Dropping Packets - healthy or not?

OfflerCrocGod

I'm trying to figure out what is slowing down my downloads from P2P networks like WinMX and Kazaa after finally getting my router to work for all the computers on the network. My FTP downloads are up a bit 54Kb is the peak, but downloads from P2P networks are disasterous! they are easily half speed - less then before using the USB modem and ICS (both computers on the network have this slow down). Another thing is since I got BB I've stopped being a leach and am now sharing all I have and while before I was inundated with uploads now no-one can upload from me they all time out:(.

Obviously my router has got to be the reason but why exactly I can't figure out I've been reading the docu that came with it and have found out that it drops certain packets and it listed them out. I checked them out and they seem pretty harmless, but to tell the truth I can't figure out if they are or not.

1)IP Broadcast <-- I am certain this is useless
2)RARP <-- I can't see how it could affect speed
3)IEEE 802.1q packets <-- this could be it???

So I'm wondering are any of those any use I've looked them up on the web and have found nothing on them to indicate they are relevant to my problem, am I right?, are they useful?. My router is a D-Link DSL 504.

jd

MTU?

OfflerCrocGod

What about it?, I've looked up on the web about it and all I can get is maximum transmission unit I dont see how that could have such a drastic affect on my connection?. Am I missing something?, I dont have a lot of networking experience so I really am not sure what you mean, your a bit terse:p.

po0k

You could try forwarding the required ports to one machine, and use that alone for leeching.
As for general speed, try and find as many sources as possible for the files.
You'll get whatever speed people have available,, with the rise in DSL, people generally have at least twice as much download as upload capacity, so there's a bit of an imbalance there to begin with.

Capt'n Midnight

Originally posted by jd
MTU?

This relates to the size of packets - different mediums / parts of the network may not take the same packet size - if this happens a 1540 byte packet might be broken down into a 1520 byte package and a 20 byte one. So you will have lost the advantage of big packets - less overhead since the headers (wrapper) are the same size for all packets. - also sometimes they don't get reassembled 100% so more retires (and for both parts of the packet maybe)

it's a magic number thing - you drop it a bit to see if things work better...
On the internet you will see many numbers - try the most common ones or lowest ones first..

BTW: it's probably not the problem you have...

OfflerCrocGod

Yes I know that it's just a very sudden decrease since I installed the router so I'm presuming it has something to do with it. I think there is an option in there somewhere for port forwarding I'll check it out and see if it works.

<edit>
This reply aimed to SyxPax, not to the captain. To the captain, I have a vague clue as to what it was I just couldn't see how it could have effected the connection and you think the same thing so it's probably not the cause, ta anyway.
</edit>

jbkenn

Another thing is since I got BB I've stopped being a leach and am now sharing all I have and while before I was inundated with uploads now no-one can upload from me they all time out

The other 47 people sharing your contention must love you

jbkenn

OfflerCrocGod

Nope they just got to live with it:D!

bricks

You need to forward the required ports through to your machine to allow incoming connections.
Looks like you need to forward 7295 TCP for Winmx. (MAybe look at the docs)
Not sure what the Kazza ports are, you'll need to use google to find them out.
To find out how to configure your router to forward ports look in the manual.

Frank Grimes

bricks, you're posting the same thing over in Broadband, you don't need to setup port forwarding for these to work.

jd

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight


BTW: it's probably not the problem you have...

all i could think of after 7/8 pints-
/me notes to stay off boards after the pub infuture..:)