Protocol Encryption - Worth Doing Or Not?

krokodyle · #1 2007-10-03, 05:11 PM

So apparently the rumor is that even if you're using Encryption, ISPs like Comcast are able to figure it out and act accordingly. So I was wondering if it's worth enabling it or not? Do many people here at TTD have it on? It's my understanding that if you enable it, you are only able to connect to people using the same protocol. And if it's now become easily defeat-able, then what's the point in using it?

Currently, my uTorrent is set for Outgoing: Disabled, and to Allow Incoming Legacy Connections.

U2Lynne · #2 2007-10-03, 05:44 PM

It's worth trying if you are having problems torrenting because of your ISP.

vanark · #3 2007-10-03, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krokodyle

So apparently the rumor is that even if you're using Encryption, ISPs like Comcast are able to figure it out and act accordingly. So I was wondering if it's worth enabling it or not? Do many people here at TTD have it on? It's my understanding that if you enable it, you are only able to connect to people using the same protocol. And if it's now become easily defeat-able, then what's the point in using it?

Currently, my uTorrent is set for Outgoing: Disabled, and to Allow Incoming Legacy Connections.

Comcast has been sandvining me for 10 months and I have much less trouble with encryption enabled. In fact, as long as there are other encrypted peers in the swarm, I have no troubles. So, I'm not sure what "act accordingly" by Comcast means.

And, if you have it enabled, but allow legacy connections, you won't be restricted to whom you connect. If you connect to others with encryption enabled, you'll have an encrypted connection. Otherwise not.

I have to disagree a bit with Lynne on this. Even if you aren't having trouble, if you enable encryption, you will be able to connect to those peers that are being affected by the Sandvining or other techniques being used by ISP's to discourage bit torrent activity. For example, even if you are not having trouble, I can only seed to you if you enable encryption. If you don't, I can't seed to you.

direwolf-pgh · #4 2007-10-03, 07:06 PM

always use encryption

krokodyle · #5 2007-10-03, 08:24 PM

Well, no, I'm not having trouble with my ISP. But I'm wondering if it's an either/or situation: if it's enabled, can I only connect to other users who have it enabled? Or can I connect to users who do not have it enabled?

vanark · #6 2007-10-03, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krokodyle

Well, no, I'm not having trouble with my ISP. But I'm wondering if it's an either/or situation: if it's enabled, can I only connect to other users who have it enabled? Or can I connect to users who do not have it enabled?

as I said...

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanark

if you have it enabled, but allow legacy connections, you won't be restricted to whom you connect.

U2Lynne · #7 2007-10-03, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanark

I have to disagree a bit with Lynne on this. Even if you aren't having trouble, if you enable encryption, you will be able to connect to those peers that are being affected by the Sandvining or other techniques being used by ISP's to discourage bit torrent activity.

I did not realize this and it may explain why every once in a while I hop on to try to seed to a single leecher and we never connect up. I know I'm not firewalled, so I never understood why it wouldn't work. But, since I don't use encryption, that may explain why we weren't connecting.

Thanks for the info!

krokodyle · #8 2007-10-04, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U2Lynne

I did not realize this and it may explain why every once in a while I hop on to try to seed to a single leecher and we never connect up. I know I'm not firewalled, so I never understood why it wouldn't work. But, since I don't use encryption, that may explain why we weren't connecting.

I've had that issue as well sometimes, but I thought it had more to do with having DHT disabled. Could this be a reason why it happens?

At least I'm clear on the encryption thing. Thanks for all of the info. And yes, I also use PG for added safety.

U2Lynne · #9 2007-10-04, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krokodyle

I've had that issue as well sometimes, but I thought it had more to do with having DHT disabled. Could this be a reason why it happens?

At least I'm clear on the encryption thing. Thanks for all of the info. And yes, I also use PG for added safety.

DHT allows you to bypass the tracker and still connect to other users on the torrent. So, you may end up connecting to users who are banned from this tracker for some reason or who aren't a member of this tracker or connect to a torrent that was removed from this tracker. If they show up on the list of Peers here, then it is not the first two reasons. If there is no list of Peers (because the torrent was pulled) and you are still on the torrent, then it is the last reason. No stats credit will be given to you when you are bypassing the tracker in this way since the tracker is what gives you stats credit.

krokodyle · #10 2007-10-04, 03:44 PM

I don't have DHT enabled on my client. I've finally got a decent ratio at TTD so I'm not going to mess that up! Dime is another story, it's going to take me forever to get back to normal...

I've also read that enabling DHT is a safety issue, that your "key" to a particular tracker can get obtained by someone else?

Anyhow, cheers on this thread. Lots of good info.