Comcast packet-shaping WAN traffic

Robert Hallock (Thrax) Recently it has been discovered that Comcast is sending reset packets to individuals using certain P2P protocols on their ISP. Comcast states that it's merely managing the traffic on its network to provide a high QoS to its users, but many people think otherwise.

October 24, 2007 5:49 PM ET in News, ,

Comcast claims that it is merely delaying the traffic from P2P clients, however Ars draws the following analogy into play:

At the time I am trying to make the call, it’s being actively blocked; calling it “delayed” is merely an exercise in semantics. Comcast is, in effect, impersonating the busy signal and preventing the phone at the other end from ringing by issuing TCP reset packets to both ends of a connection.

In response to Comcast’s claim:

Another Comcast executive told the New York Times that the company “occasionally” delays P2P traffic, “postponing” it in some cases. His rather clumsy analogy was that of getting a busy signal when making a phone call and eventually getting through after several attempts. “It will get there eventually,” is the takeaway message.

Unfortunately that is not the case. As a result of Comcast actively shaping packets on their network, connections are being indefinitely disrupted. Many users on the Comcast ISP are left with no alternatives, as Comcast is the only ISP in many US, particularly rural, areas.

Network neutrality at its finest. Cough.

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