BitComet contacts POP3 server?

BitComet BitComet General Discussion
1

Hello, I’ve installed BitComet 0.70 a couple of days ago with AVG free antivirus also. AVG pops up showing it is contacting a POP3 server, but I haven’t set up any mail accounts on this machine. The log from AVG shows it is process 1564, which task manager confirms is BitComet. See the excerpt from the AVG log below, it looks like BitComet is trying to contact a specific IP address? This has happened about every hour today.

Does anyone know what this means?

6.11.2006 11:29:43 AutoPOP3(10110): Connection from process 1564

6.11.2006 11:29:43 AutoPOP3(10110): Connection from 127.0.0.1:3153

6.11.2006 11:29:44 AutoPOP3(10110): Client connected

6.11.2006 11:29:49 AutoPOP3(10110): Cannot connect to xx-xx-xx-xxx.dsl.pipex.com:110

6.11.2006 11:29:49 AutoPOP3(10110): Connect: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. (10061)

6.11.2006 11:29:49 AutoPOP3(10110): Client disconnected

6.11.2006 11:30:32 AutoPOP3(10110): Connection from process 1564

6.11.2006 11:30:32 AutoPOP3(10110): Connection from 127.0.0.1:3206

6.11.2006 11:30:32 AutoPOP3(10110): Client connected

6.11.2006 11:30:32 AutoPOP3(10110): Connection from process 1564

6.11.2006 11:30:32 AutoPOP3(10110): Connection from 127.0.0.1:3208

6.11.2006 11:30:32 AutoPOP3(10110): Client connected

6.11.2006 11:30:36 AutoPOP3(10110): Cannot connect to xx-xx-xx-xxx.dsl.pipex.com:110

6.11.2006 11:30:36 AutoPOP3(10110): Connect: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. (10061)

6.11.2006 11:30:36 AutoPOP3(10110): Client disconnected

6.11.2006 11:30:36 AutoPOP3(10110): Cannot connect to xx-xx-xx-xxx.dsl.pipex.com:110

6.11.2006 11:30:36 AutoPOP3(10110): Connect: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. (10061)

6.11.2006 11:30:36 AutoPOP3(10110): Client disconnected

2

Why are you suprised that bit comet is connecting to IP addresses? This is exactly what its designed to do.

Or is it the failed connections you are asking about?

3

Ok, not sure, why would it be using port 110??

Is this normal then? I thought 110 was reserved for POP3 traffic. If BitComet uses this port do incoming mail scanners such as AVG need to be disabled?

4

I’m not really sure what this connection attempt is. Or why it would be on this port.

I suggest you wait till our support people have a look.

My only thought is bit commet is going to be making countless connections, and its normal for some to be not able to connect.

Suspect

5

This is just someone who set Bitcomet’s port to 110. They may have their reasons and it shouldnt cause any problems unless you, or something between you and them, is blocking certain traffic on that port.

6

Thanks both for your replies. I understand a little more about how BitComet works now!

7

There is nothing in the Configuration dialogs pertaining to port 110, yet this program initiates connections to this port on a regular basis. Additionally the Russian address that is being contacted does not correspond to a single listed peer, and these connections persist without an active torrent (I will double check this after my current torrent finishes)

So, what is going on with the Bitcomet program? Needless to say, regular contact to a Russian address (even if it is a known open Proxy server) is not comforting. Of course I have blocked this address and the program continues to function properly.

There appears to be something odd happening that needs to be disclosed.

Thanks

8

Nothing odd happening. It just that someone has set Bitcomet to use port 110.

A port is a port, it doesnt care what traffic is flowing on it, though a firewall might.

port 110 is generally used for POP3 traffic, but it could just as easily be used for anything else.

If the connections persist even without an active torrent this tells me that you have the DHT Network enabled.

If you dont have the DHT Network enabled and you are not downloading any torrents then I would be worried.

9

I assure you that I have not configured bitcomet to use Port 110. I have examined each and every config page, looking for a possible explaination. This port 110 connection is always to the same russian proxy server.

I will try to get a data dump of the traffic later this week and I will post any interesting results.

Thanks

10

Hi. Looks like I missed this the first time around. These AVG pop3 alerts are caused by a peer that is using port 110 and has nothing to do with my system. Ahhhhhhhhh, the poor guy and I was blocking him for a few days.

Thanks

11

This is always amuseing. Other clients (like µTorrent) have set their clients to not use this port just because of the problems that some security software have.