anniebags57 Posted March 29, 2009 CID Share Posted March 29, 2009 I'm new here and not sure in fact what it's all about: lol But I'm learning about BitTorrenting and got directed to Testmy.net and I think I'll have a few questions for my ISP after my first few tests!!! So hi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grambler Posted March 29, 2009 CID Share Posted March 29, 2009 Welcome, I am sure someone here can answer your questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted March 29, 2009 CID Share Posted March 29, 2009 I'm new here and not sure in fact what it's all about: lol But I'm learning about BitTorrenting and got directed to Testmy.net and I think I'll have a few questions for my ISP after my first few tests!!! So hi! Post a couple tests, this way there on record , just incase you need them later, but as a member, you should already know, that your test scores should be save for one year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiepistlz Posted March 29, 2009 CID Share Posted March 29, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted March 30, 2009 CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 aboard anniebags57 , so what sort of questions do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniebags57 Posted March 30, 2009 Author CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 Thanks for the welcomes..... Two issues - I am using Bit Torrent and I am so new to it I am having trouble even using their Beginner's Guide - I have tried posting to the forum there but no-one will answer me So maybe someone here might be generous enough to advise re my following query if they are Bit Torrent experts (by the wat I have a Mac - don't know if that makes any difference)? My post was: "Am just leaarning about Bit Torrenting. Am reading the Guides from the start like a good newbie but I'm stuck straight away. I think I have used testmy.net and Beltronica successfully to get my speeds. It then says to go to OPTIONS to set the speeds - I assumed this would be a menu option in Bit Torrent but I can't find that as a menu item in the Bit Torrent menu bar on my Mac. And I also need Options to do the next step in the Connection Guide - Enabling Protocol Encryption. I know this is probably very basic but I am trying and whilst I understand (I think) the principles behind Bit Torrent, it's the technical stuff that's got me beat!" So there you go - as I said basic stuff but do want to do the right thing to optimise my use of Bit Torrent - I've got a couple staggering along at present anyway. Also I started using this site - testmy.net - to test my speeds but they reported it them in form of , eg upload 14 kB/s whereas Bit Torrent says I have to have my speeds in kilobits (kb/s). I didn't know how to convert(?) so tried Beltronica and they did report my upload speed in both kB/s - 12.43 and kpbs - 99.44. Ignorance, ignorance I know but what is the difference between the two answers and is there a conversion formula? I presume if I ever learn how to optimise my Bit Torrent speed (see question above) that I would use the Beltronica figure of say 100kpbs. I know this is basic but am trying hard to understand so any time you can spare in clarifying things would be great. By the way, this site gives much more comprehensive analysis and keeps a log of tests so it is by far better than Beltronica - it is just that I'm not sure of what speed to use in the Bit Torrent set-up - assuming I ever get there! And the tests have highlighted that our connection is very slow for Cable which we have so that will be very useful when we crouch to our ISP! As I said thanks for the welcome and if anyone can spare their precious time re my Bit Torrent issues, I'd be ever grateful :] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted March 30, 2009 CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 I'm going to look to see if you have taken any speed tests here at testmy.net,. In the mean time, I'm not sure if in your post you said what speed you think you should be getting, so post that, keep it simple be right back.......... So here I found a download test you took ..... And an upload... The most important "thing" I have found in gaining the best upload/download within a bit torrent client, is to open the correct port within the router, to allow other clients to access you. I run Mac as well, and what works best for me in transmission , it just works better. Maybe try that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniebags57 Posted March 30, 2009 Author CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 Hi mudman Wow thanks so much for your post - yes, those were my two tests tonite..... Going to check with ISP tomorrow re what our package is - the tests indicated that our connection speed was lousy and I don't think the download and upload rates are very high are they, particularly since we have Cable? Unfortunately I don't know what you mean re opening the correct port within the router - although finally having found PREFERENCES in BitTorrent (the manuals must be written for Windows) NETWORK it says LOOK FOR AVAILABLE PORT, has 6881 in a box where it looks like you can make changes followed by the numbers 1024-65535 and then a checkbox ticked that says ENABLE AUTO PORT MAPPING. Is that what you mean? How would I know to"open the correct port within the router"? And finally I can see you are recommending Transmission as an optional bittorrent software for Mac. Thanks for that. I'll muddle along (although I seem to have a major problem with 2 downloads I'm running now - have posted that in Troubleshooting Forum in Bit Torrent). I will certainly look at Transmission - but if you come back to this post, would you mind answering my queries above. Again, thanks for doing such a lot of work on my query... With help like yours I'll get there. cheers Annie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug7272 Posted March 30, 2009 CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 Let me see if utorrent is out for mac. If so use it, its a GREAT client. Ill BRB. http://www.utorrent.com/downloads/mac <--- light, small, fast and easy to set up. At least the windows version is, I take it the mac is the same. BTW when it is asking for you to input your speed, all it is going to do is determine your upload settings. Always make sure your download settings are "unlimited" under preferences. If you need it throttled