Does anyone here download podcasts via iTunes? I'd like to know if there's been issues with the download speed and if you have had any issues, when did it start?

I'm working on something in which I need a second opinion for verification. This is something to do with Streamyx packet shaping, but I figure that I'd get more feedback here since there's a higher population of iTunes users here.

I've been unable to log into the iTunes store for the past couple of weeks.

Strange thing is I'm able to log in at work (where I connect via the work proxy server).

Both places connect via Streamyx.

Yeah, your description fits what is going on with Streamyx as well. We have to access ITMS via a proxy because the traffic shaping installed by TM Net is deliberately restricting our net access based on the user agent (aka client) of the browser/iTunes.

Try setting up a proxy on your local computer and access ITMS via your proxy. If you have a Windows box, you can follow the steps listed in the first post here: http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/399896. Let me know if this works for you. Unfortunately I don't know of any proxy software for MacOS.

If you've manage to connect to ITMS via your proxy, try subscribing to a podcast and try downloading it. Note the speed. Then stop your proxy and then try downloading it again. Appreciate your help.

This post has been edited by fly: Jan 18 2007, 08:48 PM

does this confirm what i have just been told by TMNet's CustServRep... that they are not locking any IP...

but how to explain that we can not access iTunes Store???

This post has been edited by macnpalm: Jan 19 2007, 12:09 AM

I was able to connect to ITMS after setting up Paw on my Windows box. However, podcast downloading speed is extremely slow... Like every 30 seconds it has only managed to grab 64kb... Same speed as well after stopping proxy.

I have only managed to log in to Itunes store yesterday and was trying to download some podcast, but it pops out a message 'Error connecting to Itune store'. I am using Streamyx at home.

isnt this due to the taiwan earthquake? i believe both jaring/streamyx users will face connections issues to the states.

anyways, even before the quake, ive always had slow downloading speed for podcasts thru jaring. i think its a server bandwith issue on the US side, not our net connection speed.

We're not talking bout slow download speeds here. We're talking about the INABILITY to access the iTunes store.

In any case, podcast downloads are dependent principally on the origin of the podcast NOT the Apple iTunes store. I could previously download purchased content (and iTunes store freebies) at speeds exceeding 150k/sec on Streamyx. An episode of Lost for example comes down in under 20 mins.

I access the ITMS via my MacPro at home. I guess I could configure my XP machine with a proxy instead but what a pain.... Plus the entire music/video experience is SO much better on OSX....

With regards to download speeds via a proxy at work: The MWSF podcast (1.2Gb) is estimated to take 55hrs to complete. Sheesh.....

This post has been edited by MacDaNife: Jan 19 2007, 08:44 AM

Yeah, I've had problems myself getting into ITMS, not just slow downloads. The theory that the Networks and Broadband guys are working on is that TM Net is intentionally blocking ALL other HTTP request that don't have a user agent string that's a recognizable browser (i.e. IE, Mozilla Firefox).

Bittorrent clients have their own user agent strings when they connect to the net (i.e. 'uTorrent/1600', etc) and it looks like it's been getting blocked. iTunes also has it's own user agent string ('iTunes/6' or something like that). This is why iTunes is affected as well. What the PAW proxy does is that it clears all outgoing user agent strings before it goes out into the net, which then bypasses TM Net's user agent blocking.

In my mind this is highly inappropriate as it violates their 'best effort' promise; they're using their so-called 'best effort' to intentionally limit our bandwidth instead. With blocking and throttling BT, it was a grey area, but by limiting iTunes, it's a travesty because all content in iTunes are LEGAL and a FAIR USE of our bandwidth.

When I use the PAW proxy, all my podcasts come down at almost full speed. When I don't, the podcast isn't even updatable.

I'm waiting to try this again after the 23rd as it might be due to the temporary bandwidth providers that TM Net are using now. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt for now.

This post has been edited by fly: Jan 19 2007, 10:31 AM

i had a funny experience with one of TMNet's CSRs... as I was complaining about iTunes the other day with him.. i also complained about not being able to connect to Limewire... however this guy told me that he doesn't have any problems connecting to Limewire and he himself download contents from there and even torrents... so is TMNet really controlling access to these downloads then why are their CSRs doing it themselves??? weird huh??

Here's my experience. I cannot connect to ITMS at all when on 60.x.x.x Streamyx IP. Can't remember when this problem started but it was before the Taiwan quake. I can however connect to ITMS when on 218.x.x.x Streamyx IP, but download rate is very very slow.


A quick update. ITMS no longer works on 218.x.x.x or 219.x.x.x. I'm not using any proxy. Http downloads are fine on 218 and 219 but not on 60.x.x.x

This post has been edited by illbient: Jan 19 2007, 09:10 PM

it is confirm that tmnut block itms
because i m accessing itms in my office which is using jaring it can access
but when go back home i m using streamyx it cannot access.

My side, with proxy server (https): yes.
Without proxy server: no.

If what you say is true, what can be done? I'm using PAW now, and the default header-request settings are below?

