My set-up is, XP SP2, TT&T adsl ISP, Bipac 7000A USB modem, Comodo Firewall.

Downloading stuff with eTorrent was good, now slow. I checked my connection speed. This is about 100kbs on upload, 1000 kbs on d/load. That should produce about 40kBs upload max on eTorrent. It did, but is now reduced to 10-15 kBs. So, downloading is below 10 kBs/sec. & way below on average - SLOW.

I used the 'Lylord' fix for the Msoft. XP bottleneck: no improvement.

Using eTorrent's checks, it reports 'Port not forwarded'. Ranging all over the web, I tried to find how to forward a port. No luck; most sites refer me to 'portforward.com'. This advises using my IP address in a browser to find the solution to the issue. No: my address is 192 . 168 . 0 . 1. Into the browser window & 'enter', that just puts me onto a webpage full of sites with unhelpful stuff. The Billion/Astra site is just as useless.

Fiddling with the UPnP (Plug & Play) & firewall settings makes naff-all difference.

In case the prob. was eTorrent-related, I tried the alternative eMule program. This refused to even start - unable to open assigned ports.

Is this a Cunning Plan by the ISP to cut down server traffic? Or do I need a better modem?

Any half-way polite &/or helpful suggestions received with thanks. No geekspeak please. Just tell me what buttons to push? Thanks, Old git Tom

I have exactly the same set-up as you (based in Pattaya) and no issues with ports and torents. Torrent speed varies from zero to full speed (over Songkran for instance...).

my address is 192 . 168 . 0 . 1. Into the browser window & 'enter', that just puts me onto a webpage full of sites with unhelpful stuff. The Billion/Astra site is just as useless.

can you elaborate on this statement ?

192.168.0.1 should be the internal address of your router - and the configuration pages for your router where you can set up things like port forwarding on your router

I belief that the Billion BiPac 7000 series was a so-called software modem, so basically everything about settings is running on your computer.

indeed, the BIPAC 7000i is a modem, not a router.

Again, I have zero problems but I use uTorrent, not eTorrent. Meyb you want to try this client and report back later.

raro

Or do I need a better modem?

I think you need to purchase an integrated ADSL Modem+4-port Ethernet Router to replace your BiPAC Modem. I am not sure that you can configure your BiPAC 7000A Modem to forward ports, which results in the best torrent performence. You can get decent performance, occasionally, without forwarding ports.

Almost all Routers have the ability to be configured for "port forwarding".

Note that many ISPs are limiting P2P traffic, even those in Japan, Korea and the U.S.A., where Comcast has been taking some heat on this subject lately.

Or do I need a better modem?

I think you need to purchase an integrated ADSL Modem+4-port Ethernet Router to replace your BiPAC Modem. I am not sure that you can configure your BiPAC 7000A Modem to forward ports, which results in the best torrent performence. You can get decent performance, occasionally, without forwarding ports.

Almost all Routers have the ability to be configured for "port forwarding".

Note that many ISPs are limiting P2P traffic, even those in Japan, Korea and the U.S.A., where Comcast has been taking some heat on this subject lately.

Thanks chaps. Will look up a router.

Sorry, I actually use uTorrent, tried eMule briefly.

uTorrent now says 'Port forwarded', but down & up speeds still 50% of what they used to be, about 1 month back. It seems the limitation is being imposed by the server. Hey-ho, at least I can cease fiddling around with it.

But Korea limiting P2P? I thought everyone there had 40 MB broadband? Old git Tom

I would forget the term port forwading for your setup OP, in simple terms 'Port forwading' refers to forwarding specific programs or traffic to another PC if you are using 1 static IP and want to access rescources on 1 machine on a private network and to do this you need to have a router with port forwading enabled..

Example if you had a router with a static public IP address and you wanted to access another PC that was on a private network behind that network via remote desktop then you would port forward TCP/UDP 3389 to whatever you PC IP address was...bear in mind that you can have 100's of machine on a private network that will all use 1 static IP address to acess the internet, the 192.x.x.x range are all assigned to private networks and not internet IP's...if you get my drift