back, you can do so temp. but always take it back to unlim. Upload is different, you want it set to about 20% of your rated upload speed. If you are not browsing the net or you are just using BT then set it to 90 of your cap. Ok now for your questions. Ill see if I can answer them in one sec. Im at work so I am here and there. Utorrent will forward your ports for you and basically walk you through step by step. http://www.matisse.net/bitcalc/ This might help to. Try it out, let me know any questions you might have. I wrote a step by step guide for testmy but that was years ago. It is in the guides section but is horribly outdated, I wouldnt recommend reading it. Im sure you know by know the first rule of BT is patience. It usually takes it a while to hit speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coknuck Posted March 30, 2009 CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 Yep! utorrent is so easy even an old fart like me had no problems setting it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug7272 Posted March 30, 2009 CID Share Posted March 30, 2009 Yep! utorrent is so easy even an old fart like me had no problems setting it up! Now THERE is a testimonial! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted March 31, 2009 CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 Yep! utorrent is so easy even an old fart like me had no problems setting it up! Yep even us seniors are capable of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiepistlz Posted March 31, 2009 CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 Your too young at heart to be a senior, Tommie.....Seniors are grumpy old people, who talk about Geritol and weather and the good old days.....and your good days are not behind you yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted March 31, 2009 CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 Well thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiepistlz Posted March 31, 2009 CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 <hugs> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniebags57 Posted March 31, 2009 Author CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 Thanks you've all been so helpful..... Unlike the forums on BitTorrent.... Would you mind if I posted my problem with Bit Torrent here and if anyone can advise I would appreciate it.... "Hi I'm very new at this. I have a download running and I am getting the following error message at regular intervals: 4.27.2 2009 - 03 - 31 3:23 ERROR Message Parsing Failed Traceback (most recent call last): File "Bit Torrent/Connection.pvo," line 966 in_data_came_in File "Bit Torrent/Connection.pvo," line 658 in_read_messages File "Bit Torrent/Connection.pvo," line 711 in_got_message File BTL/bencode.pvo, line 72 in bdecode BTFailure: not a valid bencoded string. I don't think the download is progressing as I'm just letting it run (it's the middle of the night here in Oz!) but above doesn't sound good particularly as it keeps being repeated - it is the same message every time in the log. Also have seen the message: WARNING Problem connecting tp tracker please dont post links to torrent sites such as that , thanks:): Timeout while contacting server. With the latter I assume the connection has been lost - do I need to get the Torrent to restart (by using Force Start Torrent) or will it just keep trying while I have it open and running. Any advice particularly re the above messages and their meaning and whether it will mean download from this source will fail and I'll need to go looking elsewhere." Thanks from a newbie...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted March 31, 2009 CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 Looks to me like bad torrent, maybe a bad install, or even something you picked up on a torrent, it is a known fact, if you download torrents, especially from certain outlets, then you need to take the good w/ the bad, and I mean every kind of nasty you can think of. So if it's giving your errors, unless your into debugging code, then uninstall the torrent application ( client ) and install as new version. Thats all I have on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug7272 Posted March 31, 2009 CID Share Posted March 31, 2009 Looks to me like bad torrent, maybe a bad install, or even something you picked up on a torrent, it is a known fact, if you download torrents, especially from certain outlets, then you need to take the good w/ the bad, and I mean every kind of nasty you can think of. So if it's giving your errors, unless your into debugging code, then uninstall the torrent application ( client ) and install as new version. Thats all I have on this. What torrent app are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniebags57 Posted April 1, 2009 Author CID Share Posted April 1, 2009 Hi mudman and shug, thanks so much again for your help. I'm using Bit Torrent. You each recommended other client software - transmission and utorrent respectively. But since my post, I have successfully completed 1 torrent and the other is proceeding albeit slowly (probably because I think not a lot of seeds where I got it from - am now getting hang of searching torrent sites (as well as general googling - it is amazing what people have on their blogs to share) and know to look for lots of seeds. Have to also check my download speed with my ISP.... Thanks again. Hope I won't have to bother you again. Cheers Annie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug7272 Posted April 1, 2009 CID Share Posted April 1, 2009 Hi mudman and shug, thanks so much again for your help. I'm using Bit Torrent. You each recommended other client software - transmission and utorrent respectively. But since my post, I have successfully completed 1 torrent and the other is proceeding albeit slowly (probably because I think not a lot of seeds where I got it from - am now getting hang of searching torrent sites (as well as general googling - it is amazing what people have on their blogs to share) and know to look for lots of seeds. Have to also check my download speed with my ISP.... Thanks again. Hope I won't have to bother you again. Cheers Annie Glad to have ya! Dont be a stranger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted April 1, 2009 CID Share Posted April 1, 2009 Yeah, come again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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