Author Topic: Satellite WinMX blocking? (Read 2054 times)

flstf · « **on:** October 21, 2006, 05:10:40 am »

I have used WinMX for about 4 years with Direcway (now Hughes) satellite service with good results mostly on the openNap networks. I have always logged on as secondary since my IP is not fixed. About 2 or 3 weeks ago it suddenly stopped working. From the Hughes message boards it seems like others are also having problems with some P2P programs for the last few weeks as well.

I have tried everything I can think of:
-Tried 2 different computers with different setups.
-Tried connecting the modem directly to the computers.
-Disabled all firewalls and internet protection.
-Ran latest virus and spyware software and scanned for errors.
-Removed and reinstalled WinMX (several different versions from 2.6 to the latest)

I have no problem connecting to openNap networks, doing searches and selecting files to download. Once the download starts, after about 15 seconds and 60KB or so, it just stops and times out after a minute or so. In other words the download starts and is almost immediately stopped by something.

If I put the file on auto-retry, the file will eventually connect again and get another 60KB or so, them stop and time out again. I can get a 5 MB file this way in a day or so. Something is killing the downloads soon after they start. I have no problem downloading files from the web in general though and can use SoulSeek with no problem.

The peer network connection seems to come and go. The few times it does connect file transfers all time out.

I notice on this forum that several other satellite users are also having problems with WinMX, but they did not say which provider they were using. Is there anyone having the same problems as me with their satellite service, especially Hughes, and did it just start in the last few weeks?

SamSeeSam · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2006, 06:25:14 am »

Your problems are all the result of your ISP blocking wnmx. The best solution to the problem then will be to change ISPs ...

flstf · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2006, 06:36:15 am »

SamSeeSam, thanks but you don't seem to understand the nature of the satellite internet business. The only people who use expensive satellite connections have no other choice because they live out in the country where the phone lines are bad and DSL and cable are unavailable. The cost is easily twice that of other services. I would change ISP's in a heartbeat if available.

Bearded Blunder · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2006, 07:47:01 am »

satellite providers have to pay more for bandwidth than terestrial ones.. as a result they are far more likely to interfere with p2p traffic, truthfully for winmx out in the sticks you may be better on dialup than satellite.. unless you purchase a buisness package, in which case you'll pay for bandwidth directly by the GB & the provider will cease to care how you use it.. but such contracts, where available will be expensive.

flstf · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:24:29 am »

Thanks Bearded Blunder, I pay 89.99 per month for service now that has a 400 MB limit every 12 hours or so. I can't afford any more. The speed is pretty good about 1000 down and 200 up, if they are blocking WinMX then they just started a few weeks ago.

KM · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:46:22 am »

It costs them millions to get a satellite in to orbit, and satellites have very slow connections due to the unreliability and slow data rate of radio connections (due to interference) and that reasonably slow connection is for all customers, so if you actually use it then they can't get nearly as many customers connected - it costs more because they have much higher costs, but for that much higher cost they have very limited bandwidth available, and therefore have a very strong temptation to block p2p clients that will use a lot of it

it costs millions for a satellite, then millions more to get it in to orbit (although prices are coming down it is still damn expensive!) - compare that to the cost of a few workmen and a few tools to dig up the road and lay a cable, and a cable has much more bandwidth

Me Here · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2006, 11:32:57 am »

Hi flstf

I cant tell exactly what companies either that are doing this but I can confirm that we have seen more then usual of satellite customers in the help rooms of late with this type of problem. Unfortunately there is not good answer or cure other then like Sam said another ISP, the fact is I hear what your saying about the service being all you can get in that area and that being the nature of Satellite service.. Shaw cable did this too not so recently and when it started it was almost exclusively customers that are basically held hostage like yourself, unable to get any other service then them..

The Software they use to perform this throttling as we call it used to be port sensitive however most ISPs are now using Software that is packet sensitive and until a new WinMX client is made that can encrypt that packet there is not a cure..

We do still recommend you experiment with port changes however because thats cheap and easy enough to try.. you may get lucky with some.

flstf · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2006, 12:19:43 pm »

Hello, Me Here,

I just ordered an upgrade that includes a static IP address instead of dynamic like I have now. When I receive it I will try some port forwarding etc...with different numbers but I suspect it will not help with WinMX. It may help with setting up FTP which some of us are considering using to trade files.

As these ISP's continue to oversell their bandwidth I think the blocking of P2P's will get worse. We will all prpbably have to use encrypted packets before too long, for other reasons as well. Do you know if anyone is working on a WinMX client that will include this feature?

KM · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2006, 08:43:44 pm »

encryption makes no difference, the winmx protocols which are encrypted are easily blocked (although they typically only mess with file transfers which are not encrypted, some do mess with the network connections which are encrypted, trivial to do), they don't identify traffic by seeing "oh look this is a message in the winmx protocol with a username and a filename and such and such", they do it by identifying fixed features in a protocol, normally the handshake that clients use to identify each other... basically clients have to use a certain protocol to communicate, that is a fixed common language, they just identify that language in the same way that the other clients do, and start blocking