What's up with speeds

[browser]

I used to have 512 broadband, which i always maxed out at near 60 speeds on torrent.

I just got a new broadband service which is syncing at 5MB (speedtests show 4.5) and I can't break the 20 d/l barrier. on the other hand my uploading is working just fine.

Using Azureus but tried BitComet and BitTornado.

Any ideas?

edit: My torrents are all sourced by near 80 seeds

[{I}{K}{E}]

you have a router or firewall?

[browser]

Both, but both were on the same settings with my other broadband service.

Firewall allows bittorrent through (zonealarm)
Router is port forwarded for bittorrent (Linksys WAG54G)

Any other ideas?

[Peerzy]

Whats your ISP, cause i don't know of any ISP's that do 5mb is the UK.

[browser]

I'm UKOnline 8MB but my line has been put down to 5MB (i'm trying to sort it out at the moment).

[lynx]

UkOnline is not on ADSLguide's ISP list, which implies they are simply a reseller.

I was under the impression that UKOnline was set up by, then bought by AOL.

In any case, speed is not an indication of capacity. Your old line was one of many (up to 50) multiplexed into a higher speed line. If lots of people were downloading on that line your individual speeds could suffer. But because most people on the lower speed broadband lines don't use much bandwidth you had lots for yourself.

Now you've gone for a high speed line, but what's the speed of the line you are muxed into? I bet it is exactly the same as before, but now you are sharing with all those people who want high speed downloads. If so, your proportion of that line is actually lower than what you had before.

There are lots of things to consider before switching ISP's. What I've sugested is only one of many possibilities, but the assumption that higher line speeds means higher download speeds is by no means guaranteed.

[browser]

UKOnline use the Easynet LLU service (I wouldn't touch it if it was AOL)

The contention on this service is better (33:1) than my previous 50:1 and I am one of the first to get it on my exchange.

Downloads directly from the internet go at fast speed (500kbps), but I can't get that on Azureus

[Vargas]

if you only have a 256kb/s upstream you might have to limit uploads to 10K to get max download speed (500K download speed will use alot of upstream for ACKs) then max out upload when not downloading

[browser]

I have 512 upstream.

What do you recommend capping the upload to?

[hellbender]

512 / 8 = 64kb/s is your theoretical limit. In reality, your real limit is probably around 475 / 8 = 59kb/s. You want to cap upload at 80% of real upload, so cap it at around 47kb/s.

Confirm your real limit by closing all programs that use the internet, then visiting speedtest.dslreports.com and taking their speed test to see your real upload.