Maybe all the users with that file are on dialup connections, with uploads, and downloads running.

There is no doubt that the Gnutella system less efficient than a server or supernode based system. That weakness, however, is also a strength because of the lack of infrastructure it is nearly impossible to shut down and there are no infrastrure costs.

So Napster was more efficient but it also was targeted and killed off. Sometimes efficientcy comes with a different price.

Higher bandwidth users are less likely to notice this problem than lower bandwidth users and at 15k/s for uploads, you're not exactly burning up the rubber.

Perhaps you should consider switching to cable if they are about the same price in your area. At least my uploads go to 50k/s or so.

I know of people in different areas which have a higher upload speed, almost 3x as fast. So, it's possible to have higher speeds in DSL lines - just not where I'm at. As for my DSL line, I like the consistent speeds it gives me. (I think that a cable connection couldn't give me that due to it's nature)

However, I think the best solution would be to have the client respect the settings that the users sets. For instance, If I set it to use a max of X KB/s, it should. I could then limit the bandwidth up to have better download speeds. (Right?)

No. ADSL uses different frequencies for upload and download. If you were uploading a file at your maximum capacity, not one bit of your available download bandwidth would be used. Open it us so others can get a better download speed.

"No. ADSL uses different frequencies for upload and download. If you were uploading a file at your maximum capacity, not one bit of your available download bandwidth would be used. Open it us so others can get a better download speed."

This is not true. The main problem with, for example, a 512/64 ADSL connection, is that when you are uploading you almost can't download because the acknowledgement packeged can't be uploaded as fast as they should be. This is expecially a problem with the dutch ADSL mxstream. So when I am uploading my download speed decreases considerably. So, you are true if you're speaking at the lowest hardware levels of the ADSL technolegy, but at the ATM and TCP/IP level there is a lot needed overhead for uploading files. Since the upload speed isn't that high your download speed is suffering very much when you are uploading a file.

Exactly.

Not true for TDSL (ADSL from german Telekom).
Here the upload stream is split from download stream.

Maybe my situation is different for some odd reason. I have my setting at max. The highest out going rate I've witnessed from my computer is 75% of my upstream capacity. That leaves 25% for Xolox and ACKs, general overhead, etc. When someone with a good pipe pulls files from me, I see no performance loss in my downloads. My download speed remains the same. I'm leaving my setting at max so someone can get a file if they need it. I'd rather have them in and out in a few minutes than have them nibble at me for three days.

I guess it might just depend on your ISP... I know for mine, at max, my downloads are very slow. As soon as I limit the bandwith up, my downloads accelerate...but not to a point that i'm happy with.