Found out my son has been "hosting a server" not happy (technical question)

[justinbarrow]

Recently I changed to BT broadband fibre optic and until today was ok was quite slow today so I ran a speed test and found that i was only getting just over 1mb download speed and 2mb upload when i unplugged my sons Ethernet cable and rebooted the home hub it went back upto full speed - he then came down moaning why it had gone of.

 

When me and the mrs asked him what he was on he said he has only been "hosing a game server" I don't know about this so asked why and he said so that he can play the same on-line game with his mates.

 

I have goggled this and it seems to be that when he is hosting this server that he is allowing others to piggy back on our broadband - is this correct?

 

If this is true how can I stop/block ports on the router to prevent him from doing this. He is 21 and its me who pays the bill and me and the wife are not happy with the severe slow-down when this was running. I have the home hub 5.

 

Can someone clarify that hosting a server means allowing others to use your bandwidth/broadband? and what is the best way to stop this - if possible :(

 

Thanks everyone (bloody kids)

[Ant FR]

give him the local free ads and show him the local rents

[john999boy]

I have goggled this and it seems to be that when he is hosting this server that he is allowing others to piggy back on our broadband - is this correct?

 

A game server is not the same sort of server as the one Briskoda is on and his mates aren't actually piggybacking your broadband in the true meaning of it.

 

Edit: Oops. Just noticed that you have got FTTC. Maybe he's running some sort of file sharing network and you've just stopped him making his first £1m?

[justinbarrow]

A game server is not the same sort of server as the one Briskoda is on and his mates aren't actually piggybacking your broadband in the true meaning of it.

 

Edit: Oops. Just noticed that you have got FTTC. Maybe he's running some sort of file sharing network and you've just stopped him making his first £1m?

 

Thats good to know then, The minute he mentioned he had been hosting a server I thought it sounds big, I don't no much about this sort of thing - I hope I haven't stopped him making his first £1m

[J306TD]

Thats good to know then, The minute he mentioned he had been hosting a server I thought it sounds big, I don't no much about this sort of thing - I hope I haven't stopped him making his first £1m

As long as he was going to give you a cut

Sent from my Galaxy S5

[mannyo]

Playing some online games consumes a lot of bandwidth, game server or not. The more bandwidth you have, the more the game will use. Most games have central servers which you connect to, in addition to the game sending your data to the server, you also receive a LOT of data about whats going on in the game. Busy games like COD can completely saturate a connection and even an 80meg one.

 

it has to be accepted than when playing online games, due to QOS everyone else on the connection will suffer to some extent.

 

there is little you can do to stop it, apart from stop him playing the game concerned. it will always consume the bandwidth, since the connection is outgoing it can setup the required communications and nothing you can do will stop this.

[justinbarrow]

Thanks mannyo - just that he specifically said he was hosting a server thats what worried me at first, dont mind it hogging the bandwidth but not down to just over 1mb when its an upto 72mb service. Since re-booting the router its been ok for now, Cheers.

[dbg400]

It depends on what type of server it is, and how popular. My lad runs a game server on his PC most of the time, but the impact from that is negligible, even with people downloading maps from it. In this case it's because it's an older game (World of Padman, based on the Quake 2 engine) that's popular on the continent but not known here so much. I run a web server hosting several hobby/personal/charity web sites as well, but that rarely causes congestion on the line (big downloads are in a separate, rate limited area). Mind you, having a 152Mb service helps

 

At a guess the server has some element of peer to peer sharing involved - that can easily saturate a line if you're not careful

[Oli3000]

Game server poses little threat to you if that is what you are concerned about. It doesn't allow people to connect to you and browse the web, download random files, watch youtube etc.

 

It does increase your bandwidth use for reasons mentioned above - people are sending and receiving data relevant to the game to and from and your son's computer.

 

 

 

No easy way to stop it on the router that wouldn't also cripple most game playing.

 

Just tell him to stop. 

[@Lee]

he's over 21 so get him to pay for a second phone line

[Dean-]

Do you have the default username and password set on that router?

 

Surely he would of had to put his computer into a DMZ or port forward to allow users to connect to this game server he is hosting. Have a look through the router settings see if you can find any settings configured for either of the two and if so disable them and change the password on the router, this will stop users connecting on your external IP address and the router sending the packets to your son's computers IP address.

 

The above isn't bullet proof but I bet you find config in that router relating to DMZ or Port Forwarding that is enabled and removing them will break this little service he is running

 

PS - Whats your IP can we all come and play?    :p

[GentleGiant]

I dont know the HH5, but most routers have a QOS setting (Quality of Service), that allows you to limit the bandwidth used by various users; set a strong password he wont guess and limit him to 50% and you will not suffer the same issues again.

[Jrjg]

Tell him that his board will now include the phone/internet/line hire. Kerching.

JRJG