Sometimes when I download I notice that it is trying to download from an IP address like 192.168.1.101. This IP address wont work on the internet will it?

If this is invalid, is there any way of preventing LimeWire from allowing hosts in that state they are using an invalid IP address?

Have you heard that there are spoof programs available to counteract LimeWire? They claim it's anti-piracy.

You can even download from those probably firewalled hosts. LimeWire sends them a message to establish a connection to you. The download will happen from the real IP address, though, so you probably won't recognize it.

How is it that the client can receive a message through the firewall if it can't establish a download? Most home (DSL/Cable) firewalls block all incoming ports unless the initial connect was established from inside the firewall.

I have yet to see even one 192.168.x.x clients ever work for me. Limewire should be picking up on the firewall IP address, not the client IP address. Hotline does it this way and it works great.

I have one of those routers that acts as a firewall, and I am able to upload, by forwarding my port. I still am concerned by how many tranfers are interrupted, but I see MP3's have tranferred 100% without a problem. Bigger files are ones that seem to get interrupted. I am trying to determine the best option.

There are several groups of IP addresses that, by design, do not route on the internet 10.x.x.x - 127.x.x.x - 192.x.x.x are some of those... some folks have devices that do NAT (Network Address Translation) which maintain the reserved addresses on the private side of the connection but use a valid IP on the public side... Netgear and Linksys are two manufacturers of such devices. These offer some firewall properties but are not true firewalls. Having one of these devices can create an issue with the owners' ability to upload to others. As one user stated they can work through the device by using port forwarding. In other cases where the end user cannot control the firewall actions, like on a business or campus LAN several P2P clients offer the ability to use a method referred to as a 'Push'. This is where a request is passed back to the firewalled user and the firewalled client initiates the upload as opposed to the other way around... Pushing the upload rather than responding directly. Real firewalls often have a trusted side (the private side) and a non-trusted side... non-trusted (the public side) are not allowed to open a port for activity... but the internal user can sometimes do so. I know Shareaza supports pushing and I am certain others do too but I am not sure about Limewire.

hi- i am hoping one of you geniuses can help a girl who just wants to download some mp3s. i use a time warner/roadrunner cable modem and believe that they have suddenly discovered that i am connecting to a p2p because all of my downloads now fail. (i connect initially and begin downloading and then suddenly they all start failing.) what type of firewall can i install to keep them from seeing what ports i am connecting to but will still allow me to download/upload? (if this will solve the problem that is.) do you know anything about Zone Alarm Pro 3? also, what if i connect through linksys? then they shouldn't be able to see right? thanks so much!

A firewall will not keep your ISP from seeing what ports you are using, that information has to pass through their system and is part of each communication ... the firewall is a tool to keep unauthorized folks from accessing your computer ...

thanks for your reply, but do you have any advice on how i should handle this so i can start downloading again? i would really appreciate the help.