I've run out of ideas

[drwedge]

I have been trying for several weeks to get Limeware working on my home PC, here is the scenario and my setup -

Limeware worked fine until a few weeks ago, since then its usually just the single bar. We have two PC's in different rooms directed through the same router, on the other PC accessing Limewire has never been a problem, so it cant be the router or my ISP causing the problem. Its a BT voyager 2100 wireless router, my PC is cable connected, the other PC uses wireless. It is an up to 8 mb broadband connection.

Both PC's have the Limewire listening port set to 44718, both are XP, both have the Windows firewall switched on but no other firewalls loaded. My PC is the newer and much higher spec one -
1 gb ram, 160 gb spare disk.

I am using Limewire version 4.13.0, Java 1.5.0_09.

The test you suggest worked.

My big frustration is that on some occasions when I have tried Limewire over the last few week it has connected fine - a 5 bar connection. But then it just gradually winds down and stops, takes anything from 5 mins to an hour two. Usually though it just wont connect at all.

Any suggestions would be very welcome. I have been working on the assumption that something on my PC is blocking the connection (I get the Limewire message that it is the firewall causing blocking, I have also set up incoming and outgoing exceptions in the firewall), but I cant find anything that would do so.

Thanks

[Lord of the Rings]

1. Try changing the listening port. Ones to try between 49152 - 65535 or perhaps trying 64049.

2. Try port forwarding a separate port for each. To port forward, you'd need to do a separate & different port from each computer. Check under BT in far left column http://www.portforward.com/routers.htm It's at least an option.

[drwedge]

I will try your suggestions.

[drwedge]

I set up port forwarding as suggested. For a few days I got a 5 bar connection but during this time I only got one track to download as I whatever I tried I kept getting the 'need more sources' message.

Also a few times tracks did start to download but I never got a speed faster than 3 kb/s.

Today I started Limewire and am back to square one, I cant connect and the message is that I have no Internet connection or the firewall is blocking connectivity. Nothing has changed and my Internet connection is fine.

Any other suggestions would be welcome, I dont understand what is going on at all.

Thanks.

[Lord of the Rings]

Who is your ISP by the way? Could you try to download a magnet link as an experiment to see how fast you get: http://www.magnetmix.com/video.shtml
Tell us what happens in regards to speed, connection, etc.

For downlding music, see the tips here How to find music

Edit: oops sorry I forgot you can't connect. Try deleting your LW Preferences folder whilst LW is closed; instructions here: Point #2 & 3 in Fixes for Limewire (sample image included at bottom of page.) Then next time you open LW you'll be requested to set up all options again. So make a note of them before deleting your LW prefs folder. You'll also need to reset your connection options such as Manual port forward instructions & sample image. But use the port you port forwarded with.

BTW sometimes it's better to set LW to open without connecting, then manually connect after 5-10 mins by choosing Connect under File menu. To do this if you want to try, the option is Tools>Options>Connections & choose not to connect on start up.

[drwedge]

Thanks for the reply.

Bizarrely in the last half an hour or so LW has decided to connect and I now have 5 bars again, still cant get anything to download though.

I will download a magnet link as suggested. My ISP is Plus Net, I got them to put in writing to me that they are not blocking the Gnutella netework.

[Lord of the Rings]

Ahh ... now that's most likely the problem!!! That's why you're getting unreliable results. See Plus net mentioned here & any tips described: ISP's known to BLOCK or Filter p2p or specifically Limewire. I just had a quick look & it's ports they generally block. The port range suggested has worked for some but not for all.

[drwedge]

I could not download the magnet at all, it went straight to the 'need more sources' message in LW.

So it looks like Plus Net have not been entirely truthful with me, I am planning to move ISP anyway in the new year as they can not even deliver email reliably.

I will try the port range suggested. Can you explain why I get 5 bar connection quality but still cant download anything, is this because of something my ISP is doing?

Thanks.

[Lord of the Rings]

We only know what's reported to us. And our 1st suggestions are always to try changing port. Because port blocking is generally the 1st step ISP's will try. However they may well be using a specialised program that detects p2p programs & stops/bandwidth shapes them. eg: sandvine : http://www.sandvine.com/products/p2p_element.asp & a few others (b) http://www.ipp2p.org/docu_en.html,
(c) http://www.p-cube.com/new_solutions/traffic_P2P.shtml, (d) http://www.ispreview.co.uk/ispnews/a...03/arc15.shtml