My Bandwidth Is Having A N.D.E.

efective · Post by **efective** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:04 pm

Hey Guys!

First of all, I’m sort of a newbie to Newsgroups.

For the past few months I’ve been using the News Reader Grabbit. I mastered that and I understood how it worked. I was reading on the Net about the different News Readers and Usenet Explorer proved to be popular; I bought the software and downloaded it.

I followed the Getting Started guide – I added my server, downloaded my Newsgroup List and subscribed to a handful of Newsgroups.

Downloading the Headers were fine but (here is my problem); when I got to download Articles, at the bottom of the screen where it says Bandwidth, it goes from 207 KB/S to 53 KB/S to 0 KB/S; it remains on 0 for ages and then for a short burst it goes back to 207 then 53 . . . . . at this rate I’m not going to be able to download anything. Please help.

I’ve had a look around this Forum . . . . no, the Pause button is not pressed just in case some suggests that.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks

jaapf · Post by **jaapf** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:52 am

Hi, that's not very nice!

It sounds like a virusscanner, of firewall causing problems.
Have running those? And if so, which?

efective · Post by **efective** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:52 pm

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have two such programmes running:

Anti-Virus - Kaspersky
Spyware (plus it acts as a Network and Program Firewall) - Zone Alarm

I thought it might be these so I turned them off for a one minute only but the same Bandwidth cycle kept happening. Should I turn them off completely when using Usenet Explorer? Could it be anything else?

Thanks

Josef K · Post by **Josef K** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:02 pm

How many connections do you have to your server(s)? Check that Properties->Servers->Max tasks is set to something reasonably high (find out how many simultaneous connections your server allows). A usual amount is 8 connections. Also, check Properties->Tasks->Total tasks is set high enough as well. It sounds like a case where maybe even if you've set a high enough number of tasks that your server might only allow one or two. In which case there will be a delay while the current article finishes and UE queries the server for the next article. That could explain the pauses although you only mention 'ages' and not a specific or accurate length of time which could help someone here make a better guess.

You might want to try running UE (even a trial version) using the default settings from another computer with a different ISP connection. It may be that your ISP throttles NNTP as some do with things like P2P. Try to rule out your ISP by using another if you're able to. You can also try another server but that would probably involve payment but there are some around that allow a few day's trial which would be enough for you to test some more.

Also, configure your antivirus software to exclude your database directory, specifically the Bodies directory.

efective · Post by **efective** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:56 pm

Thanks for the guidance Josef K.

I haven’t made any of the changes you’ve recommended just yet . . . . after giving you this information I’m hoping you can best advise me.

How many connections do I have to my server?

Max Tasks = 3

How many connections does my server allow?

My server is Usenet-News. They say I can have up to 8 simultaneous connections, total, to their servers.

Question = Should I change Max Tasks to 8?

What is my Total Tasks setting?

Total Tasks = 40

Question = Should I reduce the number in the Total Tasks box? What would you suggest?

I haven’t made any changed to my Anti-Virus software just yet, I’d like to change the above settings first and see if they work.

Thanks Guys!

Josef K · Post by **Josef K** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:45 pm

efective wrote:How many connections do I have to my server?

Max Tasks = 3

How many connections does my server allow?

My server is Usenet-News. They say I can have up to 8 simultaneous connections, total, to their servers.

Question = Should I change Max Tasks to 8?

This depends on your connection speed. If you have a decently fast connection, then definitely put it on 8. A decent connection that would handle 8 simultaneous connections would be 1MB or above. You should use however many tasks your connection speed and computer can handle. The reasoning for this is that sometimes articles can get hung up during download. If you have another few threads running then the bandwidth will be used up while the hung thread is thinking about whether or not to continue or until it times out and retries. If you only have 3 tasks set to run and one or two are hung up on articles then that one remaining task will not find it easy to fill the bandwidth.

efective wrote:What is my Total Tasks setting?

Total Tasks = 40

Question = Should I reduce the number in the Total Tasks box? What would you suggest?

Total tasks is the number allowed for all types of connections that UE instigates. This means that it could allow the 8 connections to download articles from your server plus 32 more available connections for header tasks, newsgroup list tasks, posting tasks and article tasks from other servers. You could set your server max tasks to 1000 if you wanted to but Total tasks will always override the server tab. Leaving it at 40 is good enough for what you have available to you.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that you should check to see what else is between your computer and your ISP. For instance, you might have a router which hasn't been rebooted in a while and could be clogged up. Your modem might also need a reboot. Sometimes rebooting everything can be the simplest way of fixing things instead of going in to change all the settings you might think are the culprits.

efective · Post by **efective** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:54 pm

Thanks once again!

I’ve made the changes: I changed Total Tasks to 50 (not 40) and changed Max Tasks to 8 and I switched off/on my router; after all that I noticed I was still having the same problem.

I turned of my Anti-Virus and my Spyware / Firewall and its working fine. Now my Bandwidth is between 18.5 – 20 KB/S. I have a 2.2 Meg connection so why am I getting a really slow download speed?

Question: Usenet-News has 3 servers; should I change to one of the others?

Thanks

Josef K · Post by **Josef K** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:39 pm

efective wrote:Question: Usenet-News has 3 servers; should I change to one of the others?

It might be possible that even though you are allowed 8 connections, you might be able to use them per server - not per account. Try adding the other servers, each with 8 connections and try running them together. If your NSP allows that, you will end up with 24 connections and you should max out your bandwidth easily as long as there are no other network issues. If you can use the full 24 connections over 3 servers then it will iron out any issues if one of them has a problem as the other two will take up any slack in the bandwidth. You may find that, at the moment, you could be using a server which has been hit by a storm or something else that could knock it partially offline. Check your NSP's status page for any issues.

