Terrible upload speed if download is set slow #1135

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opened 2026-02-21 15:29:57 -05:00 by deekerman · 1 comment

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 15:29:57 -05:00

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Originally created by @SandyMangina on GitHub (Jan 30, 2014).

My bandwidth cap is pretty restrictive but allows for unlimited downloading between 2-8am. I load the torrents in the client during the day with the global rate limit for downloads set to 1kb/s (zero value gives unlimited) and then set the alternative rate limits to unlimited between 2-8am to download the torrents during the off-peak hours. Unfortunately I've noticed that when my download speed is set low, my uploads are capped pretty heavily. Clicking the alternative rate limit button instantly relives the cap and maxes out my upload speed.

Any suggestions?

Originally created by @SandyMangina on GitHub (Jan 30, 2014). My bandwidth cap is pretty restrictive but allows for unlimited downloading between 2-8am. I load the torrents in the client during the day with the global rate limit for downloads set to 1kb/s (zero value gives unlimited) and then set the alternative rate limits to unlimited between 2-8am to download the torrents during the off-peak hours. Unfortunately I've noticed that when my download speed is set low, my uploads are capped pretty heavily. Clicking the alternative rate limit button instantly relives the cap and maxes out my upload speed. Any suggestions?

deekerman closed this issue

2026-02-21 15:29:59 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-21 15:30:01 -05:00

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@sledgehammer999 commented on GitHub (Jan 31, 2014):

This is how the bittorrent protocol works. Even when you upload ONLY, you need to also receive data. These data are protocol/network related. eg acknowledgment that you have received piece X that the other client just sent you, communication between other peers, between DHT nodes, between trackers. All these want some downlink bandwidth available. So if you have a really limited downlink and a lot of messages to receive then it throttles down the uplink too. But I don't think you need a LOT of downlink to operate at max uplink. (depends on how big your uplink is). Try incrementing your downlink by 1KB/s per time. I think you'll be ok around 5-10KB/s.

@sledgehammer999 commented on GitHub (Jan 31, 2014): This is how the bittorrent protocol works. Even when you upload ONLY, you need to also receive data. These data are protocol/network related. eg acknowledgment that you have received piece X that the other client just sent you, communication between other peers, between DHT nodes, between trackers. All these want some downlink bandwidth available. So if you have a really limited downlink and a lot of messages to receive then it throttles down the uplink too. But I don't think you need a LOT of downlink to operate at max uplink. (depends on how big your uplink is). Try incrementing your downlink by 1KB/s per time. I think you'll be ok around 5-10KB/s.