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EFF releases tool that hunts BitTorrent throttling ISPs

3 August 2008 17:37 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 13 comments

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has announced the launch of a new software that they say will allows users to keep tabs on their ISPs and whether they are having their P2P transfers "throttled."

The new "Switzerland Tool" will probe at the user's network connection to check if the ISP has put any restrictions on P2P traffic.

"Until now, there hasn't been a reliable way to tell if somebody, a hacker, an ISP, corporate firewall, or the Great Firewall of China, is modifying your Internet traffic en route," explained Peter Eckersley, the EFF Staff Technologist who designed the tool.

"Switzerland is designed to make general-purpose ISP testing faster and easier."

The tool follows the recent decision by the FCC that ISPs in the United States cannot "purposely" restrict any type of traffic. The US' largest ISP, Comcast was at the center of the debate when it was found to be throttling/limiting BitTorrent traffic.

Despite the recent decision however, the EFF believes the FCC is "ill-equipped" to stop ISPs from disregarding net neutrality laws.

"The sad truth is that the FCC is ill-equipped to detect ISPs interfering with your Internet connection," said Fred von Lohmann, the group's senior intellectual property attorney.

"It's up to concerned Internet users to investigate possible network neutrality violations, and EFF's Switzerland software is designed to help with that effort. Comcast isn't the first, and certainly won't be the last, ISP to meddle surreptitiously with its subscribers' Internet communications for its own benefit."

For anyone interested, the official tool is available here at the EFF website: EFF Switzerland Tool

Permalink to this article | Topic: Lawsuits & Legislation

Comcast appeals FCC ruling on net neutrality (6 September 2008)

Comcast to start bandwidth caps (29 August 2008)

iTunes block lifted by Chinese government (26 August 2008)

Comcast has new traffic 'throttling' system (20 August 2008)

Update: BitTorrent responds to news of layoffs (8 August 2008)

BitTorrent in trouble - one fifth laid off (7 August 2008)

SIRIUS and XM now officially one company (29 July 2008)

FCC set to punish Comcast for breaking net neutrality laws (27 July 2008)

New York Attorney General threatens Comcast for ignoring him (22 July 2008)

FCC Chairman wants penalties imposed on Comcast (12 July 2008)

Comcast tries to dodge fraud issue in P2P throttling lawsuit (9 July 2008)

Comcast sued over BitTorrent throttling (9 June 2008)

