Complete guide to 'optimize BitTorrent

The fact that BitTorrent has always been the highest performing P2P network is now more than ever known. Thanks to its special characteristics can normally get to a download speed greater than that of any other file sharing software. Nevertheless, BitTorrent was never really argued with force and has often been superseded by other clients to use more simple and immediate, first of all Emule. Lately, though, as you may have noticed a trend reversal is occurring, so that (largely due to the closure of server emulated by the authorities) more and more people begin to prefer the P2P network BitTorrent.

The problem is that the first impact with BitTorrent is often anything but painless: you used to use Emule is faced with a client that provides an even more confusing, whose operation is not always easy to understand . Bounced between torrents and trackers, among peers and seeds, also lacking integrated search, someone can easily become discouraged and lament the good old Emule ... All we add is the fact that the default configuration of BitTorrent is not suitable for all PCs, indeed in most cases is highly detrimental to the characteristics of their ADSL line.

In this article we will try to get familiar with BitTorrent and we'll figure out how to configure it to make the most of your Internet connection, and then reach maximum download speed possible.

Before starting a small note: the BitTorrent client reference used in this guide is uTorrent, as it is the most widespread and commonly accepted by the tracker.

• Optimizing the TCP connection
  Download and run TCP Optimizer.
  In the main screen identified the "Connection Speed" properly set the maximum download speed (be careful because in this case the unit of measure is kbps) and the bottom select "Optimal settings" and then hit "Apply Changes" and reboot PC.
  
• Increase the maximum number of TCP connections "half-open".
  If you have Windows XP SP2, the maximum number of connections "half-open" is limited to 10 and this factor significantly penalizes the file sharing (if you remember we've already talked about here).
  Proceed as follows:
  1. Download this patch. Once launched the executable EvID4226Patch.exe will open a DOS console that allows you to change the number of "half-open connections". The optimal value to be set is 100, so, first press the "C" (Change Limit), then type "100", Enter and confirm final dates with "Y".
  2. The window "Windows File Protection" which will warn you that some system files have been modified and invite you to insert the Windows CD to restore the situation. Ignore the warning by selecting "Cancel" and subsequently confirmed not want to restore the original versions of system files by selecting "Yes".
  3. Reboot your PC to make the changes.
  4. Start uTorrent access the "Options", then select "Preferences" and then "Advanced options". In the list of advanced parameters identified "net.max_halfopen" and change the default values ( "30") to a "80". Confirm the change by selecting "Set".
     

  Warning: some automatic Windows updates automatically report the connection limit "half-open" to 10, so remember to check it from time to time.

• Set in an optimal manner all the connection parameters of uTorrent
  This is one of the most important steps and requires that before everything is calculated the actual speed of your ADSL line. Proceed as follows:
  1. Close all applications that access the Internet
  2. Open a new browser and run the speed test of the ADSL line: they will return the download and upload speeds measured in kbps (kilobits per second). Since uTorrent instead used as the unit of measure kbps (kilobytes per second), remember to divide by 8 kilobits in the values obtained from the test.
     
     In my case (shown above) for example, the values obtained by dividing by 8 we get:
     about 100 kilobytes / sec. as maximum download speed
     about 68 kilobytes / sec. as the maximum speed of uploading.
  3. From the console of uTorrent access the "Options", then select "Preferences" and then "Connection".
     Enter the upload and download speeds calculated as follows:
     Maximum upload rate = 80% della velocità di upload ottenuta nel test
(nel mio caso: 68/100*80=55)
Maximum download rate = 95% della velocità di download ottenuta nel test
(nel mio caso: 100/100*95=95)

  4. From the console of uTorrent access the "Options", then select "Preferences" and then "BitTorrent", then:
     • set the parameter "Global maximum number connections" with the value of simply velocità di upload ottenuta nel test (in kbps)
(nel mio caso: 550 con approssimazione) velocità di upload ottenuta nel test (in kbps)
(nel mio caso: 550 con approssimazione)
     • set the parameter "Maximum number of connected peers per torrent" calculated using the following formula:
       velocità di upload ottenuta nel test (in kBps) * 1,3
(nel mio caso: 55*1,3 = 72)
     • Set the parameter "Number of upload slots per torrent" calculated using the following formula:
       1 + (velocità di upload ottenuta nel test (in kBps) / 6)
(nel mio caso: 1+(55/6) = 10)

     

At this point your client is ready to start downloading at full possibilities of your line and I do not just have fun and enjoy!

UPDATE: Try this additional method to increase the download speed of your torrent!