Check on your router's config page (most likely http://192.168.0.1 but you'll also need a username and password to login) if you have something called Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI). If it's there (probably if it's a hardware firewall as well), turn it off and you should see some speed increase. If it's a wireless router, either make sure it's secured properly (someone could be piggybacking off your bandwidth) or turn off wireless altogether if you don't use it.

efective · Post by **efective** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:32 am

Josef K, I can’t thank you enough for the time and energy you’ve put in to help me out; it’s much appreciated.

With regards to having 8 connections to Usenet-News’ 3 servers’ well that is not possible, here’s what they say on the FAQ on their Website:

Q: How many simultaneous connections may I have to your servers? Can I connect from more than one IP?
A: You can use up to 8 simultaneous connections, total, to our servers. (Note: not 8 connections to each server simultaneously, the total number of connections to all servers may not at any time exceed 8.)
You may connect from different IPs, for example from your home and your office, but not simultaneously.

Here’s what I’ve done . . . I changed servers. I’m now using one in the USA instead of the EU one. That improved my speed little; I went from 20 KB/S to approximately 50 KB/S. I wasn’t happy with that speed as I felt it was too slow. So I changed the Port address and bingo!! I now get on average 200 KB/S but if fluctuates between 1.5 – 600 KB/S (I have seen it say 700 KB/S). It sometimes goes as low as 40 and 60 KP/S but that’s only for a second and then it jumps back up to 200 KB/S so I take it that’s normal? It does go to 0 KB/S sometimes but again that it is only for a like a second – is that normal? I’d like to add that I’m getting those speeds with my Anti-Virus and Firewall / Spyware protector on.

My Internet connection is up to 8MB but when I’ve done those Broadband Speed Test is comes out at about 1.5 – 2.2MB. So getting 600 KB/S is makes me happy!! Am I really getting 600 KB/S or am I misunderstanding it?

Questions: Is it possible to even out the KB/S – i.e. keep it at 500KB/S? Or keep it between 1500 KB/S and 800 KB/S?

Thanks for the help!

jaapf · Post by **jaapf** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:21 am

The problem is Kaspersky Antivirus.

By Default Kaspersky scans alle internet traffic, including traffic throug port 119 for NNTP. You can disable this in the options for internet scanning.

It's one of the reasons I stopped using Kaspersky.

Remember: disabling kaspersky (pausing) does not help!.

To disable the scan:
Properties - Service - Network Properties - Port settings

{above is a translation from dutch, so dont take the words te literally!}

Don't forget to restart your newsreader!

efective · Post by **efective** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 11:00 am

Jaapf,

It’s good that you’ve had experience with Kaspersky so you can help me out here.

On Usenet-Explorer, I changed my port from 119 to 443; this made a difference to my download speed. From your post, if understand correctly, I need to disable the scanning option for port 443 not 119 (because 443 is the port I am using) within Kaspersky - if I return to using port 119, then I need to disable the scanning for that port within Kaspersky.

Thanks for the help guys, hopefully I’m close to resolving this now . . . I owe you both a drink!

jaapf · Post by **jaapf** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:08 pm

Yep, that should do the trick (or disable more/all ports that don't have any danger in it).

Josef K · Post by **Josef K** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:15 pm

Another thing you can do to narrow down the problem is to keep an eye on Windows Task Manager. (Right-click on a blank area of your taskbar and select Task Manager.) If your AV program or anything else is anything other than at an idle (around 0-5%) CPU usage then you can see what is working while you're downloading. In Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and click the CPU column once then once again (not double-click). This will bring all the highest numbers to the top so you can see on the left which process name is wanting all the attention. AV software will jump up there as it works to scan anything that's downloaded or through any particular ports that are monitored.

jaapf · Post by **jaapf** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:30 pm

Generally that's true, but with KAV it's not.
Even though KAV takes some CPU usage, it's not alarming high.

I've been searching quite some time before I did debut this.
What led me to KAV was checking my networking moninor (I use Nelimiter 2). The internet speed given was about twice my maximum speed (or almost nothing), and KAV did have about the same speed as UE was reporting.

Thus, I finally realised it had to be KAV causing the problems. But even pausing realtime scanning did nog resolve it. KAV still kept giving high network speeds. So after some digging in the manual (I did not read it before , I am one of those "If i don't get it without reading, it's probably not worth the fuzz" guys) it led me to the "new feature" about scanning RAW incomming data. Which finally let met to resolve the issue rather quick, and deciding I should look for a bit lighter antivirus program (yes, KAV does tend to slow down the start-up of the PC quite a lot).

So now I am running AVG... And although it does not have the level of options KAV has, it does what it was intended to do so far...

Josef K · Post by **Josef K** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:54 pm

You're in a better position to advise someone on Kaspersky than I am - I've never used it. I use Symantec Corporate and, properly configured (even out of the box), it's what I'd recommend to anyone serious about protecting themselves. The only golden rule about AV is to steer clear of McAfee. However, that's what gets bundled with Dells and Dells are what people buy. Generally that helps to make my business good...

Another nasty to watch out for is Webroot Spy Sweeper. That is a major culprit for conflicting with AV software. It has a huge potential for clogging a system right down while it fights for control with the AV software.

One thing that hasn't been brought to attention is that the OP mentioned using GrabIt but didn't specify if it had the same kind of problems. If there's anything I can tell anyone, it's that UE will max your bandwidth if you give it the opportunity to do so. Many other news clients are rather inferior in this respect, whether or not they actually do the job. UE seems to have very little overhead and I suspect that's generally due to the tiny amount of resources it consumes while it works. The largest bottleneck while using UE tends to be hard drive speed while saving operations are being performed.