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ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 3 August 2008 18:53
its all code and no exe 0-o [ + quote]
LOCOENG (Moderator) 3 August 2008 20:48
*Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* its all code and no exe 0-o Are you trying to say that the bark is worse than the bite? :P *irc.stormchat.org - #afterdawn - come say hi!* The rules ~ http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487 [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 3 August 2008 20:49
*Originally posted by LOCOENG:* *Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* its all code and no exe 0-o Are you trying to say that the bark is worse than the bite? :P no just saying tis not complied yet :P if you want more than crazy net geeks to use it it needs compliing...and a gui.... :P For all the console/game fanboys out their. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles...Console-Rundown Oh god I can't stop laughing!!! --- And for the format nazi's I bring you HHD DVVD BVD's!! [ + quote]
grkblood (Senior Member) 3 August 2008 22:28
havent dled it and prolly wont. but it pretty pathetic that some1 like the EFF wouldnt compile this. i mean there cause is for the average user to be aware. everybody but the average user will be able to use this. [ + quote]
13thHouR (Inactive) 4 August 2008 6:44
*Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* its all code and no exe 0-o there was a statement by the eff calling for support but surely "you" can run a compiler zippy. :-p [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4 August 2008 6:46
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 4 August 2008 7:15
*Quote:* *Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* its all code and no exe 0-o there was a statement by the eff calling for support but surely "you" can run a compiler zippy. :-p its been almost a decade...I has lost my geekish godlyness long ago, i can barely run a command line anymore >< [ + quote]
SuckRaven (Junior Member) 5 August 2008 1:01
F'n yeah we need more of this type of software!!! Government agencies, ISPs, hell probably a million other institutions snoop our data and habits all the time looking for anything that they can nab the little guy with. It's about time we had some sort of open source software like this (and hopefully similar ones to follow) that lets the average schmoe point a finger back in the other direction. I mean WTF with recent news that the Department of Homeland Security passed a law that allows federal agents to seize your laptop, iPhone etc. for absolutely no reason, if this isn't starting to feel more and more like an opressive police state that infringes on too many of our rights I don't know what does. I just love being guilty until proven innocent don't you? I mean really...Just once I'd like to point to a federal agent and declare in a loud public spectacle that I have reason to believe this person is a threat to our national security. Not to mention the fact that even if they are completely mistaken and you are completely innocent, they can't make restitution for the fact that they have tarnished your reputation in front of your friends, and colleagues. But I drift... [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5 August 2008 1:04*
varnull (AfterDawn Addict) 5 August 2008 1:13
Works well. Exposes all kinds of trickery, but it is hard to use, and even harder to understand the output.. is it my isp or somebody elses mucking up the packets?... Need a closer look at that source.. Next windows box through the door I will have a go compiling a windows exe on ... just for you poor spoonfed windows kids... or maybe not.. There is a saying "charity begins at home".. and in this house that's where it bloody well stays. (not zippy tho.. you can brew your own.. get that dos window open and your C++ complier dusted off you rotter!! I knows you have the skillz to make a nice GUI to go with it) Why haven't they compiled it for you... well possibly because they want it to be "free".. properly free not tied to any operating system or commercial monkey gland hocus pocus. Build your own, then it belongs to you and can't possibly be declared illegal to distribute because of what it does, unlike a binary could...... lots of other software is only released as source for similar reasons. Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work. OOps.. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/25/...es_dead_hurrah/ [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5 August 2008 1:20
13thHouR (Inactive) 5 August 2008 4:34
*Originally posted by varnull:* Works well. Exposes all kinds of trickery, but it is hard to use, and even harder to understand the output.. is it my isp or somebody elses mucking up the packets?... Need a closer look at that source.. Next windows box through the door I will have a go compiling a windows exe on ... just for you poor spoonfed windows kids... or maybe not.. There is a saying "charity begins at home".. and in this house that's where it bloody well stays. (not zippy tho.. you can brew your own.. get that dos window open and your C++ complier dusted off you rotter!! I knows you have the skillz to make a nice GUI to go with it) Why haven't they compiled it for you... well possibly because they want it to be "free".. properly free not tied to any operating system or commercial monkey gland hocus pocus. Build your own, then it belongs to you and can't possibly be declared illegal to distribute because of what it does, unlike a binary could...... lots of other software is only released as source for similar reasons. well me thinks the zippy must be able to use visual to make a suitable gui and just tie the modules together, it's not that hard a job..... [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5 August 2008 4:40
varnull (AfterDawn Addict) 6 August 2008 13:52
Who nee3ds that VB rubbish that M$ put out? GTK2 is more than good enough for a simple box with some buttons.. I prefer the command line anyhoos.. that's me I'm a luddite futurologist ;) [ + quote]
cousinkix (Newbie) 7 August 2008 2:53
They ought to shoot IDIOTS who distrubute software without an installer! This is nothing but a bunch of worthless files and folders. The note pads are hard to read with everything thrown out of the paragraph and sentence form. I don't have time to waste deleting a bunch of these [] stupid little things so I can read this BS... [ + quote]
13thHouR (Inactive) 7 August 2008 3:54
*Originally posted by cousinkix:* They ought to shoot IDIOTS who distrubute software without an installer! This is nothing but a bunch of worthless files and folders. The note pads are hard to read with everything thrown out of the paragraph and sentence form. I don't have time to waste deleting a bunch of these [] stupid little things so I can read this BS... Also they ought to shoot ppl who are too noobish to run command line, or maybe give them a bib a megadrive and a tommy tippie, possibly wrapped in cotton wool. credit where its due, why not pick up a book and learn to use a pc instead of the GUI........ [ + quote]
mnn2k (Newbie) 8 August 2008 16:03
*Quote:* *Originally posted by cousinkix:* They ought to shoot IDIOTS who distrubute software without an installer! This is nothing but a bunch of worthless files and folders. The note pads are hard to read with everything thrown out of the paragraph and sentence form. I don't have time to waste deleting a bunch of these [] stupid little things so I can read this BS... Also they ought to shoot ppl who are too noobish to run command line, or maybe give them a bib a megadrive and a tommy tippie, possibly wrapped in cotton wool. credit where its due, why not pick up a book and learn to use a pc instead of the GUI........ There are people in the world who have a full time job and also go to college at the same time. Not everybody has the time or desire to be a full time geek. Also, i thought technology was supposed to make life easier. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 8 August 2008 16:07