BitTorrent Tips: Boost Your Download Speed

June 15, 2012 by
Filed under: Announcements & Events, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services 

Slow downloads can occur if one is sharing through peer-to-peer networks behind a router or firewall. If some of these settings are not correct, the user is unable to take full advantage on the broadband connection; here are some tips on how to fix this problem.

In order to properly communicate with other swarms/clients, your client uses a port, each having a unique number called TCP port number. A BitTorrent client usually chooses 6881 to be the default TCP port number.

If this port is used by another application or your client is unable to communicate through it, it will automatically use higher ports – 6882, 6883, 6884 – up until 6999.

Now, with that in mind we must consider making that port available by setting the firewall up accordingly.

As seen in the screen above (this is the Windows Firewall – if you’re using another firewall utility do the same as you would do it in Windows), the uTorrent client is open for both private and public networks. If those two boxes are not checked, click the Change Settings button and check them.

Setting up a router is just as easy; most of them have a feature called “Port Range Forwarding” where you can set the client’s port to be available.

At the left of this screen you must type in the application’s name (egg. uTorrent). After you’ve done that enter the port chosen by your client in both boxes that say “star – end port” and check the “Enabled” box.

Enjoy!

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