Opening up a port for uTorrent

[SCRawl]

I've been using uTorrent for a little while, and it says that it wants me to open up a port so that others can connect to me. My firewall is guarding pretty much all of the ports.

My question: does anyone do this? If so, does anyone notice an improvement in their ability to download files? (Of course, we all download only public domain material.) Is it worth the security risk?

[Elheru Aran]

I've been using uTorrent for a little while, and it says that it wants me to open up a port so that others can connect to me. My firewall is guarding pretty much all of the ports.

My question: does anyone do this? If so, does anyone notice an improvement in their ability to download files? (Of course, we all download only public domain material.) Is it worth the security risk?

I believe you can select the port you want, but not sure. I keep my firewall up, but it doesn't impede uTorrent on my machine much as far as I know; the main issue with that is the servers here at school fuck just about every filesharing method...

[Bounty]

I think it's referring to a router port, not your firewall. And yes, properly setting up your router does make one hell of a difference. Like a 5 Kbps <-> 350 kbps difference.

[Elheru Aran]

I think it's referring to a router port, not your firewall. And yes, properly setting up your router does make one hell of a difference. Like a 5 Kbps <-> 350 kbps difference.

Problem is, here at school, my router is maintained by the IT people, who have been told that the Wrath of God shall come down upon them if they let torrents happen...

[Bounty]

I think it's referring to a router port, not your firewall. And yes, properly setting up your router does make one hell of a difference. Like a 5 Kbps <-> 350 kbps difference.

Problem is, here at school, my router is maintained by the IT people, who have been told that the Wrath of God shall come down upon them if they let torrents happen...

Don't they make exceptions for legitimate use ? Like, say, downloading a Linux iso ?

[phongn]

Don't they make exceptions for legitimate use ? Like, say, downloading a Linux iso ?

How would they know if torrent traffic is legal or illegal?

[Bounty]

Don't they make exceptions for legitimate use ? Like, say, downloading a Linux iso ?

How would they know if torrent traffic is legal or illegal?

Good point.