I pay for internet in my appartment and my roommate is constantly downloading torrents, which I believe has been painfully slowing down my connection. Am I right assuming that? And if so is there an application that will allow me to limit his bandwidth use? The modem and wireless router are both in my room and only I have access to them.
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Application that will limit my roommates bandwidth
- Thread starter alleventsareeve
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Try logging into your router and enabling Quality Of Service (QoS), this will place packets of a user level nature (skype, msn, html etc) above those of system level nature (torrents etc).
This should help to give your data priority over any torrents he's doing.
This should help to give your data priority over any torrents he's doing.
On a Linksys router, it is under Applications & Gaming. QoS is the last selection on the right.
Unfortunately I don't trust him to do that.
I found the QoS setting, thank you. I do hope it helps.
I found the QoS setting, thank you. I do hope it helps.
Hopefully you're not in one of those areas affected by the sliding scale for internet costs based on usage :-\
Exactly. Tell him to stop hogging your bandwidth or you'll boot him off your network. If he doesn't, change your network name and stop broadcasting the SSID, change your WPA password, and turn on MAC addressing. Then make sure he can't access your router while you're not there so he can't reset it.
Also, I have no intention of creating an antagonistic air in the household. If I ask him to stop downloading torrents, how will I know if he actually stops? I don't want to have to knock on his door and look over his shoulder every time my connection is slow. He doesn't know much about computers and neither do I, which is why I came to this forum to find out if there was a way to limit or stop his ability to download torrents on my side.
Just block the ports on your router.
But really I think you have a bigger issue on your hands. Your roommate is making you an accomplice in potentially illegal activity.
But really I think you have a bigger issue on your hands. Your roommate is making you an accomplice in potentially illegal activity.
How do I block the ports? And will it create any problems for my internet usage?
I don't feel like policing him or moving or any of that, I'm looking for a practical solution that I'm comfortable with. This is post for tech help.
I don't feel like policing him or moving or any of that, I'm looking for a practical solution that I'm comfortable with. This is post for tech help.
Do speedtest now
Do speedtest without his computer connected
Show result
Unfortunately in most cases it's the upload speed that affects the overall speed
Depends on router you might be able to install 3rd party firmware that has the feature.
Do speedtest without his computer connected
Show result
Unfortunately in most cases it's the upload speed that affects the overall speed
Depends on router you might be able to install 3rd party firmware that has the feature.
Here's the thing -- with advanced routers that companies use you can do all sorts of stuff in terms of limiting/throttling access. With consumer level routers (i.e., <$100) you generally cannot, or the controls are fairly limited. So you can spend money on a more expensive router or use other work arounds or talk to him.
In terms of port blocking, the only consequences are if you want to use a program that needs those ports. Of course, you can open them up.
Why not try for some middle ground--can he do his torrents downloads in the middle of the night? Tell him it impacts the network a lot, you're upset about it, and want him to have some courtesy.
If your computer is wired, and the other person is wireless, I saw this post on a dlink forum:
If your ISP gives 8 Mbit/sec bandwidth, for example,
and your tenant is connecting wirelessly, just log into
the wireless router, and change the wireless CAP from
802.11g at 54 Mbit/sec auto, to 1 Mbit/sec or 2 Mbit/sec
for example, thereby reserving yourself the remainder
of the bandwidth.
If he connects hardwired to your router, you can't filter
protocols out ...since you would need packet filtering
to be done.
If your ISP gives 8 Mbit/sec bandwidth, for example,
and your tenant is connecting wirelessly, just log into
the wireless router, and change the wireless CAP from
802.11g at 54 Mbit/sec auto, to 1 Mbit/sec or 2 Mbit/sec
for example, thereby reserving yourself the remainder
of the bandwidth.
If he connects hardwired to your router, you can't filter
protocols out ...since you would need packet filtering
to be done.
port blocking doesnt always block torrent activity. the best means of limiting torrent activity is to either limit the amount of bandwidth allocated for such activities, something you can do through your router with permission restrictions. you can also limit bandwidth at specific times. check your router manufacturer, the manual will have the info.
you don't have to create an antagonistic air but if the person is civil enough to respect the wishes of the guy paying the cost, he should obey what you want. easier said than done in reality though. if he still doesn't change, yank the internet and rationalize that you don't want him hogging the internet for pron or whatever else he downloads. it is this way or the highway. as the main financier, you HAVE this right and you have the authority to enforce it. don't be a pushover and let the person know. you don't have to break the guy's kneecaps but do be assertive when you need to, you know?
If you block the ports and disable NAP (MAP?) or UPnP then they should only be able to squeeze around 10-20k download speeds from their connections. While not disabling it completely, it would act as a bit of a speed bump.
LinkSYS uses UPnP, I forgot where it is located but it is definately something you can disable. Also, there is a Port Forwarding/Mapping section you can go to, to delete any info that may have been placed there not by yourself.
Also, I would change the router password. If you use LinkSys then 192.168.1.1 is the universal address to connect to the router settings which can be accessed by anyone connected to the network. Name: blank, pass: "admin" is then the default info to connect, and should be changed if you are worried about him getting into those settings. This isn't the wireless info to connect to the netwoprk, but the info to get "into" the router once connected to the network (where you previously changed that QoS info).
Check out this site to see if your ISP is listed as one who blocks/limits torrents and use that as an excuse if your roommate asks why it's been acting slow. If his torrent app reports the ports as being blocked by the application (since you disabled it) let him know that the ISP has the ability to block ports on their end for your connection as well.
To take it even further, if he asks you to open a port, do so for a couple days and make sure he knows it is open (through checking his torrent app, don't let him look at the router), and then disable it again. Say that you opened it and the ISP must've blocked it again. From there you could take it to the next level. Then say you called the ISP and they suspected "business level activity" and suggested that you upgrad to the next tier of service, but that there is no way for you to pay a penny more for it. Have him pay the difference of the upgrade, and then you won't have to care what he does with the connection (if you don't truly care), and you won't feel bad about asking him nicely to limit download/upload speeds during the day, or when you using the net.
Even though I don't think you should feel bad asking him that now, "Hey man, I don't want to be a dick, but I was downloading some **** (for school/work) and it's going really slow. If you have any torrents going, could you please limit them to half speed, or pause them (for a few hours) or until tonight? That would be cool, thanks."
or you could tell him - hey, i need my pron tonight, i am fresh out. don't deny a man his pron lifeblood. it is a cardinal sin according to the universal man-rules.
I know my suggestion is a bit too in depth, but I actually could have gone on. My mind is full of useless information and I can conjure up any ridiculous excuse to cover any number of George Costanza situations.
I assumed he would have tried that first. I actually leave notes on all of my neighbors doors with that info because we all use cable in the area.
I assumed he would have tried that first. I actually leave notes on all of my neighbors doors with that info because we all use cable in the area.
