ip filtering (PG2, protowall, BC internal w/ ipfilter.dat)

[flexy123]

i was downloading a torrent from a very known site....and i noted a HUGE list of peers with basically the same IP range on one torrent. eg 123.123.123.xxx:port...he was downloading/seeding etc....and i could link this IP to a very suspicios company.

So...i got my protowall, checked out peerguardian, also got me the latest ipfilter.dat which i d/l with blocklist-manager.

All the programs i was testing seperately and they all used the same blacklists (different formats tho).

When i use PG2 or protowall the packets are blocked, but i STILL see the bad IP-range in BC as listed "peers"...although he is unable to connect anymore.

When i use BC with the option "use ipfilter.dat" and i use the ipfilter.dat, the "bad" peer is not even shown in BC at all anymore.

What does that mean ?

---> How does IP filtering from withing BC (with ipfilter.dat) differ from using a tool like PeerGuardian or Protowall ?

For me it just looks "safer" that the bad peers are not shown at all now...so i dont use PG2/Protowall. As is my understanding all peers-info is gotten from the tracker...or is it that BC just makes the peers "invisible" in the peer-list because it knows they're bad ? (And basically the blocking is the same as i would use PG2 or PW ?)

Also....is there a way to delete the comments in the ipfilter.dat (at the end)....to make it a little smaller ?

thanks

[kluelos]

PeerGuardian blocks any attempts to communicate with banned peersm where ipFilter prevents the application from trying to communicate with them in the first place.

BC gets its peerlist from the tracker and/or via DHT. If BadPeer is on the list, then BC may try to communicate with it.

1: BadPeer is on PG's list, so PG will block attempts to communicate with BadPeer, and if BadPeer tries to connnect, PG will block that. BC can try all it wants, it ain't getting through. It will give up pretty quickly.

2:BadPeer is listed in the ipFilter list, so BC will not show BadPeer, or try to communicate with it, or accept communications with it.

Both are effective. I like the PG approach because it applies to all communication, not just BC, so I don't have to export my list separately for BC, µtorrent, eMule, Azureus, plus other P2P programs I use or may try in the future which may not support ip filtering. I also don't have to remember to update ipFilter's list, then export it all over the system.

[Dark_Shroud]

To sum it up just use PG2 and you'll have less work with the same level of protection that auto updates. B)

Just don't use Bluetack's blocklists. Those things are obscenely bloated. :glare:

[flexy123]

To sum it up just use PG2 and you'll have less work with the same level of protection that auto updates. B)

Just don't use Bluetack's blocklists. Those things are obscenely bloated. :glare:

any links for an alternative block-list ? I dont want to download the first best one from mysterious sources....with bluetack at least i know its good.

Yes..bloated...for sure..i also want to get rid of the comments, or just get a more compact list.

(Mine is 9MB)

Problem is BC slows down A LOT with that list loaded (in ipconfig.dat)...and i experience serious lag while playing while BC is running...also HIGH CPU usage up to 40%.

Yes i know PG2/protowall etc block everything on system//driver level...but then i figured the method with BC/ipfilter.dat is more transparent...in this case i just wnated to block bittorrent stuff. But i will try to switch to PG2 again i guess.

[Dark_Shroud]

The best way to set up PG2 without a lot of bloat is this. During the install process you'll get an option to choose lists from PG (they are very good lists, almost the same as bluetacks minus stupidity.). Select these three lists, p2p, ads, & spyware. You only need to select gov if you're in a communist country. Edu ranges should not be blocked because you're blocking dorm rooms as well.

You'll find performance with PG2 quite good as long as you leave the HTTP block off.