Comcast filters BitTorrent traffic
The Associated Press news agency conducted an experiment to verify user claims that the provider Comcast is blocking some types of file-sharing traffic. For the test, it was decided to use the King James Version of the Bible (a translation of the Bible into English from 1611, approved by King James I, which is officially recognized by most Anglican churches in the United Kingdom and Protestant churches in the USA). The choice fell on the Bible because it is not protected by copyright, and the text file has a suitable size.
A reporter from AR tried using BitTorrent to download a Bible file from two computers in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Both of these PCs were connected to the Internet via Comcast cable modems. Two of the three attempts to download the Bible failed - the transfer was blocked. For the third time, file transfer began only after a ten-minute delay. When the journalist tried to send files requested by a large number of BitTorrent users, the connections were also blocked.
However, this problem does not affect all Comcast subscribers. In an experiment with a third computer located in Boston, the Bible file could not be used due to an error not related to the experiment. When the reporter attempted to transfer the widespread file, no obstacles arose, and the connection was not blocked.
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The Bible test was then repeated with three other Internet connections provided by the providers Time Warner Cable, Cablevision Systems, AT & T, and Cogent Communications Group. In the course of this experiment, there was also no interference with file sharing.
Somewhat earlier, the problem of blocking file sharing was detected and described by Comcast subscriber Robb Topolski. He also noted that the Canadian company Sandvine sells equipment that allows Internet providers to maintain channel width through management and redirection of file-sharing traffic. The president of BitTorrent Ashvin Navin said that the interference method is compatible with Sandvine technology, and Sandvine representatives refuse to comment on this topic. Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas did not confirm that the provider uses Sandvine equipment and said that the company rarely discloses the names of vendors and prefers not to dwell on network management processes for reasons of competition and to protect against network misuse.
Taken here .
A reporter from AR tried using BitTorrent to download a Bible file from two computers in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Both of these PCs were connected to the Internet via Comcast cable modems. Two of the three attempts to download the Bible failed - the transfer was blocked. For the third time, file transfer began only after a ten-minute delay. When the journalist tried to send files requested by a large number of BitTorrent users, the connections were also blocked.
However, this problem does not affect all Comcast subscribers. In an experiment with a third computer located in Boston, the Bible file could not be used due to an error not related to the experiment. When the reporter attempted to transfer the widespread file, no obstacles arose, and the connection was not blocked.
')
The Bible test was then repeated with three other Internet connections provided by the providers Time Warner Cable, Cablevision Systems, AT & T, and Cogent Communications Group. In the course of this experiment, there was also no interference with file sharing.
Somewhat earlier, the problem of blocking file sharing was detected and described by Comcast subscriber Robb Topolski. He also noted that the Canadian company Sandvine sells equipment that allows Internet providers to maintain channel width through management and redirection of file-sharing traffic. The president of BitTorrent Ashvin Navin said that the interference method is compatible with Sandvine technology, and Sandvine representatives refuse to comment on this topic. Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas did not confirm that the provider uses Sandvine equipment and said that the company rarely discloses the names of vendors and prefers not to dwell on network management processes for reasons of competition and to protect against network misuse.
Taken here .
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/15326/
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