Bitcoin Forum

Ok so I just got off the phone with my ISP.  They have been detecting a "virus" and have shut down my connection because they FEEL like I am infecting other people.  Of course, what they are seeing is the IRC P2P activity from my miners.  I told them it is not a virus and they refuse to accept my explanation.  I told them I would turn off the program if they would just give my internet back (temporary fix).

My question to you guys is, what should I do now?  Is there a way around my snooping ISP?  I feel like I have two options right now, 1. Stop mining.  2. Change ISPs.  Also I have been mining on and off for more than a year now. 

Hoping some people can help me out here. 

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Where do you live and who is your ISP?

This kind of thing has come up before, and in every case that I can recall, it turned out that the ISP wasn't really combating viri but trying to clamp down on Bittorrent or some other P2P tech that takes a lot of bandwidth.  They can't really say it that way, though.  Why would your miners be consuming a lot of bandwidth?  You should only have one that is 'net facing while the rest just connect to each other and that one.  If nothing else, you can port that one's connection over Tor, although that will slow things down.  A ssh tunnel to an off-isp-network shell account would work well.

I live in Ontario, Canada. My ISP is Rogers.


Ok I have 2 computers with 5 miners (cards).  I use Deepbit and GUI miner (used to use POCLBM but switched recently).  For the last while I have been running only one computer which has 2 miners.  My question to you is: does the mining software take a lot of bandwidth?  I can't imagine it being more bandwidth than downloading a torrent.  Also, will porting through the TOR network really hide the packets from my ISP?  I never had a use for TOR so I am unfamiliar with it.

Yeah it looks like I have to go rogue from now on.  Oh well, maybe I can grab me some American Netflix while I'm at it.  The Canadian one sux!

Only while trying to download the blockchain, like any other client.  Ongoing, not so much, no.


If set up correctly, yes.

If you are just mining on a pool this should not cause irc traffic. Mining also does not use a lot of bandwith.
My 1 GH/s was like 2kb/s up/down, thats not much. Option 2 sounds like a solid plan imho.

OK, I'm going to help you get to the bottom of the issue in a simple step by step fashion.

Call Rogers' support.

You'll be connected to level 1 support.  These guys are clueless.

So ask to talk to level 2 support.  Politely, of course.  You know they're losers but they can cockblock you, so be nice.

At this point you'll be talking to engineers.  Disregard them, for their methods to figure out what's wrong with your internet connection are naturally limited to the practice of science, and that methodology and epistemology -- clearly, as you have already been debriefed by Rogers -- is beneath the problem that is afflicting your internet connection.

So tell them to connect you to level 3.

When they patch you through, you'll finally have reached level 3 support.  This is where the Internet Shamans work.  They, and only they, can FEEL your internet connection, and they can FEEL the viruses that your computer is distributing over the internet.  These privileged and magical individuals, in their infinite benevolence and with their infallible judgment that privileges oneness with the internet universe, will surely be able to restore harmony to your computing system.

You're welcome :-)

lol my ISP shut me down for 15-40Gbps international UDP flood (and this after half the city was without google for a day... and u get cut-off for mining this is crazy.

Change the ISP ASAP and check your network for malicious software just in case ;)

Are you a Rogers level 3 technician?  LoL...what do I say to these guys once I get there?  "I'm mining Bitcoins, please stop flagging my connection as an IRC bot, thanx"?????

Rogers sucks man......... Where are you located.... Get cogeco... :)

If you tell the Internet Shamans that you are mining Bitcoin, they will be able to feel your computing system in oneness with the universe and the common good, verify that to be the case, and they'll restore your service.

But no, seriously this time, level 3 is usually understanding of this and will be able to determine that your activity is legit.  One tip: don't act apologetic (your activities are legitimate), but don't act belligerent either -- simply explain that there has been a misunderstanding somewhere down the line, your Bitcoin mining was misidentified as IRC botnet activity, and you'd love to continue being their customer so you'll expect them to help you swiftly resolve the issue.  Of course, if they still insist, ask them to share some tangible evidence so you can address any lingering issues on your side.

Unless cuntdicks in management gave the order to fuck your shit up, the problem ought to be resolved that way.  Sucks to wait on the phone, though.

Source: not a Rogers technician, but I have friends who are Level 3 ISP technicians and I've solved quite a few misunderstandings with many ISPs in 15 years (sometimes by switching to a better ISP).

Are you sure it is from mining?  The Bitcoin client and mining pools do not use IRC ports.
[EDIT] They owe you a better explanation.  If you're mining at a pool, you're connecting to one IP.  Bitcoin clients do use P2P connectivity, but the traffic is not on IRC ports, does not look like IRC traffic, etc..

