diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 26ff2db78..e81c20e31 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+	* exposed more settings for tweaking parameters in the piece-picker,
+	  downloader and uploader.
+	* tweaked default settings to improve high bandwidth transfers.
 	* improved the piece picker performance and made it possible to download
 	  popular pieces in sequence to improve disk performance.
 	* added the possibility to control upload and download limits per peer.
@@ -9,8 +12,9 @@
 	* changed the extensions protocol to use the new one, which is also
 	  implemented by uTorrent.
 	* factorized the peer_connection and added web_peer_connection which is
-	  able to download from http-sources. (currently only for single file torrents).
-	* converted the network code to use asio
+	  able to download from http-sources.
+	* converted the network code to use asio (resulted in slight api changes
+	  dealing with network addresses).
 	* made libtorrent build in vc7 (patches from Allen Zhao)
 	* fixed bug caused when binding outgoing connections to a non-local interface.
 	* add_torrent() will now throw if called while the session object is
diff --git a/examples/client_test.cpp b/examples/client_test.cpp
index 7b3eb9231..9af8cec26 100755
--- a/examples/client_test.cpp
+++ b/examples/client_test.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "libtorrent/entry.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/bencode.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/session.hpp"
-#include "libtorrent/http_settings.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/identify_client.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/alert_types.hpp"
 
@@ -511,8 +510,8 @@ int main(int ac, char* av[])
 		if (vm.count("input-file") > 0)
 			input = vm["input-file"].as< std::vector<std::string> >();
 
-		http_settings settings;
-		settings.user_agent = "client_test";
+		session_settings settings;
+		settings.user_agent = "client_test " LIBTORRENT_VERSION;
 
 		std::deque<std::string> events;
 
@@ -530,7 +529,7 @@ int main(int ac, char* av[])
 		ses.set_upload_rate_limit(upload_limit);
 		ses.listen_on(std::make_pair(listen_port, listen_port + 10)
 			, bind_to_interface.c_str());
-		ses.set_http_settings(settings);
+		ses.set_settings(settings);
 		if (log_level == "debug")
 			ses.set_severity_level(alert::debug);
 		else if (log_level == "warning")
diff --git a/include/Makefile.am b/include/Makefile.am
index cbdebbfad..c3a05efc8 100644
--- a/include/Makefile.am
+++ b/include/Makefile.am
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ libtorrent/escape_string.hpp \
 libtorrent/file.hpp \
 libtorrent/fingerprint.hpp \
 libtorrent/hasher.hpp \
-libtorrent/http_settings.hpp \
 libtorrent/http_tracker_connection.hpp \
 libtorrent/identify_client.hpp \
 libtorrent/invariant_check.hpp \
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/http_tracker_connection.hpp b/include/libtorrent/http_tracker_connection.hpp
index dd9fea09e..b66d4349d 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/http_tracker_connection.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/http_tracker_connection.hpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "libtorrent/socket.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/entry.hpp"
-#include "libtorrent/http_settings.hpp"
+#include "libtorrent/session_settings.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/peer_id.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/peer.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/tracker_manager.hpp"
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, unsigned short port
 			, std::string request
 			, boost::weak_ptr<request_callback> c
-			, const http_settings& stn
+			, session_settings const& stn
 			, std::string const& password = "");
 
 	private:
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		std::string m_server_message;
 		std::string m_server_protocol;
 
-		const http_settings& m_settings;
+		session_settings const& m_settings;
 		std::string m_password;
 		int m_code;
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/session.hpp b/include/libtorrent/session.hpp
index be4ca7d99..bcef51ad1 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/session.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/session.hpp
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			void connection_failed(boost::shared_ptr<stream_socket> const& s
 				, tcp::endpoint const& a, char const* message);
 
+			void set_settings(session_settings const& s);
+
 			// this maps sockets to their peer_connection
 			// object. It is the complete list of all connected
 			// peers.
@@ -272,7 +274,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 			// the settings for the client
 			session_settings m_settings;
-			http_settings m_http_settings;
 
 			// set to true when the session object
 			// is being destructed and the thread
@@ -319,8 +320,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		};
 	}
 
-	struct http_settings;
-
 	struct TORRENT_EXPORT session_status
 	{
 		bool has_incoming_connections;
@@ -413,7 +412,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		void remove_torrent(const torrent_handle& h);
 
