Why does my internet connection speed drop down to nothing when using torrents?

2

I have 100Mbps/10Mbps connection.

If I open any torrent, with download speed of 50kB/s, my connection goes down to 25Mbps immediately, and any website is really slow to load, even if it is just text.

I tested my speed on speedtest.net, and before using torrents the speed was the expected ~100Mbps, but after starting a very slow torrent, the speed drops to 25Mbps on speedtest.net, and I can barely open any website now. It basically is same as I was using 20kbps dial up modem right now! Even if I close the torrent, the speed doesn't get back to normal for a while.

What is happening? I noticed this behaviour only a week or two ago, and I have never had problems like this before.

Is my ISP secretly limiting my bandwidth when I try to use torrents?

I don't have a router, just a cable from my computer directly to the socket in the wall.

Rookie

Posted 2014-11-10T14:41:26.393

Reputation: 1 073

Possibly relevant: http://superuser.com/a/725578/165442 // http://broadband.mpi-sws.org/transparency/glasnost.php

– That Brazilian Guy – 2014-11-10T14:46:36.820

1It could be any number of things, but it doesn't seem like throttling by your ISP. If your ISP was throttling you would see a decrese in performance of torrents, but general internet traffic would be unaffected (since ISP's use content-based filtering that could single-out your torrent traffic.) I don't think we'll be able to fix your issue here since the problem could be one of dozens of things. – Mr. Mascaro – 2014-11-10T14:48:51.873

@ThatBrazilianGuy That test is worth a try certainly. My answer covers the other possibility. – Tonny – 2014-11-10T14:50:39.543

Your ISP does indeed sound like its throttling your connection when it comes to torrent. But the fact your connection is "slow" is because the bandwidth is saturated. – Ramhound – 2014-11-10T16:14:37.907

Just call and ask your isp. they will flat-out tell you. – Sickest – 2014-11-10T17:19:44.893

@Sickest, "just call your ISP" if it was that simple yeah i would call. Last time i called them, it took 60mins until i gave up and got tired of hearing "you are still waiting on the line...". and i have very little hopes for them actually even knowing anything about this or wanting to do anything about it. – Rookie – 2014-11-11T16:58:38.737

Answers

1

There is a router (or cable-modem/router combination) involved somewhere.
It would be extremely unlikely that your internet just comes out of the wall.
Either you have a router yourself or your landlord has it hidden somewhere in the building. (Common scenario in a rented building where internet comes with the room.)

Seems that the router is either having problems dealing with torrent traffic OR it is intentionally throttling traffic when it detects torrents.

The latter seems more likely as it used to work fine before.
(Or the router recently got replaced or had its firmware updated and since that moment the issue started.)

Anyway: This needs to be fixed at the router. Nothing you can do about it. Find out who manages the router and talk to that person.

Tonny

Posted 2014-11-10T14:41:26.393

Reputation: 19 919

Some ISPs provide "bridged" PPoE connections that need username authentication via Windows dial-up dialogs, and there's no router on the user side. – That Brazilian Guy – 2014-11-10T14:54:20.953

1@ThatBrazilianGuy Are those dinosaurs still alive? It has been at least 10 years since I last heard of those. And I never heard of using this with high-speed broadband as the poster implies. (He mentions 100/10 which to me indicates a cable or fiber based connection.) Anyway: Even then you would still have a bridge or switch somewhere. – Tonny – 2014-11-10T15:59:27.603

Actually i know exactly where the router is, its behind a metallic closet at the first floor of this block. i would just need keys to access it, or break it open at night... (it doesnt look very well protected since i can see in it and even throw water there if i wanted to mess with people). – Rookie – 2014-11-11T17:00:29.997

First you said you have no router, now you need to break into some where to access it? WHAT? – Sickest – 2014-11-11T17:16:52.213

@Sickest, if i wanted to access it, i would have to break into that closet. Yes. But i wont, since it would be illegal. – Rookie – 2014-11-20T15:06:46.457

Asked: 2014-11-10T14:41:26.393

Viewed: 1 957 times

Active: 2018-07-06T11:05:14.910