Or rumors, or gossip, or being that valley girl from high school who doesn't like the hot new cheerleader. And let me tell you, SLD is one hot summabitc...

Cabo, don't want to say I doubt you, but I don't see proof from ANYONE on this or any other forum. And honestly from what I see from being active on their IRC and visiting their forums, I have formed a different opinion about whats going on.

Until I'm proven proven otherwise, my hat will remain uneaten.

Anyways, wanted to share my opinions since everyone is turning speculation and rumor into a business. Here's what I posted at FSF:

Honestly guys, you trolls are trying to take down something new and innovative when you don’t even realize it’s potential. For those of you who are actually looking for a constructive opinion, allow me to elaborate:

1) Passkey stealing / ratio raep - Really? Anyone with proper P2P experience and a decent tracker knows the passkey can be changed in no time at all. And with S|N actually providing the goods, with real servers, real speeds, everything, that is a HELLUVA lot of work to go through just to leach someone’s account for a few hours.

2) ZOMG gotta be careful, sounds too good to be true - A lot of things are, but from what I have gleamed, their strategy is wicked sick. Some things that are “too good to be true” turn out to be wise investments. I’m gambling WITH S|N. I’ll be at the ground level of a P2P community while the trolls will be licking their wounds and whining like the infantile nublets they are.

3) Putting other seedbox companies out of business - S|N has already proven they can provide the goods, and might actually be able to provide them long term. Not everyone is going to get a free seedbox. Some people will have to get their seedbox with other means and pay out the ass for it. Just because S|N is coming in guns blazing as THE competitor right now means that naturally they are going to get the heat. Especially when most P2P sponsers are subscription-based seedbox companies. Sites don’t want to loose their sponsership revenue, and the subscription based seedbox companies don’t want to loose their subscription revenue. Haters gonna hate…

4) Offering invites to members of popular trackers - so what of it? The trackers one is a part of say something about who they are, their experience in P2P, and where they’ve come from. S|N can follow their own rules and have the right to be selective when choosing who they want to be part of their community. As S|N’s name and popularity grows, you don’t want a bunch of noobs f*king it up for everyone else. Regardless what some may think, this isn’t simply a candy store, though they do have some amazingly indulgent tastes.

5) Staff - These guys have been working their asses off. They haven’t been taking this lightly. They are looking long term, investing a sh*tload of effort and time NOT ONLY in the seedboxes, but into the community. These aren’t just a bunch of kids with an elaborate passkey and ratio raep scheme, these guys are building the community from the ground up.

6) Bigger picture - if you can’t see the potential, stop whining about it. The seedboxes are only part of S|N’s potential. Their name will stand on it’s own, regardless of the whining.

People come and go. Good ideas come and go. Sites, trackers, servers, and communities come and go. Innovative and unique ideas like this which has the resources and people to back them up do not come often. Don’t want to take the time to get to know these people and look into what they are actually offering? That’s your choice, but trollin about it only hurts the greater P2P community.

[antrax34130]

why have you got rename the title? i don't see any scams at the moment Cabalo and i tested the service is good at the moment.