-		void set_http_settings(const http_settings& s);
+		void set_settings(session_settings const& s);
+		session_settings const& settings();
 		void set_upload_rate_limit(int bytes_per_second);
 		void set_download_rate_limit(int bytes_per_second);
 		void set_max_uploads(int limit);
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp b/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp
index 80a5d5320..bd5418785 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp
@@ -33,13 +33,22 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #ifndef TORRENT_SESSION_SETTINGS_HPP_INCLUDED
 #define TORRENT_SESSION_SETTINGS_HPP_INCLUDED
 
+#include "libtorrent/version.hpp"
+
 namespace libtorrent
 {
 
 	struct TORRENT_EXPORT session_settings
 	{
-		session_settings()
-			: piece_timeout(120)
+		session_settings(std::string const& user_agent_ = "libtorrent "
+			LIBTORRENT_VERSION)
+			: proxy_port(0)
+			, user_agent(user_agent_)
+			, tracker_completion_timeout(60)
+			, tracker_receive_timeout(20)
+			, stop_tracker_timeout(10)
+			, tracker_maximum_response_length(1024*1024)
+			, piece_timeout(120)
 			, request_queue_time(3.f)
 			, sequenced_download_threshold(7)
 			, max_allowed_in_request_queue(250)
@@ -47,6 +56,35 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, whole_pieces_threshold(20)
 		{}
 
+		std::string proxy_ip;
+		int proxy_port;
+		std::string proxy_login;
+		std::string proxy_password;
+
+		// this is the user agent that will be sent to the tracker
+		// when doing requests. It is used to identify the client.
+		// It cannot contain \r or \n
+		std::string user_agent;
+
+		// the number of seconds to wait until giving up on a
+		// tracker request if it hasn't finished
+		int tracker_completion_timeout;
+		
+		// the number of seconds where no data is received
+		// from the tracker until it should be considered
+		// as timed out
+		int tracker_receive_timeout;
+
+		// the time to wait when sending a stopped message
+		// before considering a tracker to have timed out.
+		// this is usually shorter, to make the client quit
+		// faster
+		int stop_tracker_timeout;
+
+		// if the content-length is greater than this value
+		// the tracker connection will be aborted
+		int tracker_maximum_response_length;
+
 		// the number of seconds from a request is sent until
 		// it times out if no piece response is returned.
 		int piece_timeout;
@@ -78,7 +116,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		// send to a peer. This limit takes precedence over
 		// request_queue_time.
 		int max_out_request_queue;
-		
+
 		// if a whole piece can be downloaded in this number
 		// of seconds, or less, the peer_connection will prefer
 		// to request whole pieces at a time from this peer.
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/tracker_manager.hpp b/include/libtorrent/tracker_manager.hpp
index c51804f1d..8b9bf0145 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/tracker_manager.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/tracker_manager.hpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "libtorrent/socket.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/entry.hpp"
-#include "libtorrent/http_settings.hpp"
+#include "libtorrent/session_settings.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/peer_id.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/peer.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/config.hpp"
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	{
 	public:
 
-		tracker_manager(const http_settings& s)
+		tracker_manager(const session_settings& s)
 			: m_settings(s) {}
 
 		void queue_request(
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		typedef std::list<boost::intrusive_ptr<tracker_connection> >
 			tracker_connections_t;
 		tracker_connections_t m_connections;
-		const http_settings& m_settings;
+		session_settings const& m_settings;
 	};
 }
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/udp_tracker_connection.hpp b/include/libtorrent/udp_tracker_connection.hpp
index 184f4dc95..43671ed86 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/udp_tracker_connection.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/udp_tracker_connection.hpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "libtorrent/socket.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/entry.hpp"
-#include "libtorrent/http_settings.hpp"
+#include "libtorrent/session_settings.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/peer_id.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/peer.hpp"
 #include "libtorrent/tracker_manager.hpp"
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, std::string const& hostname
 			, unsigned short port
 			, boost::weak_ptr<request_callback> c
-			, const http_settings& stn);
+			, session_settings const& stn);
 
 	private:
 
