optimum number of torrents

[arieshifman]

is there an optimum number of torrents that should be downloaded at the same time?

How does one go about deciding how many torrents to activate Simultaneously?

Thanks in advance

Arie S

[greywizard]

Well, it depends on your upload speed. The thing is that your upload bandwidth is divided between the active tasks (seeding and dowloading as well) at anytime (although not always evenly). Now, due to the bittorrent protocol's nature, the smaller your upload speed is the less desirable as a trading peer you are regarded by the other clients.

As far as I've seen there is a rather general consent that you shouldn't let you upload speed get below 8kBps per active torrent (if anyone knows better feel free to correct me).

For example, for a DSL connection of 384kbps (upload speed) you could do the math like this: 384kbps = 46kBps. 46kBps x 0.8 = 37kBps (this should be the general limit for upload speed you set in your BitTorrent client to save some bandwidth for TCP/IP overhead). Now, if you divide that by 8kBps you will get a rough maximum of 4 tasks at a time. But you will probably want to go with 3 or even 2 at a time in order to have a chance at better download speeds.

You should take this as a mere guideline, feel free to tweak and experiment to see what works best for you.

Edited August 12, 2009 by greywizard (see edit history)

[kluelos]

Please remember that your seeding tasks (you ARE continuing to seed after your download is finished, until you've given back at least as much as you've taken, aren't you?) also need to be included in the number.

Perhaps the easiest empircal way to do this is to start one seeding task and one download task running, let them go for a while, then look at their upload speeds. If they are comfortable (well above 8 KB/s), then you can try adding another task, let it run for a while, and check the up speeds on all of them again. If any have now dropped below 8, then your connection can't support so many. OTOH, if they're all still good, you can try adding another task and see what happens.

You'll soon have a sense for how many tasks your connection can reliably support.

[arieshifman]

Please remember that your seeding tasks (you ARE continuing to seed after your download is finished, until you've given back at least as much as you've taken, aren't you?) also need to be included in the number.

Perhaps the easiest empircal way to do this is to start one seeding task and one download task running, let them go for a while, then look at their upload speeds. If they are comfortable (well above 8 KB/s), then you can try adding another task, let it run for a while, and check the up speeds on all of them again. If any have now dropped below 8, then your connection can't support so many. OTOH, if they're all still good, you can try adding another task and see what happens.

You'll soon have a sense for how many tasks your connection can reliably support.

Thanks very much.

Arie S.

[arieshifman]

Please remember that your seeding tasks (you ARE continuing to seed after your download is finished, until you've given back at least as much as you've taken, aren't you?) also need to be included in the number.

Perhaps the easiest empircal way to do this is to start one seeding task and one download task running, let them go for a while, then look at their upload speeds. If they are comfortable (well above 8 KB/s), then you can try adding another task, let it run for a while, and check the up speeds on all of them again. If any have now dropped below 8, then your connection can't support so many. OTOH, if they're all still good, you can try adding another task and see what happens.

You'll soon have a sense for how many tasks your connection can reliably support.

Thanks very much

Arie S.