[squid-users] Re: bittorrent behind squid

> I am having client (fedora 8) behind the squid proxy
> (with authentication). I am trying to download the
> files through bittorrent (Transmission) client at
> fedora client PC. Can anybody help me how to
> configure client (or squid at server) to download
> the files.

BitTorrent generally doesn't work very well behind any
organizational firewall (either with or without
Squid). You can get it to function, but it will be
more snail-like than torrent-like.

Why? Because BitTorrent is set up to be a cooperative
system, expecting users to give as well as receive.
(It usually only expects your machine to be available
for storing parts of some file and serving them to
other BitTorrent users; it doesn't expect you to
originate distribution of software of questionable
provenance like some P2P systems.) Usually BitTorrent
can't reach your machine very well behind an
organizational firewall. It interprets this as your
computer being a "bad netizen", and tries to get even
by treating it poorly.

It's likely you won't get any notifications about
this, and you won't even know it's happening in most
cases ...you'll just come to the (mis)conclusion that
BitTorrent is overrated.

If you need to use BitTorrent but are stuck behind an
organizational firewall, the easiest solution nay be
to either "do it at home" or set up a dedicated
computer outside the firewall just for BitTorrents.
(Outside the firewall there's not only lots of
software but also lots of crackers. So treat any such
computer as a "sacrifice" machine; plan ahead to not
lose anything valuable even if that machine gets
wiped.)

thanks!

-Chuck Kollars

      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
Received on Fri Feb 15 2008 - 22:10:43 MST