Whirlpool

Has anyone else noticed the last couple days only 3 or 4 files have been upped daily? Before it used to be around 12+. Have people stopped putting in requests or has the files team become slack? I really like listening to those TWIT network podcasts.

Bigpond files is what you make of it. Want something? request it!

I was really loving revision3's ScamSchool but Bigpond have deemed it inappropriate now

I just wish bigpond files would just do something sensible like host a tucows mirror or a sourceforge mirror, or subcontract the management of the files service to someone who actually cared.

It's stupid to operate a service where users are required to ask BP online bureaucrats nicely and meekly for them to put up some files, pretty please, then wait several days for the privilege of perhaps getting them to appear on BP files.

It's so typically Telstra. Scratch the surface and you find the old PMG mindset.

To be even a little bt more negative about it :) BP files even reminds me of the way they used to run the shops in the former Soviet Union. You were expected to feel grateful that there was anything at all available on the mostly empty shelves, even if it was just horrible Georgian wine or poorly made shoes from Belarus, and to just patiently wait in line and not expect too much.

In the case of BP files, the stock in question is usually stuff like obscure Linux files or boring podcasts that only about 25 people out of several million BP users ever bother to download.

Sometimes you think the service exists just so BP can say that the service exists.

c-man writes...

It's so typically Telstra.

You're breaking my heart here.

I don't see why you can't request it? They always seem to host the files I request. Game related files go to GameArena instead, and I request on there, the next day it's either approved or declined for some such reason: xxxx.

Who should I be talking to about not being able to download anything from the download server called GA14? It seems to be the only one my pc wants to download from, and it hasn't worked for me (times out or something) since I had my connection upgraded.

And definitely agree, although they do update GA downloads regularly, they don't host a lot of the more 'interesting' stuff :D.

Roxa writes...

Has anyone else noticed the last couple days only 3 or 4 files have been upped daily? Before it used to be around 12+. Have people stopped putting in requests or has the files team become slack? I really like listening to those TWIT network podcasts.

Telstra are actively removing files that are in conflict with their short-term-profit motives – OpenOffice being one such example.

Expect to see more removals, and fewer additions (as additions require expenditure of profit) in the future.

Remember, Bigpond is your ONLY BEST friend ;-)

Chief Procrastinator writes...

Telstra are actively removing files that are in conflict with their short-term-profit motives – OpenOffice being one such example.

I don't see how that could conflict with profit. Bigpond don't 'sell' any Microsoft Office products. The files do expire after some time so you can request it again. Also some files are not allowed to be 'hosted' on other sites. The file was denied on the basis "not allowed to be locally hosted on Bigpond Servers" because the files owner has only allowed some providers to host it.

When downloading from files.bigpond or gamearena do you need to log in or verify you are a bigpond user? May be a silly question but i don't want to get capped.

Penultimate writes...

When downloading from files.bigpond or gamearena do you need to log in or verify you are a bigpond user? May be a silly question but i don't want to get capped.

good thing is that if ur not on Bigpond it wont let u download from there, only people with a BP IP address are able to. on gamearena though u must register an account and confirm your BP username and password to get unmetered content

bradzley writes...

on gamearena though u must register an account and confirm your BP username and password to get unmetered content

You can make a free account, once you have done that you can download, you should get very fast speeds too. GameArena 'should' know you are Bigpond by your IP. But I have had 1 case where my IP didn't appear to be Bigpond according to GameArena, but a quick e-mail to support and they fixed it up. You can tell if you need to wait in queues and get slow(er) speeds you may not be registered as one. I think it also tells you "your Bigpond, you get xxxx blah blah blah".

Extronic writes...

GameArena 'should' know you are Bigpond by your IP

one would think so, easy enough though during sign up is to confirm ur BP account and you never have the problem. also using a DL manager with gamearena is a good idea too i frequently dl over 1Mbyte a second (usually between 900 and 1.45 on cable) with 7 streams going at full speed

I have been requesting Rev3's TRS when it comes out on wednesday for the past couple of weeks... and most of the time it gets upped on thursday, so I think its just the bigpond team being slack.

bradzley writes...

also using a DL manager with gamearena is a good idea too i frequently dl over 1Mbyte a second (usually between 900 and 1.45 on cable) with 7 streams going at full speed

Sigh... all BigPond websites only allow one connection to be established to their download servers.
If you're getting 7 streams, all going at full speed... not all of them are downloading from BigPond's unmetered servers.