Do I need to change any settings or is this the optimum one. What a country we are living in, I don't know how the average broadband user can tolerate this BS from screamyx.




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i'm now able to download my podcasts thru itunes... though i still can't go access itunes store...

I can't connect to iTunes store as well while on Streamyx but when i am at Starbucks on Timenet, iTunes store can be accessed.

Same problem for my Streamyx connection at home but iTunes at my office using proxy works fine.

Those settings are fine. You'll also need to change your IE proxy options to use your local proxy (ie. localhost:8080) because iTunes for Windows uses IE to detect your proxy settings.

thanks, still.. paw failed to remedy the prob, bt is still at a snail's pace of 1kb/s.

so at the moment, we are kinda stuck since none of us can access ITMS at home. kinda crap.

and i can't update my ipod firmware!

Confirm that it's User-Agent filtering. I've just set up a proxy at home and rewritten iTunes http headers to spoof iTunes as Safari, and it now works just fine.

Incidentally, the filter will prevent iTunes from accessing just about anything - Podcasts, Store, CDDB, update server; the lot. Every other user agent that I've tried has had no problems at all, so it looks like a deliberate targetting of iTunes.

@uglymonster... care to share the steps you took to resolve this issue?? thanks!!

So, maybe TMnet is also blocking other User-Agent like uTorrent, besides BT capping. I'm using encryption, so i figured they probably cap the tracker or something.

Yup, looks like more and more folks have been able to confirm that user-agent filtering is happening and it's most likely going to affect more applications beyond BT (the guys in Broadband user2user have already figured this out) and iTunes.

I doubt that they're deliberately targetting iTunes though; sounds more like poorly-configured filtering that's blocking anything that doesn't match a recognizable browser (IE, Mozilla, Safari, etc.) user-agent.

Good news is it works this morning!

Hope this stays.....

i was able to connect since last night... still updating all my podcasts until now...

yap.. can connect since last night.. so happy

edited.. but fews mins later.. cannot connect liaw..

This post has been edited by siawgu: Feb 1 2007, 11:11 AM

Can you give step by step instructions. I tried but couldn't connect to itms. Maybe I missed something.

kaiserreich,

Try connecting again without proxies. Tmnet has fixed the problem.

When did they tell you that? I tried at 5pm without proxies and no connection. I managed to get my proxy to work and it's slow.

Please Advise.

@kaiserreich... where are you located??? i still can connect to iTunes without any proxies.. experiencing sloooow downloads though....

same here.......super slow downloads.....but can connect

Tmnet didn't say anything, didn't even bother to reply my emails regarding this. I just tried connecting to iTunes Store and it worked. Download speeds were not too bad, slightly slower than usual. Hope it works out.

i cant connect without proxy but when i use my paid proxy, i can download podcasts at full speed ;o

it seems that i can still browse itunes store when i disable my proxy and remain at top speed ;o

This post has been edited by ezinger: Feb 10 2007, 03:13 PM

i jus downloaded the firmware for nano 2g 1.1.2 so no prob there.

ur suppose to let the thread know if you could connect to itunes store [:

uhh meaning.. YES i could connect to both itunes store and their database..

cause as far as i know. if u could connect to the update server means u COULD connect to the itunes store.. thy share the ame upload/download server..

as far as i know i didnt know they use the same server for everything =P

there was once when i couldnt update my ipod but i could browse through the store ;o

the server only varies across countries. meaning US hv their own servers, aust their own. if u couldnt update meaning thy didnt prompt u.. and if thats the case u hd to reconnect yr ipod. and if thy did prompt u and u couldnt download.. tough luck buddy aha

iTunes has been working almost normally for about a week already.

The best answer for what happened seems to be that it was the Streamyx admin that choked off P2P sites after the earthquake regardless of whether the downloading was totally legal or not. Guess they got enough complaints or realized it themselves and loosened up.

Hope everyone OK now.

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I just got my Streamyx today, connecting via wireless router, with cable in my room, elsewhere on wireless, and I cant access iTunes Store / Podcasts..

Have been searching about this, but I have no idea how to setup proxy and such. Anyone care to guide me step by step? And if possible any way to speed up downloads (torrent).

Dont feel the 1MB packaged I got! Haha..

This post has been edited by civic98: Feb 15 2007, 11:24 PM

Just got my ipod 30gb 2 days ago n since then no avail to connect to the store lol. Thank goodness I can update my ipod

iTunes has been working fine for me everyday. It is slow loading the Store page, but be patient. Watch the progress bar at the top to see if it coming in. If you get the error message, leave the store by going to Music or something else, then try again later.

BTW, the free account mentioned in a separate thread really works, and it allows downloading of their free promotion music and movies. iTunes even issues an e-receipt for the "sale" with total US$0.00 !


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This post has been edited by oneeleven: Feb 16 2007, 05:38 PM

Well my iTunes Store is not loading at most times, and podcast downloads practically stand still. I does move once a while, and its for a very very little while and then dc..

HOO RAY for streamyx [:

try using http tunnel. im using it and it works everytime.

Sorry I'm not familiar with these, care to explain / guide me through?