p2p connections being blocked suddenly?

[#1]

So I'm coming here because the chat reps are useless ("we're not trained about this, fix it yourself") and people seem to get much better help on the forum.

Today I have noticed that I cannot connect to any sort of p2p network. It first came to my attention when I tried to install a game that uses a launcher to download and install the game assets onto your computer. It does this via p2p connections. There were available seeds, but after an initial brief 1-2 seconds of being connected and downloading, the speed would drop to nothing and stay there indefinitely.

So I tried to get the game client from a torrent file, instead. I've used torrents before (legitimate, of course) and never had a problem with it. I've had my ports forwarded since years ago. But today, that torrent could not stay connected to any peers either.

It was starting to look odd, so I tried a public domain audiobook torrent with hundreds of seeders. It makes a connection for 1-2 seconds, then nothing, same as all the others.

I've never seen this happen before. I've never even heard of it. Google is baffled by my queries. Now, this isn't a problem with my speeds. I've run multiple speedtests and the results are great. 50 down, 12 up. I can browse webpages and download large files no problem. But I cannot for the life of me use anything that relies on p2p.

I have tried:

-Checking and re-setting my port forwarding rules (I've opened ports 6000 and 46111 respectively, one for the game client and the other is my torrent app)

-Power cycling the router/refreshing my IP

-Disabling "extended uPnP security"

-Enabling DMZ

-Disabling all AV on my computer

-Completely disabling the router firewall (Plusnet Hub One)

And I have also done TWO full factory resets on the router. Yet still, my log is filled with this:

08:21:08, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [37.144.145.71]:1243 ppp3 NAPT)
08:21:02, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [58.109.72.101]:6889 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:57, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [88.118.189.216]:61137 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:50, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [65.96.125.156]:60385 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:49, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: TCP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [83.84.141.248]:57941 CLOSED/SYN_SENT ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:48, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [77.222.112.193]:49001 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:47, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: TCP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [91.21.229.40]:43378 CLOSED/SYN_SENT ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:46, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [109.120.231.29]:10306 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:45, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [76.64.185.153]:37301 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:43, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [82.21.54.75]:6889 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:43, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [188.11.249.171]:6889 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:39, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:6000 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:6000 -​ -​ -​ [81.26.169.218]:43123 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:38, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:6000 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:6000 -​ -​ -​ [179.209.164.16]:6000 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:37, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:6000 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:6000 -​ -​ -​ [87.176.209.207]:6000 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:36, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [121.221.195.141]:62348 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:32, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:6000 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:6000 -​ -​ -​ [213.144.15.203]:34023 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:30, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [57] Connection closed (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [77.76.186.253]:1080 ppp3 NAPT)
08:20:30, 27 Jun.	IN: ACCEPT [54] Connection opened (Port Forwarding: UDP [192.168.1.64]:46111 <-​-​> [46.208.160.48]:46111 -​ -​ -​ [60.180.229.229]:21499 ppp3 NAPT)

I'm at a loss what to do next. The rep I was talking to said he would raise an issue with the faults team, but that was about a separate issue I've been having (multiple disconnects a day for the past week) and I don't think anyone is looking into this problem, which for me is a much higher priority right now.

Any clues?

[#2]

It sounds like you've tried a lot.

My only suggestion is to make sure the PlusNet firewall is disabled as well. This is done at PlusNet's level so nothing to do with your equipment.

Log into the member centre and make sure it is turned off.

[#3]

The SafeGuard, you mean? That's off, too.

Edit: I see there's also a separate firewall thing in another area, that is also disabled.

[#4]

You may already know this, but here is a handy site to test your incoming ports.

You can test common or specific ones.

Also if you have a different computer or device, it may be worth trying that too. Just in case you think you have disabled everything on the main PC - but there is something there still blocking the connections.

[#5]

That site is reporting my equipment as being 100% 'stealth' no matter what port I test. I tested the two listed above that I have opened, 6000 and 46111, as well as 80 (http) and then I did the general 'common ports' and they all show stealth, not a single hit.

And that is with the router firewall OFF, extended security OFF, uPnP ON and my ports forwarded.

Edit: I've tested on a different computer. (Un?)fortunately, the problem appears to be with my main computer, and NOT the router. The other computer can download the same public domain torrents that I tested on this PC. This is somewhat of a relief as at least it's not something I have to fight with Plusnet over, but now the question becomes... what on earth is causing this, because the first thing I did was investigate my system for strange processes and the like.

But that's an issue I'll resolve on my own, now that it's been ruled out as not a PN problem.

Sorry to trouble you, and thanks for the assistance Alex.

[#6]

No problem.

Now you know it is not a connection and router issue. You need to investigate the device now.

I would go through task manager and shut down everything which is running, one app by one. I'm sure you've checked the Windows Firewall from Control Panel, but just to identify what is causing the blocking.

For all you know an app could have sneakily downloaded an update (without telling you) which has caused this.

[#7]

I've pared it right down to the bare bones system processes, disabled all AV, disabled Windows Firewall, and the problem persists. (qBittorrent is there for the test)

[#8]

Still no luck after formatting my PC. But now it seems like this could be Plusnet's fault after all.

Apparently port forwarding, though it has worked flawlessly for all the many years I have been a loyal customer, is "not supported." I've tried the common workaround of using my PC's IP address instead of MAC address in the port forwarding rule, but it hasn't helped.

I'm open to any and all suggestions at this point. It's not an unreasonable request that I be able to download a game and play it.

[#9]

Port forwarding is a function of your router.

Have you had a read of https://community.plus.net/t5/Gaming/Plusnet-Routers-and-Port-Forwarding/td-p/1307971

[#10]

since you have uPNP disable port forwarding and see if it magically works 

I found a problem in that port forwarding doesn't work if something else is connected that uses the same port(s)

but then I've always found it to be useless when theres more than one network user...