The answer to what is causing the file transfer slowdown is easy, the fix may not be. The Internet is being flooded with bogus or false “HOSTS”. These ”hosts” are doing several things to disrupt P2P sharing, 1st is to flood net with false or corrupt files, (I’ve seen this myself, & will explain how later) 2nd is to position there “hosts” on the net in such a way that the P2P data flows though their server. In this way they are able identify those “addresses” sharing files and to slow down, miss direct, delay and interrupt data to those addresses. These false hosts must be well financed as I’ve found many operating from T1 and T3 connections, but also cable and DSL. I know that they are frauds because I was able to browse their shared files. These “hosts” often shared in excess of three thousand files. With many copies of the same titled song by the same artist with only minor variation in listing or the file size.

I learned this because for many years I’ve have been using WinMX.
WinMX doesn’t show the address where you’re getting the file from, just a screen name. But I could always ”browse” that person’s files list, and then decided if that is where I wanted to get the file. This method worked well for avoiding corrupt files. And once I started transferring a file, I got it. Be it several days later. Files often started to transfer at 40+k/s and would end days later at .6k/s. Also with WinMX you could see your bandwidth being flooded with static. Making file searches a waste of my time. Changing my port setting helped for a day or so, but when a week passed with no transfers either way, I switch to LineWire.

This was great, but for only a week or so. And with no other changes to my system my file transfer crashed. My system configuration is no slouch. I’m running XP Pro with sp2, with Zone Alarm (free) though a Linksys router to Verizon DSL tested to over 600k/s. I have 1gig of RAM and two 200 gigabits hard drives. When I first switched to LimeWire I was able to download four files simultaneously each at speeds exceeding 45k/s, Today I’m luckily if I can get one file at speeds exceeding 4k/s.

Two more things, My ISP is “Verizon DSL”. They refused to be bullied by the file sharing Gestapo, so when ordered to hand over clients names. They went to court and won. So then I was told that Verizon doesn’t filter their service. I believe. Also I learned this from a source that I trust.

Lastly, I believe that the bogus “hosts” are masking their addresses. This is just an observation in an area I’m not well versed in. However when I checked the addresses of forty some files. I observed every address was different, BUT the extension was almost always the same. (Nine time out of ten) (204.95.128.6:6349 - 68.6.219.47:6349 - 24.210.88.77:6349 – xxx.xx.xxx.xx:6349 – 172.155.27.193:6349 – 292.14.455.66:6349 – est.) Just a coincident? I think not!