DogGunn writes...

If you're getting 7 streams, all going at full speed... not all of them are downloading from BigPond's unmetered servers.

umm u sure??

i use flashget which lets u check each stream on the fly with connection statistics, connected nodes etc... and each one says a gamearena node, unless i am mistaken?

bradzley writes...

i use flashget which lets u check each stream on the fly with connection statistics, connected nodes etc... and each one says a gamearena node, unless i am mistaken?

Well... if you're downloading from a GA server that uses port 3030, it's unmetered. I think you can have multiple connections on the metered servers which use normal port 80 for downloads.

Can you give us an example of a file you download from GA? I.E. Link to file?

DogGunn writes...

Well... if you're downloading from a GA server that uses port 3030, it's unmetered. I think you can have multiple connections on the metered servers which use normal port 80 for downloads.

Can you give us an example of a file you download from GA? I.E. Link to file?

At work at the moment no access to gamearena. Last file i downloaded from GA was the latest UT3 patch released a few days ago. When i get home today will check the logs in flashget to see which port it dl's from. i know for sure that it was unmetered

I haven't used Flashget in a loooong time ( GetRight ftw :> ), but maybe they've got a method to get around the one connection per file per download server limit.

sigh...

though during sign up is to confirm ur BP account and you never have the problem

No, this does not confirm anything at all, they check your IP, otherwise everyone would lie and get super speeds when they don't have Bigpond at all. That option is there so they know to cross reference your IP, and they don't use that method anymore anyway, they cross reference them all now regardless of that setting. It has become redundant.

all BigPond websites only allow one connection to be established to their download servers.

No, you can have up to 2 connections at the same time (well with GameArena anyway). Anymore then 2 it will block the other connections. It doesn't matter if it's a separate download or the same download broken up by a download manager. It's only been this way for a few months, before that it was unlimited connections (I used to make 4).

if you're downloading from a GA server that uses port 3030, it's unmetered. I think you can have multiple connections on the metered servers which use normal port 80 for downloads.

What are you on about? If your on Bigpond you get unmetered, if your NOT on Bigpond you get metered, but it's the same connection limit that applies. It's across the entire GameArena server range.

Metered or not, you realise it's all still GameArena, the whole thing. That 2 connections per server is a global policy pushed out to all servers, well this is at least what the GameOp is telling me. I can't know for sure since I don't work for them.

Extronic writes...

I don't see how that could conflict with profit. Bigpond don't 'sell' any Microsoft Office products.

Yes Bigpond does sell an Office clone it's called Bigpond Office DocBoss. So you see the reason why Bigpond removed Open Office from their file downloads. It's about profits.
http://www.bigpondoffice.com.au/common/submain.tfo?method=docbossMain

Extronic writes...

No, you can have up to 2 connections at the same time (well with GameArena anyway). Anymore then 2 it will block the other connections. It doesn't matter if it's a separate download or the same download broken up by a download manager. It's only been this way for a few months, before that it was unlimited connections (I used to make 4).

Odd, I just tried then using my BigPond cable connection – and attempting to establish a second connection resulted in failure.

What are you on about? If your on Bigpond you get unmetered, if your NOT on Bigpond you get metered, but it's the same connection limit that applies. It's across the entire GameArena server range.

http://ga14.gamearena.com.au:3030/patches/stalker/V1.01_stkcs-tol-pack-efigs-patch-any-3.exe

That above link is unmetered... it runs on port 3030.

http://ga13.gamearena.com.au:3333/downloads/1220685252/V1.01_stkcs-tol-pack-efigs-patch-any-3.exe

This is a metered link, now runs on port 3333 (used to run on port 80). It also contains a random hash, which is generated for a one time download only.

Metered or not, you realise it's all still GameArena, the whole thing. That 2 connections per server is a global policy pushed out to all servers, well this is at least what the GameOp is telling me.

GameOp's are not server admin – they do not do anything on the GameArena website, they only participate in running the game servers, and that's it.

Extronic writes...

Anymore then 2 it will block the other connections. It doesn't matter if it's a separate download or the same download broken up by a download manager.

Ok just to clarify as i think im confused. With flashget and flashgot, i can dl from bigpond/gamearena and it will show that there are 5-7 active jets which are downloading the file. The graph will show them all dling at the same time. if i look at the real time logs for each jet, it shows connection established and the data being received, then the connection restarting once it finishes its block of data

does this mean im downloading the file with 5 different connections or am i downloading the file just at 5 different points of the file (which i thought is the same thing)

bradzley writes...

does this mean im downloading the file with 5 different connections or am i downloading the file just at 5 different points of the file (which i thought is the same thing)

To download a file at 5 different points at the same time, you need to have 5 connections! :P

DogGunn writes...

To download a file at 5 different points at the same time, you need to have 5 connections! :P

exactly

ok so im not crazy, im like 120% sure that ive done this many times, and the term GA14 rings a bell. 2 more hours till work is over and i will know for sure :D thanks heaps DogGunn

ok at home now

Dling I-Fluid Demo.exe

5 jets going on flashget each one looks like this, all running at same time

Sat Sep 06 18:03:18 2008 Connecting ga14.gamearena.com.au [IP=203.46.104.154:3030]
Sat Sep 06 18:03:18 2008 Connected.
Sat Sep 06 18:03:18 2008 GET /demos/ifluid/I-Fluid_Demo.exe HTTP/1.1
Sat Sep 06 18:03:18 2008 Host: ga14.gamearena.com.au:3030
Sat Sep 06 18:03:18 2008 Accept: */*
Sat Sep 06 18:03:18 2008 Referer: http://www.gamearena.com.au/downloads/details.php/ifluid-demo#

DogGunn writes...

Odd, I just tried then using my BigPond cable connection – and attempting to establish a second connection resulted in failure.

I still can download 2 connections at once, just tried 20 minutes ago.

This is a metered link, now runs on port 3333 (used to run on port 80). It also contains a random hash, which is generated for a one time download only.

So what? Still a GameArena server, still from the same restrictions.

GameOp's are not server admin – they do not do anything on the GameArena website, they only participate in running the game servers, and that's it.

Yes but they can talk to people I don't have direct contact with. I'm only good friends with a few GameOp's who were in my old clan (many years ago), not any Admins or Refs.

i don't think because it's running on a different port its going to be metered for a bigpond customer.

More likely it just runs on a different port with different http access setup and speed restrictions for non bigpond customers.

see
/forum-replies.cfm?t=690090

for some list of ip's that are considered to be within the un metered category

Roxa ? Have you not seen gamearena.com.au
for the last few weeks its 95% trailers.

I try to request a LOT of files.bigpond.com
but they deny a lot of proper legit files .

Stuff they dont mirror on files.bigpond.com
is the size of a phone book , one of
the biggest is they dont mirror
Abiword and Openoffice anymore
since they have their own
'BIGPOND ONLINE OFFICE""

Yeah as if any decent person is going
to use that

Can anyone double confirm this

Anything from files.bigpond.com or the GA
site using port 3030 is metered ?

I was about to grab this and noticed
it was port 3030

http://ga14.gamearena.com.au:3030/software/operatingsystems/VirtualBox-2.0.0-36011-OSX.dmg

For the last 8 months our connection has NOT
been working correctly for free traffic

We even went to extend of not using the connection
for 24 hrs , then waiting another 6 , then using
it just on free traffic files and leaving it for another
6 hrs , the traffic graph was bouncing around adding
quota and basicly screwing up.

My flamate used the mobile to call Testras help
desk and basicly got shafted big time , getting
bounced around and no one at the help desk
would fix the problem

But I guess you get what you pay for
by using Bigpond

tafed00d writes...

My flamate used the mobile to call Testras help
desk and basicly got shafted big time , getting
bounced around and no one at the help desk
would fix the problem

You can ring the TIO who WILL do the running around for you and fine Bigpond if Bigpond fail to help you. This worked for me, they finally fixed my line after 3 months or continuous connection issues every day.

http://www.tio.com.au/

tafed00d writes...

the biggest is they dont mirror

Abiword and Openoffice anymore

since they have their own

'BIGPOND ONLINE OFFICE""

They also have Bigpond Office DocBoss which is an office clone suite software basically just like Open Office but Bigpond charge for it.

There was a link somewhere else on Whirlpool to a copy of OpenOffice at Deakin's unmetered site.

However, I found it funny that you can also get OpenOffice on the OpenDisc, straight from Bigpond Files.

Every time I have asked for a file, they have added it the next day..

I think people are just becoming lazy.

tafed00d writes...

Can anyone double confirm this

Anything from files.bigpond.com or the GA
site using port 3030 is metered ?

I can confirm that it is not metered, ie unmetered, does not count towards your quota (unless you're on a wireless plan with a time quota).

I downloaded around 1.5GB of game trailers this morning on the newish 10GB plan and my usage shows it under unmetered.

EDIT: It's only unmetered for BP Wireless plans, not Telstra ones.

Every thing i've downloaded off files.bigpond.com has come through unmetered.

flubber writes...

Every thing i've downloaded off files.bigpond.com has come through unmetered.

Same, anything from Telstra's list of 'unmetered' sites.

Extronic writes...

Same, anything from Telstra's list of 'unmetered' sites.

Yeah you just got to make sure the download manager is not downloading from any other sources than Bigpond Files.

Getright has a habbit of sending download requests to third party file sources and those download threads from outside of Bigpond will get metered.

tafed00d writes...

I try to request a LOT of files.bigpond.com but they deny a lot of proper legit files .

are the files you request permitted to be mirrored by their owners?

Yeah as if any decent person is going to use that

do you seriously expect them to mirror an alternative to a product they sell? be reasonable.

tafed00d writes...

We even went to extend of not using the connection

for 24 hrs , then waiting another 6 , then using

it just on free traffic files and leaving it for another

6 hrs , the traffic graph was bouncing around adding

quota and basicly screwing up.

Are you making sure that your download manager is sending download seeds to Bigpond files only and not to other third party download sources. As i said Getright has a habbit of doing just that.

turn off the file mirror search in the download tool.

tafed00d writes...

Anything from files.bigpond.com or the GA
site using port 3030 is metered ?

The metering is done on IP ranges not ports. Downloading from a different port makes no difference to the metering if the IP address is in the Bigpond Unmetered list which all of Gamearena's and files.bigpond.com's are.

The different ports are to prioritize access for Bigpond customers, nothing more.

I think instead of asking these kinds of questions here and getting all kinds of ill informed replies you would be better off asking support@gamearena by going to http://www.gamearena.com.au/help/contact/index.php or support@files.bigpond by going to http://files.bigpond.com/support/index.php at least then you know you will get an answer you can go back to if you have issues down the track with unmetered content showing up as metered.

flubber:

We tested the files from bigpond
with a CLEAN firefox install and using
its download function

and with wackget
(wackget does NOT LOOK FOR OTHER MIRRORS)

I DO NOT USE GET RIGHT OR DOWNLOAD accelerators

This is not a case of the user doing something
wrong ITS BIGPOND fraking up for a LONG period
of time .

In the end Ive suggested to the connection
payee to email/ring/visit the TIO
or just get a another ISP instead
that has proper free traffic but the person
keeps on using it .

Say what you will, I find it highly unlikely that you were downloading from the files.bigpond.com file servers (ga13/ga14 – 203.46.104.153/154) and your usage was metered.

That whole subnet has been in the unmetered list for all Bigpond users for over a year, you would have to be either downloading from other mirror servers via a download manager or routing your traffic via a VPN for it to end up becoming metered.

these guys do such a poor job with the file mirroring. they haven't put anything up yesterday or today!

Do you guys know if they have stuff like the SP2 for Vista??

Cyclic writes...

Do you guys know if they have stuff like the SP2 for Vista??

they aren't allowed to

Cyclic writes...

Do you guys know if they have stuff like the SP2 for Vista??

Two things, haha, there is no release of SP2 yet and Microsoft does not allow anyone but themselves host their files.

mbeamish writes...

There was a link somewhere else on Whirlpool to a copy of OpenOffice at Deakin's unmetered site.

However, I found it funny that you can also get OpenOffice on the OpenDisc, straight from Bigpond Files.

Can also get it on portableapps

I'm surprised they allow these two but the y do have other stuff on them as well.

40.