Some comments to consider:

1. Use a paid for proxy service. Forget about the free proxies. Make sure the paid-for proxy service allow for big bandwidth throughput - some don't. For example FindNot states for fair use, clients should not be downloading more than 1 GB a day, although they remain flexible if there are spikes in excess of this amount, if the spikes are not frequent. Check their various packages on offer - try and get the ones with stated server ports. You will need that to forward the ports to your local ports as stated in your client.

2. Get a good line. This means, depending on your area, to test your connection with a broadband meter service before you begin your torrents. Try and find out the geographical location of your selected proxy server. There are differences in speeds when you are connecting to US servers, European servers and Asian servers with the same Streamyx IP number. Run WHOIS or TRACEROUTE or whatever to find where the server is and check that you have a good speed with your connection. If not, reset your telephone line to your modem to change the IP number. You can have a good speed connection to a US server but a bad connection to a european server. So if your proxy server is in Europe, make sure your speed is good for the european connection.

3. Get file from a good tracker. Similar files taken from different tracker sites can vary in speeds due to the different composition of seeders and peers. If you don't get good speeds, try another file of the same content from a different tracker.

4. Try to download one file at a time. Loading up with too many files can severely lag the proxy servers. Remember, in effect, the proxy server is serving as your second ISP for your client.

5. Use a client like Azureus that will allow you to set the proxy settings within the program. This allows you to use your normal Streamyx connection for other net surfing purposes. Do not run your entire connection through the proxy server as this will impact on your whole surfing experience. So, only your torrent client is proxified.

6. My results:

Start of torrent


End of Torrent


7. If you have a friend/relative overseas, try and convince them to run a proxy server for you. This works if a) your friend/relative is computer network savvy b) they are really friendly with you and will do you the favour c) their computers are on 24/7 d) they have bigger bandwidth than they can ever use and e) they are also not throttled by their respective ISPs.

8. The day of big fat meals are long gone. Get used to dieting.