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		int m_transaction_id;
 		boost::int64_t m_connection_id;
-		const http_settings& m_settings;
+		session_settings const& m_settings;
 		int m_attempts;
 		std::vector<char> m_buffer;
 	};
diff --git a/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp b/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp
index ea4d7db66..1a6756d35 100755
--- a/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/bt_peer_connection.cpp
@@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		handshake["m"] = extension_list;
 		handshake["p"] = m_ses.m_listen_interface.port();
-		handshake["v"] = m_ses.m_http_settings.user_agent;
+		handshake["v"] = m_ses.m_settings.user_agent;
 		handshake["reqq"] = m_ses.m_settings.max_allowed_in_request_queue;
 
 		std::vector<char> msg;
diff --git a/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp b/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp
index 830a853df..4fcd45133 100755
--- a/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		, unsigned short port
 		, std::string request
 		, boost::weak_ptr<request_callback> c
-		, const http_settings& stn
+		, session_settings const& stn
 		, std::string const& auth)
 		: tracker_connection(man, req, d, c)
 		, m_man(man)
diff --git a/src/session.cpp b/src/session.cpp
index 25ee3b936..22c2491c2 100755
--- a/src/session.cpp
+++ b/src/session.cpp
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace detail
 		std::pair<int, int> listen_port_range
 		, const fingerprint& cl_fprint
 		, char const* listen_interface)
-		: m_tracker_manager(m_http_settings)
+		: m_tracker_manager(m_settings)
 		, m_listen_port_range(listen_port_range)
 		, m_listen_interface(address::from_string(listen_interface), listen_port_range.first)
 		, m_abort(false)
@@ -468,6 +468,23 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace detail
 			, m_extension_enabled + n, true) != m_extension_enabled + n;
 	}
 
+	void session_impl::set_settings(session_settings const& s)
+	{
+		if (m_settings.sequenced_download_threshold
+			!= s.sequenced_download_threshold)
+		{
+			for (torrent_map::iterator i = m_torrents.begin()
+				, end(m_torrents.end()); i != end; ++i)
+			{
+				torrent& t = *i->second;
+				if (t.valid_metadata())
+					t.picker().set_sequenced_download_threshold(
+						s.sequenced_download_threshold);
+			}
+		}
+		m_settings = s;
+	}
+
 	void session_impl::open_listen_port()
 	{
 		try
@@ -931,7 +948,7 @@ namespace libtorrent { namespace detail
 			}
 		}
 		m_timer.expires_from_now(boost::posix_time::seconds(
-			m_http_settings.stop_tracker_timeout));
+			m_settings.stop_tracker_timeout));
 		m_timer.async_wait(bind(&demuxer::interrupt, &m_selector));
 		}
 
@@ -1371,10 +1388,15 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		return m_impl.m_listen_socket;
 	}
 
-	void session::set_http_settings(const http_settings& s)
+	void session::set_settings(session_settings const& s)
 	{
 		session_impl::mutex_t::scoped_lock l(m_impl.m_mutex);
-		m_impl.m_http_settings = s;
+		m_impl.set_settings(s);
+	}
+
+	session_settings const& session::settings()
+	{
+		return m_impl.m_settings;
 	}
 
 	session::~session()
diff --git a/src/udp_tracker_connection.cpp b/src/udp_tracker_connection.cpp
index 4182e6bc3..3681ec10b 100755
--- a/src/udp_tracker_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/udp_tracker_connection.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		, std::string const& hostname
 		, unsigned short port
 		, boost::weak_ptr<request_callback> c
-		, const http_settings& stn)
+		, session_settings const& stn)
 		: tracker_connection(man, req, d, c)
 		, m_man(man)
 		, m_name_lookup(d)
diff --git a/src/web_peer_connection.cpp b/src/web_peer_connection.cpp
index 25989fe07..746007d8d 100755
--- a/src/web_peer_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/web_peer_connection.cpp
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			if (m_first_request)
 			{
 				request += "\r\nUser-Agent: ";
-				request += escape_string(m_ses.m_http_settings.user_agent.c_str()
-					, m_ses.m_http_settings.user_agent.size());
+				request += escape_string(m_ses.m_settings.user_agent.c_str()
+					, m_ses.m_settings.user_agent.size());
 			}
 			request += "\r\nRange: bytes=";
 			request += boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(r.piece
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				if (m_first_request)
 				{
 					request += "\r\nUser-Agent: ";
-					request += escape_string(m_ses.m_http_settings.user_agent.c_str()
-						, m_ses.m_http_settings.user_agent.size());
+					request += escape_string(m_ses.m_settings.user_agent.c_str()
+						, m_ses.m_settings.user_agent.size());
 				}
 				request += "\r\nRange: bytes=";
 				request += boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(f.offset);