- 3 steps to speed upChoose a proper port to avoid ISP blocks and conflicts with other programs
- Forward that port through any software firewall and router to allow incoming connections
- Adjust internal settings
Choosing A Proper Port
To avoid messing up a network connection that is already cleared, first check and see if your communications are blocked or are already clear. Have µTorrent running while you test the port.Click to Test Your Port Success-just go to Adjusting Internal Settings.Error- follow all steps.
If you failed the port test above, then you should first set your port to a proper one.The most important choice here is to avoid using a port within the 6881-6999 range. This was the range originally used by bittorrent programs and is often blocked by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). (If your port was in this range, change and re-test). The safest choice is a port in the 49152-65534 range as this will avoid ISP blocks and possible conflicts with other applications.
Azureus-Wiki: Port is Blacklisted
Also, the Randomize port each start option should be disabled as this could affect router and firewall settings and rarely serves any useful purpose.
Forwarding The Port
IntroductionA router will block incoming communications unless an exception is made. All software firewalls will block incoming communications and most will also block outgoing communications, unless an exception is made. If you are "firewalled", then other people will not be able to initiate connections with you (see Why Is Being Firewalled Bad).
As there are many firewalls and routers, this guide can not give explanations as to each. However, there are guides available, on the internet for most firewalls and routers and this guide will link you to them.
Software Firewall - The permission should be set to allow TCP and UDP in both directions. Generally, you will have a choice to set permission for the µTorrent port or for the µTorrent program. Setting permission for the port is the safer choice. You can check these options for guides:
- The help file of your software firewall is the best place to look
- The µTorrent forum has some guides posted
- PortForward.com Firewall Guides(choose firewall and then µTorrent) also has some guides.
UPnP (NAT-PMP in Apple) - The Easy Way - Enable UPnP (NAT-PMP in Apple) in µTorrent and router.
Manual Forwarding-The Preferred Way
- UPnP (NAT-PMP) Must be disabled in µTorrent (see image above)
- Use the Static IP Guide
- Set permission for µTorrent port. This should be set to allow both TCP and UDP communications.
You can check these options for guides:
- The help file of your router is the best place to look
- Portforward.com µTorrent Router Index has guides for most routers
Adjusting Internal Settings
The most important setting here is to cap upload in µTorrent to 80% of your overall upload capacity. Setting upload in µTorrent is a fine line. The more upload you give, the more download you will get from other peers. However, if upload is set too high, or to unlimited, then download speeds will suffer as outgoing communications (acknowledgment signals, resend requests etc) will be interfered with. Other adjustments are made here to distribute your upload so that you receive back the most download from other peers.
First the upload capacity of your internet connection must be determined by taking an online speed test. Speedtest.net has test locations worldwide and will highlight the one closest to you.
To take the test you must have Flash installed and javascript enabled.
You should stop all internet activity, including torrents, before taking the test and the test should be taken a few times to obtain a reliable average. Results will now show in KiloBytes. It is the upload rate that is important here.
For most people these test results will be reliable (Comcast users see Note). However, you may wish to do a double check on real life upload speed. When you are active on a torrent with a good number of peers and you are using your upload cap, set upload to unlimited and watch for about 5-10 minutes and see where upload settles in at. Then input that number into the calculator in the kiloBytes section.
Once you have an average upload speed for your connection go to the online Azureus Upload Settings Calculator. Although designed for Azureus, this calculator will work for all bittorrent clients.
This calculator was created by the8472 a contributor to Vuze (fka Azureus) and part of the team that created Bittorrent Protocol Encryption.
Peer Sources & Encryption
Having the proper peer sources enabled, such as Peer Exchange (PEX) and Distributed Hash Table (DHT), will help download speeds as they will help you find additional seeds and peers for a torrent.Encryption was primarily designed to thwart Internet Service Providers interference with bittorrent. Having encryption enabled and allowing incoming legacy (non-encrypted) connections will provide you with the largest pool of seeds/peers to select from.
These settings are at Options>Preferences>BitTorrent and should be set as in this image: