Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic

[gagquin]

Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic

Comcast Actively Hinders Subscribers' File-Sharing Traffic, AP Testing Shows

By PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK Oct 19, 2007 (AP)

Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online, a move that runs counter to the tradition of treating all types of Net traffic equally.

The interference, which The Associated Press confirmed through nationwide tests, is the most drastic example yet of data discrimination by a U.S. Internet service provider. It involves company computers masquerading as those of its users.

see the whole article

[myidisbb]

on it they are targeting certain p2p programs. slowing and worst yet, pretending to be the uploader user and his/her computer. as in telling the downloading coputer that the uploading computer hang up and is not online anymore. right/close to the end of the sent parts

[The Godfather]

I'm glad I have a Satelite. Even though it's more expensive and the latency is slow for some online games. They've came a long way and the new units have a way faster latency time then my model. My downloads are 1.5 Mb/s down approx 192 up. And I don't have to worry about land line IP's. Mines always switching, ie. very tough to trace if ya know what I mean :lol: I may be crazy but in this day and age I just don't trust them..

[myidisbb]

update

NEW YORK - To test claims by users that Comcast Corp. was blocking some forms of file-sharing traffic, The Associated Press went to the Bible.

An AP reporter attempted to download, using file-sharing program BitTorrent, a copy of the King James Bible from two computers in the Philadelphia and San Francisco areas, both of which were connected to the Internet through Comcast cable modems.

We picked the Bible for the test because it's not protected by copyright and the file is a convenient size.

In two out of three tries, the transfer was blocked. In the third, the transfer started only after a 10-minute delay. When we tried to upload files that were in demand by a wider number of BitTorrent users, those connections were also blocked.

Not all Comcast-connected computers appear to be affected, however. In a test with a third Comcast-connected computer in the Boston area, we were unable to test with the Bible, apparently due to an unrelated error. When we attempted to upload a more widely disseminated file, there was no evidence of blocking.

The Bible test was conducted with three other Internet connections. One was provided by Time Warner Inc.'s Time Warner Cable, and the other came from Cablevision Systems Corp. The third was the business-class connection to the AP's headquarters.

No signs of interference with file-sharing were detected in those tests.

Further analysis of the transfer attempt from the Comcast-connected computer in the San Francisco area revealed that the failure was due to "reset" packets that the two computers received, carrying the return address of the other computer.

Those packets tell the receiving computer to stop communicating with the sender. However, the traffic analyzer software running on each computer showed that neither computer actually sent the packets. That means they originated somewhere in between, with faked return addresses.

In tests analyzing the traffic received by a computer on Time Warner Cable that was trying to download a file from a large "swarm" of BitTorrent users, more than half of the reset packets received carried the return addresses of Comcast subscribers, even though Comcast's 12.4 million residential customers make up only about 20 percent of U.S. broadband subscribers. It was the only U.S. Internet service provider whose subscribers consistently appeared to send reset packets (which are occasionally generated legitimately).

Comcast subscriber Robb Topolski, who discovered the blocking earlier this year and traced it to reset packets, pointed out that a Canadian company called Sandvine Inc. sells equipment that promises to save bandwidth for Internet service providers by managing and redirecting file-sharing traffic.

BitTorrent Inc. President Ashwin Navin said that the interference method on Comcast's network is consistent with Sandvine's technology. Sandvine did not respond to a request for comment.

Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas would not confirm that the company uses Sandvine equipment.

"We rarely disclose our vendors or our processes for operating our network for competitive reasons and to protect against network abuse," he said.

[gagquin]

Comcast: We're Not Blocking Internet Downloads

The company confirmed its bandwidth management technologies may slow a peer-to-peer service as part of a technique known as bandwidth shaping.

NEW YORK—Comcast said on Oct. 22 that file transfers on peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent may be delayed by bandwidth management technology, but it denied blocking access to any applications or content.

As the second-largest high-speed Internet provider in the United States with 11 million customers, any move by Comcast to favor or block certain types of content moving over its network would be extremely controversial as it would be seen as flouting "net neutrality."

Net neutrality is the principle of allowing all content that flows over an Internet service provider's network to be treated equally without any preference. Although it is not law, it is supported by a wide range of pressure groups and businesses concerned that ISPs will start charging to prioritize the delivery of users' content.

The Associated Press reported over the weekend that it had carried out experiments across the country proving that Comcast prevented some users from uploading content to peer-to-peer networks, including BitTorrent.

Such networks are used by consumers to share large quantities of files such as music, videos and photographs.

Comcast issued a statement on Oct. 22 that again refuted allegations that it controls what content flows over its network, but said it manages its bandwidth to provide the best possible experience for its customers.

"Comcast does not block access to any Web sites or online applications, including peer-to-peer services like BitTorrent," the company said.

Comcast said its Internet access service allows the transfer of digital files via services including peer-to-peer services, as well as Internet-based phone networks like Vonage without any hindrance.

But the company confirmed its bandwidth management technologies may slow a peer-to-peer service as part of a technique known in the industry as bandwidth shaping, which is the targeted constraining of delivery pipes. This could delay the delivery of a file but not block it.

For example, the technology could prioritize telephone calls over movie downloads.

"We have a responsibility to provide all of our customers with a good Internet experience and we use the latest technologies to manage our network so that they can continue to enjoy these applications," the company's statement said.

Comcast has repeatedly denied it is favoring any content or data flowing over its network. Over several weeks, users on various blogs have accused the company of preventing users uploading content to BitTorrent.

Narus, which supplies network intelligence software to Internet service providers, said the ISPs are left with little choice but to constrain certain use of their network as a disproportionate amount of bandwidth is being taken up by a relatively small number of peer-to-peer users who are exchanging large files such as movies.

Up to 60 percent of bandwidth is used by peer-to-peer networks on some ISPs, according to Steve Bannerman, vice president of marketing product management at Narus, a supplier of network intelligence software to ISPs, including AT&T, but not Comcast.

"U.S. ISPs are not preventing anybody from getting to the applications, but they are preventing some users of P2P services from hogging all the bandwidth and slowing down the experience for other users," Bannerman added.

source

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[myidisbb]

yes folks 24 o 7 means emailing, chatting and buying at (their store sites) 8 hours of online use only a month. i remember at&t claiming a study back in 1999 to get rid of their $19.99 unlimited dial up a month for same cost of only 150 hours. claiming 5 % of the users was using most of their bandwidth. lets just say they lost a lot more then just the 5% of their customers.

comcast is talking like a flithy rich lib democrat. i do believe they also throttle their free newsgroup access too. most cable internet sucks. ei linked to the movie companies.

[dock98]

I'm glad I have a Satelite. Even though it's more expensive and the latency is slow for some online games. They've came a long way and the new units have a way faster latency time then my model. My downloads are 1.5 Mb/s down approx 192 up. And I don't have to worry about land line IP's. Mines always switching, ie. very tough to trace if ya know what I mean :P I may be crazy but in this day and age I just don't trust them..

doesnt ur provider only allow u a certain amount of downloads and uploads?my old one(hughes)used to do that.regardless, any internet connection thru an isp sucks.