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View Full Version : Bad News For FTP - Comcast To Limit Bandwidth To 250 GB Per Month


tmp
August 31st, 2008, 01:42 PM
I had to slow down ALL Internet traffic this morning due to Comcast's reaction
to a complaint about slowing down P2P and BitTorrent traffic. Sounds like
GREED has won - largely due to ass-kissing of the MPAA and RIA. Read on:

Comcast's 250GB Limit Is An Insult To Internet Age Consumers
By Steven Burke, ChannelWeb
1:46 PM EDT Fri. Aug. 29, 2008 Comcast (NSDQ:CMCSA)'s decision to limit the amount of data users can send and receive to 250 GBytes beginning Oct. 1 is the equivalent of flipping the bird to internet age consumers.
The broadband and cable TV giant's 250 Gbyte cap is a Luddite like move to legislate how much data users can send and receive. Congratulations Comcast for bringing us all back to the time share mainframe computing model.

This is the work of executives that are completely out of touch with the technology landscape and the up and coming cloud computing consumer that wants to do anything and everything on the Web from paying their bills to storing any and all of their photos, music files..etc.

It is not overstating it to say this is an attack on the technology that represents our best best hope for driving an economic resurgence.

The first rule of the Internet age is you can't and shouldn't legislate data usage. And by the way God help those that try to do just that. This is going to backfire on Comcast.

The cable TV giant stands to lose hundreds of thousands of customers. What do you think customers are going to make of company that threatens them with a call from the Comcast Customer Security Assurance (CCSA) group if they cross the 250 Gbyte barrier?

The CCSA! Come on. Are you guys serious? It sounds like something out of George Orwell's 1984? 1984. That is just where Comcast has taken us all with this stupid 250 Gbyte limit.

Verizon, you can't get my area setup for FIOS fast enough !

I FEEL AS THOUGH MY BALLS GOT CUT OFF THIS MORNING !

Options:

I have a website which I've been working with although frustrating. I need
to allow controlled download without the user's ability to delete files. The
files will have to be ENCRYTPTED as I've caught shit from these people
before. Run a a porn site - no problem ! But they seem to have a problem
with anything that could have a COPYRIGHT ! HORNY BASTARDS !

RapidShit and MegaFuckLoad are options but have their own restrictions.
Now, before anyone points out that I would be using MY own bandwidth to
upload to these nefarious sites, be aware that I can upload from another site,
with caution.

Any comments, negative or positive are welcome, BUT any suggestion around
that 250 GB limit would be helpful.

What we really need is more FTP providers, spreading the bandwidth load !
I encourage all to do this, if within your budget. What I would really like is
that Comcast charge a flat rate for UNLIMITED bandwidth to accomodate us
heavy bandwidth users. Beyond that, Verizon get your ass setup in my area !

Hinckleyforpresident
August 31st, 2008, 02:02 PM
One could upload/download through a SSH tunnel from an unsecured wireless network.

Also, did they say if this ban includes business lines? Or is it just private and residential lines?

Mr Science
August 31st, 2008, 03:18 PM
As I was telling you over PM, I would be able to again host the FTP, as I now have a dedicated computer and connection for the job.

iHME
August 31st, 2008, 03:33 PM
I could host a dedicated seedbox for some torrents with some basic restrictions, my uplink is only 0.5mb to 1.0 mb speed and on the day I need it my self.
Also the box has only ~35gb space. 2x 10.4gb disks and a 6.4gb disk for the os.
If I'd have a larger drive to spare I would put it in the machine, too bad that I don't.

tmp
August 31st, 2008, 04:47 PM
Mr. Science, if you're on Comcast you're just as fucked as I am if they
monitor your bandwidth usage. Admittedly, it might be a good idea to split
the FTP into portions among different providers. At this point I'm looking at
ANY option that can help us.

jimmyboy1
September 1st, 2008, 12:24 AM
ehh -- change your provider... comcast is abunch of dicks

phrankinsteyn
September 1st, 2008, 02:41 AM
Hinckleyforpresident,

According to this article, at pcmag.com, it is all residential customers.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2329170,00.asp

Tmp,

Possible donations from the forum if you can/decide to get a "business account"?

Mr Science
September 1st, 2008, 02:45 AM
The answer is simple if any members are Comcast customers......:)

http://www.cablehack.net/

monkeyboy
September 1st, 2008, 04:07 AM
How big is the FTP now?

Have you ever considered putting it on freenet?
I have thought about putting what I have up, but need to seriously spend some time organizing it.

Freenet is a secure, anonymous network of peers. Think of it as a distributed ftp server. Each file is broken into chunks, which are distributed across the nodes. Therefore, no node probably has the entire file.

The main problem is that files expire if they are not asked for often enough.
This could be solved by several people each taking a chunk of the ftp & reinserting it on a regular schedule, could probably be automated...

The other is the speed. However, if the quantity of people who use the FTP regularly were to each dedicate a portion of their drive & bandwidth to it, it would significantly improve.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freenet

http://freenetproject.org/

tmp
September 1st, 2008, 07:13 PM
Jimmyboy1, the only other ISP is Verizon DSL. The bastards still haven't wired
the area for FiOS which I would really like to have.

Mr. Science, I'm considering your idea about the modem if it becomes
necessary.

Phrankinsteyn, a business account would be the most painless way for me to
do it. I don't mind the cost if there is no limit on bandwdith, and the upload
and download speeds are consistent. The last time I inquired at Comcast,
the business speeds were lower than for residential customers. If the limits
are gone on both, then it would be worth it. Also, with a business account,
I could get a static IP address. I'll check them again.

Monkeyboy, the currect FTP size(excluding PRIVATE data) is 274 GB. Plenty
of room on the drive.

I have a month yet to work with other options. I'll check with Comcast on
business accounts tomorrow and when I post back when I have some
information. WIsh me luck !