Are you doing anything on purpose that would use a lot of bandwidth ?

First this:

Then use VPN to show middle finger to fags at ISP who are spying on your connection!

That explains it.

Rogers has to be one of the worst ISP's around, and the situation has not changed for a long time. My experience with them was in Vancouver in the 1990's and their so called high speed Internet was easily 10x-20x slower than a dial up modem at 14.4 kbps. I actually tested this. I still wonder if a telegraph line circa 1850 would actually outperform Rogers in data transmission throughput. When Shaw took over the cable network in parts of the Lower Mainland (Vancouver area) they inherited the mess Rogers had created. I have spoken to Shaw technicians who told me that Rogers would place 10000+ users on a node designed for 1000 users tops. There so called technical support is simply awful, as is their customer support. They are also known for grounding a cable modem by drilling on a live gas line.

The solution is simple ditch them. Here is a site with a list of alternatives. http://www.ihaterogers.ca/internet_on1.htm (http://www.ihaterogers.ca/internet_on1.htm)

Vote with your money. Better use your energy to switch to a competent ISP instead of trying to solve this with them.

I did the same years ago, when I found out that my ISP was incompetent and I have not had a problem since.

Most internet in Canada sucks compared to the USA and Europe.


We are very limited on what we can get unless you live in a HUGE city...


In my area we have one cable internet provider and numerous DSL providers selling the same DSL service....



Question: Can you get Cogeco in your AREA? You're not in London are you?

Clearly : Change ISP !  If my ISP ever proceed this way with me, I prosecute them right away !

I quit Cogeco 2 years ago, they where so mixed-up with their bills and they never kept logs of any of my calls, I've been in trouble with them like 2 month long, they kept switching my service down, even if fully paid, called every few days for 2 weeks, never had any worklog/call/log of anykind each time I called.. They made me mad !  I quit !  Also, they had a limit on DL.. that's not the case with my new ISP !

Change ISP now.

And consider suing them  ::)

Are you sure you aren't infected with a virus?

Are you just pool mining or are you also running a local bitcoin client?

If it is mining only the activity they describe isn't mining.    Pool mining isn't p2p, pool mining doesn't use a lot of bandwidth, pool mining doesn't connect to multiple machines, pool mining doesn't use IRC.

I'm not sure, I guess I will have to run virus scans on all the computers here.  The computers that I use should be fine but there are others that may have an infection...it would be funny if I had a virus after all!  LoL...I thought for sure it was my bitcoin mining.  Anyways, yes I only mine in a pool. 

And thanks to everyone for all the advice.  I'm considering changing ISPs.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, Rogers bought out Cogeco a while ago and Cogeco is only available in Western Ontario as far as I am aware of.  I used to use it when I lived in Windsor.  I HATED them more than Rogers.

^ LOL they're a pain in the ass to deal with but 90% of the time you'll get what you want if you fuss enough.

I have a simple solution for you or anyone else with these types of issues,

Get a business Internet plan from your ISP not residential,  They will then not mess with you since its a "business" and you have "business" requirements.

Well the Pro Internet plan here is about 90 a month...


Basic business plan which is slower than the Pro Residential with less of a cap is like $250 a month.......

Freedom, Static IP Address and real support people come at a price.  ;)

I guess it depends what you are doing. But the average end user does not want to spend over $100 per month on internet service....

It doesn't justify 250$ a month.

Exactly, I pay less than 40$ per month, including static IP, good support and never had an outrage that took longer than an hour.

I nominate you switch to shaw, You get free "COME THE FAWK TO MY HOUSE AND FIX MY INTERNET" service.

I thought Shaw and Rogers were in the same company? I'm probably wrong though :P

http://teksavvy.com/
i use them, they are much cheaper...

Yuppers~, my buddy across the street uses Rogers, His torrents are Throttled, His upload rate is Horrible, He speed is inconsistant and goes from 1.5mbps to 20mbps avrg of 6mbps
Buddy down the road uses telus, He has a stable connection, But its slow as dirt, Suffers from "clogging" when "alot of people in the area are using the internet" and its telus.

Sounds like what BELL sells as high speed DSL around here..

Yeah as much as people love to bash on the cable companies.   Imagine if cable internet had never become a reality in the US.  With no competition imagine how much worse DSL monopolies would be.   <shudder>

I believe Aliant has FIOS now.

@Pasky08

I'd suggest, try Aliant FIOS.

In Ontario Bell has there fiber optic Internet available only in large cities.... If you're in a small town your choices are slim. You pick either the same DSL from 5-10 dif providers or Cable usually from 1 provider. 

If you live in a large city that supports Bell "Fibe" internet. You can get 175mbps up/down speeds for $200ish per month. But it's hardly available