Good job TankGirl
Of equal importance in the issue of file sharing on the internet is the phenomena of upload clogging. This happens when your uploads, those files leaving your computer and going out to the internet, reach speeds that approach your ISP provided limits. The result becomes an inability to continue your downloads and your filesharing effectively stops. It usually leads to an actual disconnection.
When you download a file, your pc needs to send info BACK to the place the file's coming from to tell it that everything's ok and to keep the file coming. I call it "error correction backwash" and it happens with every download. Without it, no downlaod can continue. So, if you allow your uploaders to take all your bandwidth, you won't have any left over for your own downloads! It becomes critical then to set your upload bandwidth limit to well under what your ISP has provided.
Here are some guidelines - you should set it to less than the following if you have:
Dial up < 32 or half your modem speed if less than 56k.
ADSL <100.
Cable 30% below your system upload speed or 60% below if your area experiences frequent speed drops due to line sharing.
Here's how to find the speed settings for some popular file sharing apps:
In Morpheus go to: Tools | Options | Advanced. Click up/down arrows in Window.
In WinMx go to: Bandwidth and multiply the above figures X 100. Enter in Window.
In Bearshare go to: Uploads, Check "Kbps limit" & enter figure in window.
In Gnucleus go to : Edit | Prefrences | Bandwidth.
In instances where the program does not allow you to pick a specific limit, choose the next lowest.
If you follow this advice when starting out, you'll find you'll have less disconnects and more files transfered both outbound and inbound. As you become more experienced and comfortable with your particular system these guidelines may become more flexible.
- js.