download speed variations

I have noticed vast and unpredictable variations in download speed, particularly with large (500 meg+) files. Smaller files seem to scream down with speeds approaching or exceeding 200. I can remain connected to a constant number of hosts for the duration of the transfer and everything runs very smoothly, indeed.

All this changes when I try to get a large file. Let me give you an example.Earlier this evening, I started a download of a large .avi file. At first, I was connected to six or seven of the 300 hosts that had the file. It was coming down at a respectable 75-90. Within about 20 minutes, I was down to two hosts, and speeds had plummeted to maybe 2. I re-entered the search, and again came up with over 300 hosts, but I wasn't connecting to any of them. It stayed at that slow speed, despite the assurance that there were hundreds of what HAD to be better connections available.

This was while I was connected to about 30 peers and an equal number of leaves. I have tweaked this program in every way possible over the last few days. I've tried every combination of upload slots, bandwidth adjustments, force resumes, ultrapeer en/dis-abling, everything I can think of. About 20 minutes ago, all of a sudden, it's coming down at 45. And I didn't do a damn thing.

This is driving me crazy! If there is no adequate explanation, could one of the more experienced users please post a fail-safe combination of settings specifically optimised for large file downloads? Please? Like, soon?

sounds like your set-up is fine, and you are seeing the results of many computers all participating in getting that file shared

if many hosts are sharing a file (or a piece of it), LW will download from the fastest hosts that have the next piece you request.

So, looks like many are asking for pieces, and a slow host has the whole file. When one of the other fast hosts gets a piece, they share it and your dl jumps.

If you have tooltips turned on, hover the pointer over the file name and see how the hosts are behaving.